(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0165909 A1
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jul. 28, 2005
`Cromer et al.
`
`US 20050165909A1
`
`(54) DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD
`FOR PERMITTING ASERVER TO
`REMOTELY ACCESS ASSET INFORMATION
`OF A MOBILE CLIENT
`(76) Inventors: Daryl Carvis Cromer, Apex, NC (US);
`Howard Jeffrey Locker, Cary, NC
`(US); Randall Scott Springfield,
`Chapel Hill, NC (US)
`Correspondence Address:
`LALLY & LALLY, L.L.P.
`P. O. BOX 684.749
`AUSTIN, TX 78768-4749 (US)
`(21) Appl. No.:
`10/742,151
`(22) Filed:
`Dec. 19, 2003
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl. .................................................. G06F 15/16
`
`(52) U.S. Cl. .............................................................. 709/219
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A data processing network configuration includes a Server
`and an access point wired to a network and a mobile System
`wirelessly connected to the access point. The access point
`receives and Stores a request to retrieve information from the
`mobile system. The mobile system, when in a powered down
`State, powers its wireleSS network adapter periodically to
`poll the access point to discover the Stored request for
`information. The mobile system responds to discovery of the
`Stored request by retrieving the requested information from
`nonvolatile Storage of the mobile System and transmitting
`the requested information via the wireleSS network adapter
`while otherwise remaining powered down. The information
`request may be a System management request and the
`request packet may include a Media Access Control (MAC)
`address repeated multiple times. The acceSS point Stores
`pending requests in a table having an entry for each asso
`ciated mobile System.
`
`
`
`MOBILE CLIENTASSOCATES WITH AP
`502
`
`RETRIEVE INFO FROM FLASH AND
`PROVIDE TO AP 524
`
`APALLOCATESENTRY NAP TABLE
`504
`
`MOBILECLIENTPOWERS OFF
`506
`
`SERVER ISSUES ASSET INFOREGUEST
`508
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`AP SERVICES REQUEST
`514
`
`AP SETS PENDINGREC BITINTABLE
`516
`
`MOBILE CENTPOLLS OR
`ASSOCATESWTHAP 518
`
`RETURN TOPOWER OFF STATE
`522
`
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`EXHIBIT 1022 - PAGE 1
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`

`Patent Application Publication Jul. 28, 2005 Sheet 1 of 5
`
`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`
`
`SERVER
`102
`
`
`
`
`
`108
`
`
`
`108
`
`MOBILE
`CLIENT 130
`
`cE30
`
`100
`
`FIG 1
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`Patent Application Publication Jul. 28, 2005 Sheet 2 of 5
`
`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`
`
`130
`
`FIG 2
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`Patent Application Publication Jul. 28, 2005 Sheet 3 of 5
`
`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`106
`
`WIRED
`IF 304
`
`UCONTROLL
`302
`
`WRELESS
`I/F 306
`
`
`
`125
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`120
`
`FIG 3
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`Patent Application Publication Jul. 28, 2005 Sheet 4 of 5
`
`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`
`
`MAC
`410
`
`REO
`412
`
`VALID
`414
`
`420-1
`
`420-N
`
`FIG 4
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`Patent Application Publication Jul. 28, 2005 Sheet 5 of 5
`
`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`
`
`MOBILE CLIENTASSOCATES WITH AP
`502
`
`RETRIEVE INFO FROM FLASH AND
`PROVIDE TO AP 524
`
`APALLOCATESENTRY NAP TABLE
`504
`
`MOBILE CLIENT POWERS OFF
`506
`
`500
`
`SERVER ISSUES ASSET INFORECQUEST
`508
`
`510
`
`511
`
`
`
`
`
`AP SERVICES REQUEST
`514
`
`AP SETS PENDING REO BIT INTABLE
`516
`
`MOBILE CLIENT POLLS OR
`ASSOCIATES WITH AP518
`
`
`
`20 5
`
`s
`
`N
`
`RETURN TOPOWER OFF STATE
`522
`
`FIG 5
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`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`Jul. 28, 2005
`
`DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR
`PERMITTING ASERVER TO REMOTELY ACCESS
`ASSET INFORMATION OF A MOBILE CLIENT
`
`BACKGROUND
`0001) 1. Field of the Present Invention
`The present invention relates in general to data processing
`networks and, in particular, to data processing networks that
`employ remote management to gather asset information
`from clients on the network.
