Providing computing device configuration information via a light transmission

1. A method for providing computing device configuration information via a light transmission, the method comprising:

at a computing device:

receiving configuration information for the computing device including an internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the computing device by a network node;

receiving, from a receiver device and at the computing device, a request for configuration information of the computing device, wherein the receiver device includes an optical reader; and

sending, in response to the request from the receiver device and by the computing device, a wireless light transmission including the configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes the IP address, wherein the wireless light transmission includes either a visible light transmission or an infrared (IR) transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

at the receiver device:

receiving the wireless light transmission;

deriving the configuration information from the wireless light transmission; and

displaying, via a display, the configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver device uses the configuration information to contact the computing device or another device for obtaining additional information associated with the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver device includes a camera capable of detecting the visible light transmission or the IR transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver device includes a mobile device, a handheld computer, a computer, or a smartphone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes a media access control (MAC) address, a parameter, a setting, application data, a serial number, a device identifier, an application protocol, a port number, an error code, an error message, status information, or a software version number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless light transmission is sent via at least one light emitter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless light transmission is encoded using pulse position modulation (PPM), pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse distance modulation (PDM), biphase modulation, amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation, or frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation.

9. A system for providing computing device configuration information via a light transmission, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computing device implemented using the at least one processor; the computing device configured for:

receiving configuration information for the computing device including an internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the computing device by a network node;

receiving, from a receiver device and at the computing device, a request for configuration information of the computing device, wherein the receiver device includes an optical reader; and

sending, in response to the request from the receiver device, a wireless light transmission including the configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes the IP address, wherein the wireless light transmission includes either a visible light transmission or an infrared (IR) transmission.

10. The system of claim 9 comprising:

the receiver device configured for:

receiving the wireless light transmission;

deriving the configuration information from the wireless light transmission; and

displaying, via a display, the configuration information.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the receiver device uses the configuration information to contact the computing device or another device for obtaining additional information associated with the computing device.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the receiver device includes a camera capable of detecting the visible light transmission or the IR transmission.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the receiver device includes a mobile device, a handheld computer, a computer, or a smartphone.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the configuration information includes a media access control (MAC) address, a parameter, a setting, application data, a serial number, a device identifier, an application protocol, a port number, an error code, an error message, status information, or a software version number.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the wireless light transmission is sent via at least one light emitter.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the wireless light transmission is encoded using pulse position modulation (PPM), pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse distance modulation (PDM), biphase modulation, amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation, or frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a computer cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

at a computing device:

receiving configuration information for the computing device including an internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the computing device by a network node;

receiving, from a receiver device and at the computing device, a request for configuration information of the computing device, wherein the receiver device includes an optical reader; and

sending, in response to the request from the receiver device and by the computing device, a wireless light transmission including the configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes the IP address, wherein the wireless light transmission includes either a visible light transmission or an infrared (IR) transmission.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the wireless light transmission is encoded using pulse position modulation (PPM), pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse distance modulation (PDM), biphase modulation, amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation, or frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation.