Methods and arrangements for tracking and locating laptops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368233-B2
Application number	US-77222107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2007
Priority date	Jun 30, 2007
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

An arrangement for employing a host of receivers that may already be present in a laptop, to enable the laptop to collect a significant amount of data about its location. Once the system then finds a readily available connection, it can then transmit information about its location as well as other information to help pinpoint the location of the laptop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining, when a mobile device is not connected to a communications network and responsive to receiving an incorrect login attempt at the mobile device, data relating to a location of the mobile device using a receiver that receives the data from user devices in a vicinity of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device obtains an identifier broadcast from each of the user devices;
storing the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices within the mobile device;
thereafter transmitting, after establishing a communications network connection, the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices: and
determining, based on the received broadcast identifiers, a location of the mobile device: wherein the user devices comprise two or more fixed devices and mobile devices and wherein the data comprises two or more of: an access point ID, a cell phone tower ID, and signal strength information.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising scanning for an open access point among the user devices in a vicinity of the mobile device; and
wherein said transmitting further comprises transmitting information using the open access point used for the connection to the communications network connection.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said obtaining comprises employing an item selected from the group consisting of: a 802.11 receiver, a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) receiver, an FM receiver, and a short range wireless communication receiver.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said obtaining comprises obtaining, with regard to the user devices, location information and signal strength information.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising ascertaining a location based on information transmitted in said transmitting.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said obtaining comprises obtaining a WWAN cell phone tower ID.

7. A mobile device, comprising: a receiver; a CPU;
a system memory in communication with said CPU that stores code executable by said CPU to:
obtain, when the mobile device is not connected to a communications network and responsive to receiving an incorrect login attempt at the mobile device, data relating to a location of the mobile device using the receiver that receives the data from user devices in a vicinity of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device obtains an identifier broadcast from each of the user devices;
store the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices within the mobile device;
thereafter transmit, after establishing a communications network connection, the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices: and
determine, based on the received broadcast identifiers, a location of the mobile device: wherein the user devices comprise two or more fixed devices and mobile devices and wherein the data comprises two or more of: an access point ID, a cell phone tower ID, and signal strength information.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7 , wherein said plurality of receivers scan for an open access point among the user devices in a vicinity of the mobile device; and
wherein said data further comprises information transmitted using the open access point used for the connection to the communications network connection.

9. The mobile device according to claim 8 , wherein said plurality of receives includes a wireless module selected from the group consisting of: a 802.11 receiver, a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) receiver, an FM receiver, and a short range wireless communication receiver.

10. The mobile device according to claim 7 , wherein said mobile device acts to obtain, with regard to the user devices, location information and signal strength information.

11. The mobile device according to claim 7 , wherein said mobile device acts to obtain a WWAN cell phone tower ID.

12. The mobile device according to claim 7 , wherein said mobile device comprises a laptop computer system.

13. Hardware readable by machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine, the instructions comprising:
code that obtains, when a mobile device is not connected to a communications network and responsive to receiving an incorrect login attempt at the mobile device, data relating to a location of the mobile device using a receiver that receives the data from user devices in a vicinity of the mobile device, wherein the code obtains an identifier broadcast from each of the user devices;
code that stores the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices within the mobile device;
code that thereafter transmits, after establishing a communications network connection, the data including the broadcast identifiers of the user devices; and
code that determines, based on the received broadcast identifiers, a location of the mobile device,
wherein the user devices comprise two or more fixed devices and mobile devices and wherein the data comprises two or more of: an access point ID, a cell phone tower ID and signal strength information.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the user devices transmit data using a different communication protocol.

Assignees

• Waltermann Rod D
• Kelso Scott E
• Mese John C
• Peterson Nathan J
• Weksler Arnold S
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Waltermann Rod D
• Kelso Scott E
• Mese John C
• Peterson Nathan J
• Weksler Arnold S

Classifications

• H04W4/025

  using location based information parameters · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• H04W8/24 Primary

  Transfer of terminal data · CPC title

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• G08B13/1418 Primary

  Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply · CPC title