Patent Issued for Methods, apparatuses, and systems for network analysis (USPTO 11563796): Assurant Inc.

2023 FEB 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Hurst, Cameron (Asheville, NC, US), Meyer, Joan Patricia McDonald (Smyrna, GA, US), Saunders, Stuart (Lakewood, OH, US), filed on May 21, 2020, was published online on January 24, 2023.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11563796, is Assurant Inc. (New York, New York, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The applicant has discovered problems with current methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing network devices. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has solved many of these identified problems by developing a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products provide a network analysis device for monitoring, management, and troubleshooting of a network. The network analysis device is capable of detecting the presence of devices on a wireless network by monitoring wireless network traffic. Detected devices may be presented via a graphical user interface to provide an interface for displaying the presence of detected devices, optimizing the performance of detected devices, troubleshooting errors associated with detected devices, and the like. Embodiments may also assist with management of device warranty and insurance plans and registering devices for said warranty and insurance plans. Yet further embodiments may take certain actions upon detection of particular devices, such as generating a notification when an unauthorized device is detected. In some embodiments, a rules engine may take particular actions upon detection of devices. For example, a user may utilize device detection features of the digital concierge to detect the comings and goings of particular users and log the times of such comings and goings. Some example embodiments may employ additional or alternative device detection features, such as bar code scanners, receipt readers, stock keeping unit (SKU) readers, or the like.

“Embodiments include a system for providing computer network analysis. The system includes at least one satellite device configured to monitor wireless network traffic to determine at least one network communication event between a first network device and a second network device other than the satellite device, generate an event message based on the at least one network communication event, and transmit the event message. The system also includes a controller device configured to receive the event message, determine an identity of at least one device communicating during the network communication event, determine a network status based at least in part on the identity of the at least one device, and provide the network status via a management interface.

“The event message may include a signal strength of the network communication event and the controller device may be further configured to determine a location of the at least one device based at least in part on the signal strength. The event message may include a protocol identifier. The controller device may be further configured to identify a device type for the at least one device based at least in part on the event message. The at least one satellite device may be further configured to monitor the wireless network traffic by detecting network transmissions between a first network device and a second network device, the first network device and the second network device may both be different devices from the at least one satellite device and the controller device. The event message may include a packet header of the network communication event. A clock of the at least one satellite device and a clock of the controller device may be synchronized with one another. The event message may include a timestamp derived based on a reading from the clock of the at least one satellite device. The network communication event may be a network message transmitted according to an 802.11 protocol, a ZigBee protocol, or a Bluetooth protocol.

“Embodiments also include a method for providing a network analysis system. The method includes receiving, at a controller device, a first event message from a first satellite device, the first event message comprising content based on a first network communication event between a first network device and a second network device, receiving, at the controller device, a second event message from a second satellite device, the second event message comprising content based on a second network communication event between a third network device and a fourth network device, and processing, by the controller device, the first event message and the second event message to determine a network status, wherein the network status comprises an indicator of the presence of each of the first, second, third, and fourth network devices. The first event message may include a signal strength of the first network communication event and wherein the controller device is further configured to determine a location of the first network device based at least in part on the signal strength. The first event message may include a protocol identifier. The controller device may be further configured to identify a device type for each of the first network device and the second network device based at least in part on the first event message. The at least one satellite device may be further configured to monitor the wireless network traffic by detecting network transmissions between a first network device and a second network device, the first network device and the second network device may both be different devices from the at least one satellite device and the controller device. The event message may include a packet header of the network communication event. The method may include synchronizing a clock of at least the first satellite device and a clock of the controller device. The event message may include a timestamp derived based on a reading from the clock of the at least one satellite device.

“Embodiments also include an apparatus for providing computer network analysis comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The apparatus is configured to receive an event message, the event message based on at least one network communication event monitored by a satellite device, determine an identity of at least one device communicating during the network communication event, determine a network status based at least in part on the identity of the at least one device, and provide the network status via a management interface.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A method for network analysis and visualization, the method comprising: receiving a premises data set comprising physical data defining a premises associated with a network; detecting, via a receiver on a second device, a first signal strength from a first device having a first transmitter; determining a relative location of the first device relative to the second device based on at least the first signal strength; determining an actual location of the first device relative to the premises by comparing the relative location with a known location of the second device; rendering a graphical user interface depicting the actual location of the first device relative to a map of the premises; and updating the graphical user interface to indicate presence of at least one weak coverage zone in the premises based at least in part on the first signal strength.

“2. The method of claim 1, wherein the known location of the second device is determined based on an unknown position of the second device and a known position of a third device.

“3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, via a receiver on a third device, a second signal strength from the first device having the first transmitter; determining a second relative location of the first device relative to the third device based on at least the second signal strength; and wherein determining the actual location of the first device relative to the premises further comprises comparing the second relative location with a known location of the third device to triangulate the actual location of the first device.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is a mobile device.

“5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises: instructing, via a premises mapper component, a user of the second device to traverse the premises, wherein the first signal strength is detected while the user is traversing the premises.

“6. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile device comprises a mapping application configured to detect signal strength data captured by the mobile device for a plurality of static devices, including the first device.

“7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is a stationary device.

“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises calculating a recommended location for the first device, wherein the recommended location is different than the actual location.

“9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least a portion of the map of the premises based on inputs received from a user.

“10. The method of claim 9, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive a user drawn premises map.

“11. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display detected relationships between two or more devices on the network, including the first device.

“12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detected relationships comprise a network connection between the first device and one or more routers or access points.

“13. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a loss of a primary power source in the second device, in response to the loss of the primary power source, activating a redundant power supply of the second device, and in response to activating the redundant power supply, disabling a visual indicator of a powered status associated with the second device.

“14. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a connection of the first device to the network.

“15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a time associated with the connection of the first device to the network, logging the time, and determining if the time complies with a predetermined threshold time.

“16. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating an offer to buy the first device in an instance in which the first device has not connected to the network for a predetermined time.

“17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring for at least one event message associated with the device communicating over a network provided by the first device; determining whether the device is included in a set of known devices associated with the network provided by the first device; and initiating a response action based at least on the determination of whether the device is included in the set of known devices associated with the network provided by the first device.

“18. A device comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the device configured to: receive a premises data set comprising physical data defining a premises associated with a network; detect, via a receiver on the device, a first signal strength from a first device having a first transmitter; determine a relative location of the first device relative to the device based on at least the first signal strength; determine an actual location of the first device relative to the premises by comparing the relative location with a known location of the device; render a graphical user interface depicting the actual location of the first device relative to a map of the premises; and update the graphical user interface to indicate presence of at least one weak coverage zone in the premises based at least in part on the first signal strength.

“19. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is a mobile device.

“20. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is a stationary device.

“21. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive a premises data set comprising physical data defining a premises associated with a network; detect, via a receiver on a second device, a first signal strength from a first device having a first transmitter; determine a relative location of the first device relative to the second device based on at least the first signal strength; determine an actual location of the first device relative to the premises by comparing the relative location with a known location of the second device; render a graphical user interface depicting the actual location of the first device relative to a map of the premises; and update the graphical user interface to indicate presence of at least one weak coverage zone in the premises based at least in part on the first signal strength.”

For more information, see this patent: Hurst, Cameron. Methods, apparatuses, and systems for network analysis. U.S. Patent Number 11563796, filed May 21, 2020, and published online on January 24, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11563796)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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