Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-20
2001-09-04
Wiley, David A (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C455S456500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286044
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network managing method, a network management facility, and a network-connected apparatus for collecting and managing information from an apparatus (or apparatuses) connected through a cable or a radio system to a network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, advantages of connecting a computer or a data processor to a network have been widely recognized, and the number and types of apparatuses connected to a network (described as network-connected apparatuses hereinafter) are increasing. In association with this tendency, network structure is becoming increasingly complicated, and now there is the need for management of network-connected apparatuses.
As a tool for management of information of network-connected apparatuses, there has been known an apparatus which collects device names or information for connection in a network in the online mode and provide the collected information to, for instance, a network manager. By using a tool of this type, a user can collect and manage network information without going to a place where the network-connected apparatuses are located. Also with a tool of this type, it is possible to collect information for network connection and provide, for instance, a tree-formed layered-display of the information for network connection on a display screen of a network managing apparatus, so that the user can edit the information to a state similar to an actual layout with a graphic tool by maintaining the network connection state as it is.
As a unit for collecting information for a position where an object at a remote site is present, there is known a system that uses the GPS (Global Positioning System) or the PHS (Personal Handy-Phone System). GPS is a system which receives electric waves transmitted from a plurality of communication satellites and determines the position of an object, namely a car or a ship moving with a receiver for GPS installed thereon from the delay time of each received electric waves. A system making use of the PHS receives electric waves transmitted from a plurality of base stations using a PHS terminal (a simple portable telephone terminal) and detects the position of the PHS terminal as a mobile station according to amplitude of the received signals.
The network information management tool based on the conventional technology as described above can detect a change in position, when the logical network connection structure namely the structure indicating only connection between network-connected apparatuses and not indicating actual location of the network-connected apparatuses is changed, but can not detect a change in the position, when actual location of the network-connected apparatuses are physically changed while maintaining the logical network connection structure as it is. Namely, with the conventional tools as described above, information on physical position of each network-connected apparatus is not collected as one type of network information from each apparatus, so that physical movement of network-connected apparatus is known only to a person who has actually moved the network-connected apparatus.
In a case of network management in a small organization in which all of network-connected apparatuses are completely put under control by a network manager, the network manager will know a change in the physical position of each network-connected apparatus and reflect the information to the management information. However, as a scale of a network becomes larger, it becomes difficult to accurately and immediately manage physical movement of all network-connected apparatuses. The reason is that, even if it is tried to divide a large-scale network into several small-scale networks, a time delay may be generated between actual movement of a network-connected apparatus and updating of the movement information or a destination of movement of the network-connected apparatus may be erroneously inputted so far as the network management is manually executed.
Also when the network structure is displayed as a tree-formed layered structure on a display screen, or when a user uses a graphic tool to edit or have layout information displayed with the network connection state unchanged, a time delay may be generated in updating the positional information or a user may input erroneous information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a network management method for constructing a database containing positional information of a device connected to the network via a cable or a radio system by detecting positional information of the device and also managing configuration information of the network by making use of the database.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a network management facility which can construct a database containing positional information of a device connected to the network and by detecting positional information of the device and manage the configuration information of the network by making use of the database.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, which can be connected to a network and transmits information concerning its position through the network to a managing apparatus.
With the present invention, there is provided a method in which, a managing apparatus constructs a database for each network-connected apparatus, and after construction of the database, each network-connected apparatus receives electric waves from at least three radio base stations provided at different places and transmits amplitudes of the received electric waves to the managing apparatus, while the managing apparatus computes the positions of each of the network-connected apparatus based on the amplitudes of electric waves received from each network-connected apparatus and the position of the radio base stations transmitting the electric waves and stores the position of the network-connected apparatus in the database.
With the present invention, there is provided a method in which, a managing apparatus constructs a database for each network-connected apparatus, and after construction of the database, each network-connected apparatus receives electric waves transmitted from at least four different communication satellites and transmits the received data to the managing apparatus, while the managing apparatus computes the position of each network-connected apparatus based on the received data from each network-connected apparatus, and stores the position of the network-connected apparatus in the database.
With the present invention there is provided a method in which, a managing apparatus constructs a database for each network-connected apparatus. After construction of the database, a mobile station is placed near the network-connected apparatus, and the mobile station receives electric waves from at least three radio base stations provided at different places from each other and transmits amplitudes of the received electric waves via a communication unit to the network-connected apparatus. The network-connected apparatus receives amplitudes of electric waves transmitted from the mobile station and transmits amplitudes of the received electric waves to the managing apparatus, while the managing apparatus computes positions of each of the network-connected apparatuses based on the amplitude of the electric waves transmitted from the network-connected apparatuses and the position of the radio base stations transmitting the electric waves and stores the position of the network-connected apparatus in the database.
With the invention above, there is provided a method in which, a managing apparatus constructs a database for each network-constructed apparatus. After construction of the database, a portable terminal is placed near the network-connected apparatus, and the portable terminal receives electric waves from at least four different communication satellites and also transmits the received data via a communication unit to the network-connected apparatus. The network-connected apparatus re
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Wiley David A
LandOfFree
Network-connected device management system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Network-connected device management system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Network-connected device management system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2517950