`0002. 2. History of Related Art
`0.003
`Microprocessor-based computer systems have
`attained widespread use for providing computer power to
`business, educational institutions, government, and consum
`ers. A microprocessor based computer may be defined as any
`desktop, floor Standing, or portable System that includes a
`general purpose microprocessor central processing unit
`(CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory,
`including random access memory (RAM) and basic input/
`output system read only memory (BIOS ROM), and input/
`output (I/O) devices including a System monitor, a keyboard,
`a CD-ROM drive, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as
`a "hard drive”), a pointing device Such as a mouse, and, in
`the context of a networked computer, a network interface
`adapter or network interface card (NIC).
`0004. With computers being increasingly connected into
`networks to allow transfers of data among computers to
`occur, more operations Such as maintenance, updating of
`applications, and data collections are occurring over the
`network. Computer networks are also becoming essential to
`their users. It is desirable to minimize loss of productivity by
`increasing availability of network resources.
`0005 Remote management of client computer systems is
`becoming a part of both large and medium networkS.
`Remote management provides tremendous cost of owner
`ship advantages and provides better quality of Service for a
`client. One example of a remote management application is
`the collection or asset or inventory information.
`0006 Known systems exist for remotely collecting asset
`information from client computer Systems. The asset infor
`mation collected by these Systems includes information
`indicative of the clients hardware and Software compo
`nents. For example, Serial numbers, part numbers, and/or
`other information that identifies a client's memory, hard
`drives, operating System, Software, and other components
`may be Stored within the particular client.
`0007) A Management Information Format (MIF) file is
`typically utilized to store asset information. AMIF file is an
`industry Standard file defining locations and formats for
`storing asset information. MIF is fully described in the
`Desktop Management Interface (DMI) Specification v2.0s
`from the Desktop Management Task Force (www.dmtf.org/
`Standards/dmi/spec).
`0008. One known method utilizes a DMI command to
`permit a server to retrieve desired asset information from a
`client. In this method, the server transmits a DMI request to
`a particular client to obtain information Stored in the client's
`MIF file. Cromer et al., described a method of acquiring
`asset information when the client is powered down via a
`“constantly-powered” NIC. Data Processing System and
`
`Method for Permitting a Server to Remotely Access a
`Powered-Off Client Computer System's Asset Information
`(U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,636 issued Apr. 30, 2002).
`0009. With the advent of wireless LAN’s, encountering
`mobile (i.e., wireless) systems that do not have a constantly
`powered NIC is becoming increasingly common. Because
`conserving battery life is critical in wireleSS environments,
`it is not feasible to supply constant power to the NIC. A need
`exists for a data processing System and method that permits
`a Server to remotely access a wireleSS client computer
`System's asset information.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`0010. The identified need is addressed with a data pro
`cessing network configuration that includes a Server and an
`access point wired to a network and a mobile System
`wirelessly connected to the access point. The access point
`receives and Stores a request to retrieve information from the
`mobile system. The mobile system, when in a powered down
`State, powers its wireleSS network adapter periodically to
`poll the access point to discover the Stored request for
`information. The mobile system responds to discovery of the
`Stored request by retrieving the requested information from
`nonvolatile Storage of the mobile System and transmitting
`the requested information via the wireleSS network adapter
`while otherwise remaining powered down. The information
`request may be a System management request and the
`request packet may include a Media Access Control (MAC)
`address repeated multiple times. The acceSS point is Stores
`pending requests in a table having an entry for each asso
`ciated mobile System.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`0011. Other objects and advantages of the invention will
`become apparent upon reading the following detailed
`description and upon reference to the accompanying draw
`ings in which:
`0012 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing
`network according to one embodiment of the present inven
`tion;
`0013 FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a mobile data pro
`cessing System according to one embodiment of the inven
`tion;
`0014 FIG. 3 is a block diagram of selected elements of
`a access point according to one embodiment of the present
`invention;
`0015 FIG. 4 is a conceptual depiction of an information
`table of the access point of FIG. 3;
`0016 FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of remotely
`retrieving information from a mobile data processing System
`according to one embodiment of the present invention.
