IP Library Granted Patent US 10,477,507
Granted Patent B2
US 10,477,507 · App. 15/700,806 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

System and method for determining a location for a device in a communication network

Inventors: Kevin J. Oerton (Waterloo, CA); Michael Peter Montemurro (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
H04W64/00H04L67/42H04W4/00H04W24/02H04W84/02H04W72/0406H04W84/12H04W88/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,477,507
App. No.
15/700,806
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure recites a system and method of identifying location data for a server device managing communications for a wireless network. The method comprises: obtaining location data for the server device; identifying a location for the server device by analyzing at least the location data; updating data in the server device with the location; identifying a communication transmission range for the location for the server device; and configuring communications generated by the server device to conform to the communication transmission range.

Claims (46)

1. A method of identifying location data for an access point in order to initiate communications for a wireless network using a first radio technology, the wireless network including a computing device, the method comprising:

retrieving, at the access point, primer location data comprising an approximate location of the access point;

sending, from the access point to the computing device via a second radio technology, a request to provide additional location data for determining a geographic location of the access point;

receiving, at the access point from the computing device, the additional location data via the second radio technology, the additional location information representing a location of the computing device;

determining the geographic location of the access point by updating the primer location data using the additional location data, the additional location data being more geographically precise than the primer location data;

based on the determined geographic location of the access point, identifying a selected one of a plurality of transmission frequency ranges for the first radio technology, the selected transmission frequency range conforming with spectrum management regulations for a geographic region of the geographic location of the access point; and,

at the access point, responsive to identifying the selected transmission frequency range, initiating communications for the wireless network using the first radio technology according to the selected transmission frequency range.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating communications includes:

sending, from the access point, a beacon signal for receipt by at least the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectrum management regulations define impermissible transmission frequencies for the geographic region.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio technology is IEEE 802.11.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second radio technology is Bluetooth.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, at the access point, a triggering event; and

responsive to detecting the triggering event, repeating the receipt of additional location data, the determination of the geographic location of the access point, the identification of the selected transmission frequency range, and the initiation of communications.

7. An access point for establishing a wireless network using a first radio technology, the wireless network including a computing device, the access point comprising:

a processor and a memory device, the processor configured to:

retrieve, at the access point, primer location data comprising an approximate location of the access point;

send, to the computing device, a request to provide additional location data for determining a geographic location of the access point via a second radio technology;

receive, from the computing device, the additional location data via the second radio technology the additional location data representing a location of the computing device;

determine the geographic location of the access point by updating the primer location data using the additional location data, the additional location data being more geographically precise than the primer location data;

based on the determined geographic location of the access point, identify a selected one of a plurality of transmission frequency ranges for the first radio technology, the selected transmission frequency range conforming with spectrum management regulations for a geographic region of the geographic location of the access point; and,

responsive to identifying the selected transmission frequency range, initiate communications for the wireless network using the first radio technology according to the selected transmission frequency range.

8. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to initiate communications by:

sending a beacon signal for receipt by at least the computing device.

9. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the spectrum management regulations define impermissible transmission frequencies for the geographic region.

10. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the first radio technology is IEEE 802.11.

11. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the second radio technology is Bluetooth.

12. The access point of claim 7 , the processor further configured to:

detect a triggering event; and

responsive to detecting the triggering event, repeat the receipt of additional location data, the determination of the geographic location of the access point, the identification of the selected transmission frequency range, and the initiation of communications.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program executable by an access point to perform a method of identifying location data in order to initiate communications for a wireless network using a first radio technology, the wireless network including a computing device, the method comprising:

retrieving, at the access point, primer location data comprising an approximate location of he access point;

sending, from the access point to the computing device via a second radio technology, a request to provide additional location data for determining a geographic location of the access point;

receiving, at the access point from the computing device, the additional location data via the second radio technology, the additional location data representing a location of the computing device;

determine, based on the location data, the geographic location of the access point by updating the primer location data using the additional location data, the additional location data being more geographically precise than the primer location data;

based on the determined geographic location of the access point, identifying a selected one of a plurality of transmission frequency ranges for the first radio technology, the selected transmission frequency range conforming with spectrum management regulations for a geographic region of the geographic location of the access point; and,

at the access point, responsive to identifying the selected transmission frequency range, initiating communications for the wireless network using the first radio technology according to the selected transmission frequency range.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein initiating communications includes:

sending, from the access point, a beacon signal for receipt by at least the computing device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the spectrum management regulations define impermissible transmission frequencies for the geographic region.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first radio technology is IEEE 802.11.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the second radio technology is Bluetooth.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

detecting, at the access point, a triggering event; and

responsive to detecting the triggering event, repeating the receipt of additional location data, the determination of the geographic location of the access point, the identification of the selected transmission frequency range, and the initiation of communications.

Assignments (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADDED PATENT NUMBER TO REMOVE PATENT NO. 8,873,407 AT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 64066 FRAME 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE DATE MARCH 20, 2023. Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 074921/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET AT PAGE 50 TO REMOVE 12817157 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 063471 FRAME 0474. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064806/0669 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT 12817157 APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 064015 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064807/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064066/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063471/0474 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 26, 2018
From: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 046426/0880 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2017
From: OERTON, KEVIN JOHN; MONTEMURRO, MICHAEL PETER
To: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 043546/0720 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15205581 · Jul 8, 2016
Continuation 13193979 · Jul 29, 2011
Related Publication 20180098302A1 · Apr 5, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,238,565