IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,587,823
Granted Patent B2
US 12,587,823 · App. 18/147,324 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Methods and systems for device detection

Inventors: Jiongkuan Hou (Philadelphia, PA); Ping Yi (Philadelphia, PA); Thomas McClung (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
H04W8/005H04W8/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,587,823
App. No.
18/147,324
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for detecting the presence, location and movement of devices and associated users between networks. A device may determine and maintain data indicative of one or more devices in communication with a gateway device associated with a network in order to determine whether the device has been moved. The device may compare the data indicative of the devices in communication with the gateway device with other data indicative of devices detected at a second time to determine if the device has been moved to a new network.

Claims (30)

1 . A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, during a first time period, one or more identifiers of one or more user devices in communication with a first gateway device associated with a first network;

generating data indicative of a ranking of each identifier of the one or more identifiers according to a number of times each identifier is identified during the first time period; and

causing the data indicative of the ranking of each identifier to update according to a number of times each identifier is identified during a second time period.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more identifiers comprise at least one of MAC addresses, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers, international portable equipment identity (IPEI) numbers, or unique device identifiers.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the computing device, during the first time period, the one or more identifiers of the one or more user devices in communication with the first gateway device associated with the first network comprises monitoring at least one of address resolution protocol messages, neighbor discovery protocol messages, or reverse address resolution protocol messages.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, based on an event, additional identifiers of the one or more user devices.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: determining, based on the additional identifiers and the ranked identifiers, the computing device is in communication with a second gateway device associated with a second network.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the event comprises at least one of a reboot of the computing device, determining a new identifier of a new user device, or a power cycling event of the computing device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user devices comprise at least one of a VoIP device, a laptop, a printer, a security camera, a smart assistant device, a WiFi speaker, or a router.

8 . A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, during a first time period, one or more identifiers of one or more user devices in communication with a first gateway device associated with a first network;

generating data indicative of a ranking of at least one identifier of the one or more identifiers according to a number of times each identifier of the one or more identifiers is identified during the first time period;

determining, based on an event, one or more additional identifiers of one or more additional user devices; and

determining, based on the at least one identifier and the one or more additional identifiers, the computing device is in communication with a second gateway device associated with a second network.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more identifiers comprise at least one of MAC addresses, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers, international portable equipment identity (IPEI) numbers, or unique device identifiers.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining, during the first time period, the one or more identifiers of the one or more user devices in communication with the first gateway device associated with the first network comprises monitoring at least one of address resolution protocol messages, neighbor discovery protocol messages, or reverse address resolution protocol messages.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining, based on the at least one identifier and the one or more additional identifiers, the computing device is in communication with the second gateway device associated with the second network comprises determining, based on a comparison of the at least one identifier and the one or more additional identifiers, the computing device is in communication with the second gateway device associated with the second network.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining, based on the at least one identifier and the one or more additional identifiers, the computing device is in communication with the second gateway device associated with the second network comprises determining, based a threshold number of the one or more additional identifiers not matching the at least one identifier, the computing device is in communication with the second gateway device associated with the second network.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the event comprises at least one of a reboot of the computing device, determining a new identifier of a new user device, or a power cycling event of the computing device.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising: updating, based on the second network, at least one of a 911 service address associated with the computing device or a subscription associated with the computing device.

15 . A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, one or more identifiers of a first group of one or more user devices in communication with a first gateway device associated with a first network;

determining, based on an event, one or more identifiers of a second group of the one or more user devices; and

determining, based on the one or more identifiers of the first group not matching the one or more identifiers of the second group, the computing device is in communication with a second gateway device associated with a second network.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein one or more of the one or more identifiers of the first group or the one or more identifiers of the second group comprise at least one of MAC addresses, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers, international portable equipment identity (IPEI) numbers, or unique device identifiers.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein one or more of the one or more identifiers of the first group or the one or more identifiers of the second group are determined based on monitoring at least one of address resolution protocol messages, neighbor discovery protocol messages, or reverse address resolution protocol messages.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more identifiers of the first group comprise highest ranked identifiers determined during a first time period, and wherein the one or more identifiers of the second group comprise highest ranked identifiers determined during a second time period.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more identifiers of the first group are determined based on a number of times the one or more identifiers of the first group are identified during a first time period, and wherein one or more identifiers of the second group are determined based on a number of times the one or more identifiers of the second group are identified during a second time period.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the event comprises at least one of a reboot of the computing device, determining a new identifier of a new user device, or a power cycling event of the computing device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2023
From: HOU, JIONGKUAN; YI, PING; MCCLUNG, THOMAS
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 062760/0912 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240224018A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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