`0017 While the invention is susceptible to various modi
`fications and alternative forms, specific embodiments
`thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and
`will herein be described in detail. It should be understood,
`however, that the drawings and detailed description pre
`sented herein are not intended to limit the invention to the
`particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the
`intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
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`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`Jul. 28, 2005
`
`alternatives falling within the Spirit and Scope of the present
`invention as defined by the appended claims.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`0.018. The present invention may be described generally
`as a method and implementation for remotely accessing data
`Stored in a mobile data processing System when the mobile
`System is powered down. The Specific embodiment
`described below refers to asset information stored on the
`wireleSS System, but other implementations may retrieve
`other data or information from the System in a similar
`C.
`0019. The mobile data processing system includes a
`central processing System (CPU), System memory, and I/O
`devices including a wireless network adapter or NIC (for
`Network Interface Card). The wireless adapter, like other
`elements of the mobile System, is designed to conserve
`energy by powering down when not in use. Power conser
`Vation is a critical consideration in the design of mobile
`Systems where battery life (i.e., the amount to time the
`System can remain operational when disconnected from a
`Source of AC power) is the most significant limitation of the
`System for many users.
`0020. Because the wireless NIC in a mobile system is not
`continuously powered, existing methods for remotely
`retrieving data, Such as asset information, from a powered
`down System, which typically assume or require the pres
`ence of a continuously powered NIC, are not feasible. The
`present invention addresses this issue by describing a
`method and System that uses the facilities of a continuously
`powered wireless access point (AP) through which the
`mobile System connects to a network.
`0021. A server desiring to retrieve asset information from
`a powered-down mobile System, Sends a request to the
`System over the network using, for example, existing DMI
`and MIF protocols. The asset information request is ulti
`mately forwarded to the AP with which the mobile system
`is associated. The AP stores the request itself or information
`otherwise indicative of the request. In one implementation,
`the AP creates a table of asset information entries, with one
`entry allocated for each mobile system within the AP’s
`range. Periodically, the mobile System will power up the
`wireless NIC to poll the AP to see if any requests are
`pending. When the mobile System detects the Stored asset
`information request, the mobile System retrieves the
`requested information, perhaps from an asset information
`storage device connected directly to the wireless NIC via a
`System management bus, and forwards the information to
`the AP. In one embodiment, the AP stores the asset infor
`mation in the asset information table and transmits the
`information to the requesting Server. Once the asset infor
`mation, is stored in the AP's asset information table, Sub
`Sequent asset information requests can be serviced by the
`AP. In some embodiments, the AP may request and store
`asset information from the mobile system when the mobile
`system first associates with the AP so that the asset infor
`mation is available whenever a server request is made. In
`other embodiments, the asset information is not stored or
`otherwise cached on the AP. When any request for the asset
`information is made, the asset information must be retrieved
`from the mobile system itself.
`
`0022 Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block
`diagram of selected elements of a local area network 100
`having a wireleSS AP and a mobile System according to one
`embodiment of the present invention. In the depicted
`embodiment, network 100 includes a server 102 connected
`to a network hub 104 via a network medium 106. Medium
`106 is likely an Ethernet compliant medium, but selection of
`the local area network is an implementation detail and the
`present invention is intended to cover alternative network
`implementations.
`0023 Network hub 104 is shown as connected to a set of
`conventional or wired mobile systems 108 and also to a
`wireless AP 120 via network medium 106. The wireless AP
`120 communicates with one or more mobile systems 130 via
`a wireleSS protocol represented by reference numeral 125.
`Wireless protocol 125 is exemplified by an IEEE 802.11b
`protocol, but other wireleSS protocols Such as Bluetooth may
`also be used.
`0024 Turning now to FIG.2, a block diagram of selected
`elements of the mobile data processing system 130 of FIG.
`1 according to one embodiment are depicted. In the depicted
`embodiment, mobile system 130 includes one or more
`central processing units (CPU’s) 202 connected to a shared
`system bus 204. A system memory 210 is accessible to
`CPU's 202 via a bus bridge/memory controller 206. Bridge
`206 is connected to a peripheral bus 220, which is exem
`plified by the Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) bus. A
`wireless NIC 230 is connected to peripheral bus 220. NIC
`230 includes a wireleSS transceiver for Sending/receiving
`information formatted according to wireleSS protocol 125
`(FIG. 1). An asset information storage unit 240 is connected
`directly to NIC 230 via a system management (SM) bus 235.
`ASSet information Storage unit 240 is preferably a non
`Volatile Storage device that may be implemented with a flash
`memory card or other form of electrically alterable ROM.
