System, apparatus and method for tracking and managing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9489154-B1
Application number	US-201514934093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Tools, such as systems, apparatuses and methodologies, are provided to track and manage devices in a network, based on information retrieved from network switches in the system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory storage medium stored one or more programs of instructions, the one or more programs of instructions further includes an asset management application or program configured for managing a fleet of printer and multi-function devices and switches over a network and maintaining a device database and are executable by a processor of a host computer, to configure the host computer to comprise:
a switch communication module to communicate through a network interface and over the network, with a target device switch including plural ports configured for connection of respective the printer and the multi-function devices;
a switch management module to monitor the target device switch and register, for the target device switch and in the device database, port information indicating connected devices connected to the ports of the target device switch, and obtain by communication through the switch communication module from the target device switch, for each managed port amongst the ports of the target device switch, current port connection information indicating a currently connected device connected to the managed port,
wherein the switch management module compares (i) the current port connection information obtained from the target device switch indicating the currently connected device connected to the managed port with (ii) registered port information indicating the connected devices connected to the ports of the target device switch, and when the current port connection information of the managed port is inconsistent with the registered port information, for the target device switch, the switch management module sends a notification identifying the target device switch and indicating the inconsistency between the current port connection information and the registered port information, to an administrator.

2. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the asset management application maintains in the device database, for each managed device, device location information indicating a specified device switch to which the managed device is connected, and when the switch management module determines that the connected device determined as connected currently to the managed port of the target device switch is indicated in the device database as being connected to another port of the target device switch, the asset management application sends the notification to the administrator identifying the managed device and indicating that the managed device has been determined as having been moved to a different port of the target device switch.

3. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the asset management application maintains in the device database, for each managed device, device location information indicating a specified device switch to which the managed device is connected, and when the switch management module determines that the connected device determined as connected currently to the managed port of the target device switch is indicated in the device database as being connected to another device switch, the asset management application sends a notification to the administrator identifying the managed device and indicating that the managed device has been determined as having been moved to a different device switch.

4. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the asset management application maintains in the device database, for each managed device, a media access address of the managed device, and the switch management module transmits a query, by the communication through the switch communication module, to the target device switch, to obtain the current port connection information, including, for each port amongst the ports of the target device switch, the media access address of a device connected to the port amongst the ports of the target device switch.

5. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the asset management application includes an automatic update mode in which when the switch management module determines that the media access address of the connected device that is connected to the managed port of the target device switch, as indicated in the current port connection information, is inconsistent with the registered port information for the target device switch, the switch management module updates the port information registered for the managed port of the target device switch to show that the connected device is connected to the managed port.

6. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the asset management application additionally registers information indicating date and time of the update to the port information registered for the managed port of the target device switch.

7. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein when the switch management module determines that the media access address of the connected device that is connected to the managed port of the target device switch, as indicated in the current port connection information, is inconsistent with the registered port information for the target device switch, the switch management module determines whether the connected device determined to be connected currently to the managed port is indicated in the device database as being connected to another device switch.

8. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the asset management application maintains in the device database, for each managed device, device location information indicating a specified device switch to which the managed device is connected, and when the switch management module determines that the connected device determined to be connected currently to the managed port of the target device switch is indicated in the device database as being connected to another device switch or another port, the asset management application updates the device location information registered in the device database for the connected device to show that the connected device is connected to the managed port of the target device switch.

9. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the asset management application additionally registers information indicating date and time of the update to the device location information registered in the device database for the connected device.

10. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the asset management application polls managed device switches according to a device polling schedule, to obtain from each managed device switch amongst the managed device switches, a network address of each connected device connected to the ports of the managed device switch, and the asset management application updates the port information registered in the device database for the managed device switch to reflect the network address of said each connected device connected to the ports of the managed device switch.

11. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the asset management application maintains in the device database, for each particular managed device, information registered for the particular managed device to indicate a communication protocol to be used for the communication with the particular managed device, and
the asset management application includes an automatic update mode in which the asset management application polls each subject device switch amongst plural managed device switches, in turn, according to an information update schedule, to communicate with the subject device switch according to the registered communication protocol of the subject device switch to obtain device port information of

Assignees

• Haapanen Tom
• Cecile Matt
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Haapanen Tom
• Cecile Matt

Classifications

• H04L41/085

  Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history · CPC title

• G06F3/1236

  Connection management · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F3/1203 Primary

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management · CPC title

• G06F3/1286

  via local network · CPC title