Network terminal identification
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLuigi Pichetti, Marco Secchi, Antonio Secomandi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of dynamically composing or updating electronic contact lists, such as mailing lists, on the basis of proximity to a particular point or user. By means of this method a user can be offered the option of addressing a method to all “nearby” users. Proximity may be determined with reference to network hardware or other resources associated with each user, for example, LAN segments or wireless access points.
Claims10
A network terminal identification method for use in a data network comprising a plurality of uniquely identifiable interface points, said method comprising the steps of:
- logging the identity of a plurality of terminal devices each with an associated interface point identity in an identity log;
- determining the identity of a requesting interface point being the interface point associated with a requesting terminal device;
- identifying terminal devices connected to interface points having a predetermined physical relationship with said requesting interface point with reference to said identity log;
- making available the results of said step of identifying to said requesting terminal device;
- and
- compiling a list of said uniquely identifiable interface points, and wherein said step of identifying terminal devices connected to interface points having the predetermined physical relationship is made with reference to said list of uniquely identifiable interface points, wherein said step of determining the position of said requesting terminal device, and said step of identifying terminal devices connected to interface points having a predetermined physical relationship with said requesting terminal device, are carried out responsive to receiving a request from said requesting terminal device, and wherein the position of said requesting terminal device is determined by extracting routing data identifying said interface points through which said request was conveyed from said requesting terminal device and comparing the interface points thus identified to said list of uniquely identifiable interface points, wherein at least some of said interface points are hierarchical with respect to one another.
A network terminal identification method for use in a data network comprising a plurality of uniquely identifiable interface points, said method comprising the steps of:
- logging the identity of a plurality of terminal devices each with an associated interface point identity in an identity log;
- determining the identity of a requesting interface point being the interface point associated with a requesting terminal device;
- and
- identifying terminal devices connected to interface points having a predetermined physical relationship with said requesting interface point with reference to said identity log;
- making available the results of said step of identifying to said requesting terminal device;
- wherein said step of determining the position of said requesting terminal device, and said step of identifying terminal devices connected to interface points having a predetermined physical relationship with said requesting terminal device, are carried out responsive to receiving a request from said requesting terminal device, and wherein the position of said requesting terminal device is determined by extracting identity details from said request and comparing these to said identity log to determine an associated interface point associated with a given terminal device of the plurality of terminal devices, and comparing the associated interface point thus identified to said list of uniquely identifiable interface points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.