`Asset information storage unit 240 may be entirely dedi
`cated to the Storage of asset information or, in other embodi
`ments, Storage unit 240 may contain other data and/or code
`such as a system BIOS. SM bus 235 is likely implemented
`as a relatively slow, two wire Serial bus that is easy to
`implement and adequate for low level, System management
`taskS.
`0025 Turning now to FIG.3, a simplified block diagram
`of wireless AP 120 of FIG. 1 is depicted. In the depicted
`embodiment, AP 120 includes a microcontroller connected
`between a wired interface 304 and a wireless interface 306.
`Interfaces 304 and 306 include buffering and synchroniza
`tion circuitry that, under the control of microcontroller 302
`enable communication between devices on the wired net
`work medium 106 and devices communicating via the
`wireless medium 125. Wireless interface 306 and microcon
`troller 302 are capable of providing distinct wireless con
`nections to multiple devices such as mobile system 130. AP
`120 further includes RAM memory 310 and non-volatile
`memory (NVM) 320 that contains code executable by
`microcontroller 302. In addition to executable code, the
`depicted embodiment of NVM 320 includes an asset infor
`mation table 330 that is used to record pending requests for
`asset information and, in Some embodiments, to Store asset
`information for each mobile system with which AP 120 is
`associated. As shown in FIG. 4, asset information table 330
`is organized as a set of entries 402-1 through 402-N where
`each entry 402 corresponds to a mobile system that has
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`
`associated with (e.g., obtained an IP address from) wireless
`AP 120. In the depicted embodiment, each entry 402
`includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address field 410
`for storing the MAC address of the corresponding mobile
`systems wireless NIC and a pending request field 412 of
`one or more bits to indicate pending request(s) addressed to
`the corresponding mobile System. In the depicted embodi
`ment of asset information table 330, each entry 402 further
`includes asset information fields 420-1 through 420-N (col
`lectively referred to as asset information fields 420) for
`Storing the mobile Systems asset information. ASSet infor
`mation fields 420, for example, include a serial number field,
`a manufacturer information field, a model information field,
`an installation date information field, a warranty information
`field, etc. Some implementations may elect to use the asset
`information table 330 as an asset information cache by
`storing asset information in table 330 when it is retrieved
`from mobile client 130. In this implementation, any Subse
`quent request for the asset information might be Serviced
`entirely by AP 120. In other implementations it may be
`desirable for Security reasons or otherwise to prevent asset
`information from being stored on AP 120. In these imple
`mentations, asset information table 330 would omit the asset
`information fields 420.
`0026. In some embodiments, portions of the present
`invention may be implemented as computer executable
`instructions, stored on a computer readable medium, (i.e.,
`Software) for remotely obtaining asset information from a
`powered down mobile system. All or portions of the soft
`ware may be stored in nonvolatile Storage Such as a flash
`memory device, EEPROM, CD ROM, or hard disk. During
`execution of the Software, all or a portion of the Software
`may be stored in a volatile storage device such as RAM 310
`of AP 120. In other embodiments, the invention is a service
`for enabling a network to Support remote acquisition by a
`server of information stored on a powered down mobile. The
`Software and service embodiments of the invention are best
`illustrated with respect to a common flow diagram that
`depicts a method comprised of the Steps the Software will
`perform and the Steps that the Service will enable the System
`to perform.
`0027. Referring now to FIG. 5, a flow diagram of a
`method 500 for remote acquisition of asset information from
`a powered down mobile data processing System according to
`one embodiment of the invention is presented. In the
`depicted embodiment, method 500 begins with a mobile
`system 130 establishing (block 502) an association with an
`AP 120. This association likely includes, for example, AP
`120 assigning an IP address to mobile system 130.
`0028. When a mobile system 130 establishes an associa
`tion with an AP 120, AP 120 allocates (block 504) an entry
`402 in asset information table 330 to the new mobile system.
`In embodiments of network 100 and AP 120 that elect to
`cache asset information of mobile systems 130 in asset
`information table 330, AP 120 may issue an asset informa
`tion request, Such as a MIF request, to each mobile System
`130 after establishing a connection. In this embodiment,
`asset information will be present in table 330 in anticipation
`of a forthcoming asset information request from Server 102.
