System and method for tracking a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016192126-A1
Application number	US-201414588059-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes detecting, by a mobile network interface card (MNIC) using a radio frequency (RF) signal, network devices of a network, generating, by the MNIC, a report identifying a network device of the network devices as detected by the MNIC, and sending, by the MNIC, the report to the network device. The method further includes forwarding, by the network device using the network, the report to a backend, identifying, by the backend, a physical location of the network device, and determining, by the backend, an approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the network device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
detecting, by a mobile network interface card (MNIC) using a radio frequency (RF) signal, a first plurality of network devices, wherein the first plurality of network devices comprises a network; generating, by the MNIC, a first report identifying a first network device of the first plurality of network devices as detected by the MNIC; sending, by the MNIC, the first report to the first network device; forwarding, by the first network device and using the network, the first report to a backend; identifying, by the backend, a physical location of the first network device; and determining, by the backend, an approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the first network device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the MNIC and for each of the first plurality of network devices, a received signal strength indication (RSSI), wherein the first report comprises: a media access control (MAC) address of the first network device, the RSSI for the first network device, and an age of the RSSI for the first network device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first network device is associated with a strongest RSSI of the plurality of network devices.

4 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the physical location of the first network device is static, and wherein the MAC address of the first network device is mapped to the physical location of the first network device.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
performing, by the backend, triangulation based on the first report to determine the approximate physical location of the MNIC, wherein the first report further comprises an RSSI for each network device of a subset of the first plurality of network devices.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the MNIC using the RF signal, a second plurality of network devices, wherein the second plurality of network devices comprises the network; generating, by the MNIC, a second report identifying a second network device of the second plurality of network devices as detected by the MNIC; sending, by the MNIC, the second report to the second network device; forwarding, by the second network device and using the network, the second report to the backend; identifying, by the backend, a physical location of the second network device; and updating, by the backend, the approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the second network device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first report further comprises a battery percentage.

8 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the backend is a server, wherein the first network device is an electricity meter, and wherein the network is a smart grid.

9 . A system, comprising:
a first plurality of network devices comprising a network, each of the first plurality of network devices configured to:
receive a first report, and
forward the first report to a backend; and
a mobile network interface card (MNIC) configured to:
detect, using a radio frequency (RF) signal, a first network device of the first plurality of network devices,
generate the first report identifying a first network device of the first plurality of network devices as detected by the MNIC, and
send the first report to the first network device,
wherein the backend is configured to:
identify a physical location of the first network device, and
determine an approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the first network device.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by the MNIC and for each of the first plurality of network devices, a received signal strength indication (RSSI), wherein the first report comprises: a media access control (MAC) address of the first network device, the RSSI for the first network device, and an age of the RSSI for the first network device.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first network device is associated with a strongest RSSI of the plurality of network devices.

12 . The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the physical location of the first network device is static, and wherein the MAC address of the first network device is mapped to the physical location of the first network device.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the backend is further configured to:
perform triangulation based on the first report to determine the approximate physical location of the MNIC, wherein the first report further comprises an RSSI for each network device of a subset of the first plurality of network devices.

14 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second plurality of network devices comprising the network, each of the second plurality of network devices configured to:
receive a second report, and
forward, using the network, the second report to the backend,
wherein the MNIC is further configured to:
detect, using the RF signal, the second plurality of network devices,
generate the second report identifying a second network device of the second plurality of network devices as detected by the MNIC, and
send the second report to the second network device, and
wherein the backend is further configured to:
identify a physical location of the second network device, and
update the approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the second network device.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first report further comprises a battery percentage.

16 . The system of claim 9 ,
wherein the backend is a server wherein the first network device is an electricity meter, and wherein the network is a smart grid.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium (CRM) storing a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions comprising functionality to:
detect, by a mobile network interface card (MNIC) using a radio frequency (RF) signal, a first plurality of network devices, wherein the first plurality of network devices comprises a network; generate, by the MNIC, a first report identifying a first network device of the first plurality of network devices as detected by the MNIC; send, by the MNIC, the first report to the first network device; forward, by the first network device and using the network, the first report to a backend; identify, by the backend, a physical location of the first network device; and determine, by the backend, an approximate physical location of the MNIC based on the physical location of the first network device.

18 . The non-transitory CRM of claim 17 , further comprising functionality to:
determine, by the MNIC and for each of the first plurality of network devices, a received signal strength indication (RSSI), wherein the first report comprises: a media access control (MAC) address of the first network device, the RSSI for the first network device, and an age of the RSSI for the first network device.

19 . The non-transitory CRM of claim 18 , wherein the first network device is associated with a strongest RSSI of the plurality of network devices.

20 . The non-transitory CRM of claim 18 ,
wherein the physical location of the first network device is static, and wherein the MAC address of the first network device is mapped to the physical location of the first network device.

Assignees

• Silver Spring Networks Inc

Inventors

• Dubey Aditi
• Shah Kunal
• Bruins Greg
• Tam Conroy
• Campbell Neville
• Hunt Peter

Classifications

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04B1/3816

  Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices · CPC title

• H04W64/003

  locating network equipment · CPC title

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W64/00

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