System for dynamically tracking the location of network devices to enable emergency services

Abstract

A system and/or method to determine the location within a building of an apparatus, such as a personal computer, coupled to a computer network. A communication facility of the apparatus is configured to source and sink messages in the computer network via at least one network port coupled to the computer network. A radio frequency (RF) receiver of the apparatus is configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, the base stations located in the building, each beacon signal encoded with location information descriptive of the location of one of the base stations. Also, a location determination engine of the apparatus is configured to compute a location of the apparatus based on the location information encoded in the beacon signals, the computed location being a point within the building.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a communication facility configured to source and sink messages in a computer network via at least one network port coupled to the computer network;    a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, the base stations located in a building, each beacon signal encoded with location information descriptive of the location of one of the base stations; and    a location determination engine configured to compute a location of the apparatus based on the location information encoded in the beacon signals, the computed location being a point within the building.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location determination engine is further configured to generate one or more location identifier (ID) messages that contain the computed location of the apparatus within the building, and the communication facility is further configured to transmit the one or more location ID messages onto the computer network.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the communication facility is further configured to direct the one or more location ID messages to a location repository having a location table to store locations of a plurality of different apparatus coupled to the computer network.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises latitude, longitude, and height above sea level.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises a floor number of a floor of the building.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the location determination engine is further configured to generate one or more location identifier (ID) messages that contain a floor number of the building, which indicates where the apparatus is located, and the communication facility is further configured to transmit the one or more location ID messages onto the computer network.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location determination engine is further configured to compute the location of the apparatus by trilateration from the location information encoded in the beacon signals.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location determination engine is further configured to compute the location of the apparatus by comparison of a time of transmission of each beacon signal with a time or reception at the apparatus of that beacon signal, and to determine therefrom a distance each beacon signal has traveled.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a call signaling entity configured to initiate calls from the apparatus over the computer network to another apparatus, the call signaling entity further configured to cause the apparatus's computed location to be appended to at least one of the calls.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one call is an emergency 911 call.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location determination engine is configured to detect that the apparatus has been moved and, in response, to compute a new location of the apparatus.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon signals are transmitted as Loran signals.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer network is an Ethernet local area network (LAN).  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a personal computer.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone device.  
   
   
       16 . A method comprising: 
 receiving beacon signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, the base stations located in a building, each beacon signal encoded with location information describing the location of one of the base stations; and    computing a location of an apparatus based on the location information encoded in the beacon signals, the computed location being a point within the building;    transmitting one or more location identifier (ID) messages onto a computer network via at least one network port of the apparatus coupled to the computer network, the messages including the computed location within the building.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises: 
 directing the one or more location ID messages to a location repository having a location table to store locations of a plurality of different apparatus coupled to the computer network.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the location information comprises latitude, longitude, and height above sea level.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the location information comprises a floor number of a floor of the building.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises: 
 including a floor number of the building, which indicates where the apparatus is located, in the one or more location ID messages.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of computing further comprises: 
 employing trilateration from the location information encoded in the beacon signals to determine the location of the apparatus.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of computing further comprises: 
 comparing a time of transmission of each beacon signal with a time or reception at the apparatus of that beacon signal and determining therefrom a distance each beacon signal has traveled.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 initiating a call from the apparatus over the computer network to another apparatus; and    appending the apparatus's computed location to the call.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the call is an emergency 911 call.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 detecting that the apparatus has been moved, and, in response, computing a new location of the apparatus.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the beacon signals are transmitted as Loran signals.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the computer network is an Ethernet local area network (LAN).  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is a personal computer.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone device.  
   
   
       30 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving beacon signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, the base stations located in a building, each beacon signal encoded with location information describing the location of one of the base stations; and    means for computing a location of an apparatus based on the location information encoded in the beacon signals, the computed location being a point within the building;    means for transmitting one or more location identifier (ID) messages onto a computer network via at least one network port of the apparatus coupled to the computer network, the messages including the computed location within the building.