System for the transmission and processing control of network resource data based on comparing respective network terminal and network resource location information

Abstract

A method and corresponding system for providing access to network resources, the system comprising: a resource registry including resource records associated with each of the network resources, at least one of the resource records identifies a physical location of the associated network resource; and an administration server for responding to a query containing criteria wherein at least one of the criteria is geographical coordinates, the administration server is configured to access the resource registry to obtain a list of one or more nearest network resources to the geographical coordinates based on the respective physical location of the network resources, and to transmit the list of nearest network resources in response to the query.

1 . A network resource control system for providing access to network resources, the system comprising:
 a resource registry including resource records associated with each of the network resources, at least one of the resource records identifies a physical location of the associated network resource;   an administration server for responding to a query containing criteria wherein at least one of the criteria is geographical coordinates, the administration server is configured to access the resource registry to obtain a list of one or more nearest network resources to the geographical coordinates based on the respective physical location of the network resources, and to transmit the list of nearest network resources in response to the query.   
     
     
         2 . The network resource control system of  claim 1  wherein the list of nearest network resources contains a single network resource that is the closest network resource to the geographical coordinates. 
     
     
         3 . The network resource control system of any one of  claim 2  wherein the geographical coordinates are any one of latitude/longitude coordinates, GPS coordinates and wireless triangulation data. 
     
     
         4 . The network resource control system of any one of  claim 3  wherein the criteria further includes at least one of printer type, printer model, delivery capability, job quality and price. 
     
     
         5 . The network resource control system of any one of  claim 4  wherein each network resource in the list of nearest network resources is specified by an alias that identifies the physical location of the network resource. 
     
     
         6 . The network resource control system of any one of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the network resources is a printer. 
     
     
         7 . The network resource control system of any one of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the network resources is any one of a facsimile machine, an image server, a file server and a scanner. 
     
     
         8 . A method for providing access to network resources, the method comprising:
 receiving a query containing criteria wherein at least one of the criteria is geographical coordinates;   accessing a resource registry that includes resource records associated with each of the network resources, at least one of the resource records identifies a physical location of the associated network resource;   obtaining a list of one or more network resources nearest to the geographical coordinates based on the respective physical location of the network resources; and   transmitting the list of network resources.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the list of nearest network resources contains a single network resource that is the closest network resource to the geographical coordinates. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any one of  claim 9  wherein the geographical coordinates are any one of latitude/longitude coordinates, GPS coordinates and wireless triangulation data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of any one of  claim 10  wherein the criteria further includes at least one of printer type, printer model, delivery capability, job quality and price. 
     
     
         12 . The method of anyone of  claim 11  wherein each network resource in the list of nearest network resources is specified by an alias that identifies the physical location of the network resource. 
     
     
         13 . The method any one of  claim 12  wherein at least one of the network resources is a printer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of any one of  claim 12  wherein at least one of the network resources is any one of a facsimile machine, an image server, a file server and a scanner. 
     
     
         15 . A method for communicating with a network resource from a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
 obtaining geographical coordinates;   sending a query to a network resource access system, the query containing criteria wherein at least one of the criteria is the geographical coordinates;   receiving a list of one or more network resources nearest to the geographical coordinates; and   connecting to a target network resource from the list of network resources.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising: selecting the target network resource from the list of network resources. 
     
     
         17 . The method of any one of  claim 16 , wherein the geographical coordinates are any one of latitude/longitude coordinates, GPS coordinates and wireless triangulation data. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein data defining the physical location includes geographical information representing the physical location. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein data defining the physical location includes metadata providing a descriptive data of the physical location. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metadata is directions within a building that houses the network resource located at the physical location. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metadata is an interior map of a building that houses the network resource located at the physical location. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resource record of the resource registry contains data representing the physical location. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resource record of the resource registry contains a link to data representing the physical location. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the data defining the physical location includes metadata providing a descriptive data of the physical location. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein access to the metadata is controlled by a server located on a network behind a firewall, such that the network also has the network resource. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of multistage polling to obtain the metadata.