`0029. After establishing a connection with AP 120,
`mobile system 130 may become inactive for a duration
`sufficient to trigger a power transition (block 506) in mobile
`
`System 130 from an operational power State to a sleep State
`in which Substantially all major functional components of
`mobile system 130 are powered down to conserve battery
`life. The components that are powered down in this sleep
`state include the mobile systems wireless NIC 230 thereby
`rendering the NIC incapable of receiving MIF requests or
`any other type of network packet from server 102.
`0030. At some point after NIC 230 powers down, a
`deployment or management Server exemplified by Server
`102 issues a request (block 508) to retrieve asset information
`from mobile system 130. In one embodiment, the asset
`information request is recognizable as a “magic' packet to
`which a control field or command extension is appended.
`The magic packet according to one implementation is a
`packet with a MAC address repeated 16 times in Succession.
`The magic packet has been used historically as a mechanism
`to initiate a wake-on LAN (WOL) process. In the present
`application, a control field appended to the magic packet
`informs the receiving System that the packet represents a
`request for asset information.
`0031. In response to receiving an asset information
`request, AP 120 first determines (block 510) whether the
`System from which information is being requested is
`“present” (i.e., has associated with AP 120). This determi
`nation is made by extracting the MAC address from the
`magic packet and using the extracted MAC address to index
`MAC field 410 of asset information table 330. In one
`embodiment, AP 120 ignores the request if the MAC address
`in the asset information request is not found in asset infor
`mation table 330. In another embodiment, AP 120 may,
`under a predetermined policy, decide (block 511) to either
`allocate a new entry in asset information table 330 when a
`request addressed to an “unknown' MAC address is
`received or to ignore the request. This embodiment might be
`desirable, for example, when AP 120 has significant spare
`entries in table 330 or when AP 120 suspects, based on prior
`usage, that the currently unknown MAC address is likely to
`associate with AP 120 in the near future.
`0032) If the MAC address of the asset information
`request matches an entry in table 330, the depicted embodi
`ment of method 500 determines (block 512) whether the
`asset information for the corresponding mobile System is
`cached (i.e., stored in) AP table 330. Table 330 may include
`a valid field 414 of one or more bits that indicates whether
`any information in asset information fields 420 is valid. In
`an embodiment that prevents asset information from being
`cached in AP 120, the valid bit fields 414 are pre-set. If there
`is valid asset information in asset information fields 420 of
`the appropriate entry 402 in table 330, AP 120 services
`(block 514) the asset information request directly, without
`assistance from the mobile system 130.
`0033. If the appropriate entry of asset information table
`330 does not contain valid asset information in asset infor
`mation fields 420, AP 120 will use table 330 to record the
`existence of a pending request for the appropriate mobile
`system 130. Specifically, AP 120 will set (block 516) one or
`more bits in the pending request field 412 of the entry 402
`corresponding to the MAC address contained in the request.
`The bit-width of pending request field 412 is implementation
`Specific. A Single bit might be Sufficient in a simple imple
`mentation in which there is only a single Server and there is
`only one type of request that is buffered in the described
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`
`manner. In other implementations, the pending request field
`412 may be wide enough to Store the actual request itself So
`that the identity of the requestor and the type of request are
`retained. Pending request field 412 may even be configured
`to Store multiple requests.
`0034) The dormant wireless NIC 230 on mobile system
`130 will, at Some point wakeup for the purpose of accessing
`(block 518) or communicating with AP 120. In one embodi
`ment, MC 230 is configured to periodically wake up and poll
`AP 120 to determine if there are any requests pending for
`mobile system 130. In another embodiment, NIC 230 deter
`mines if there are any requests pending the next time it
`associates with AP 120 (e.g., when mobile system 130 is
`next powered on). In either embodiment, this determination
`is made by inspecting the pending request field 412 of asset
`information table 330. If a mobile system 130 determines
`(block 520) that there is a pending request, mobile system
`130 will respond by returning the requested information, the
`asset information, e.g., to the requesting Server. In this
`manner, asset information is collected by a Server remotely
`from a mobile or wireless mobile system. While the imple
`mentation described herein is Specific to asset information
`requests, other Server requests may be handled in an analo
`gous manner. Different types of requests, for example, could
`be handled by appending different control field to the magic
`packet.
`0035) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having
`the benefit of this disclosure that the present invention
`contemplates a mechanism for remote retrieval of informa
`tion from a mobile client in a network environment. It is
`understood that the form of the invention shown and
`described in the detailed description and the drawings are to
`be taken merely as presently preferred examples. It is
`intended that the following claims be interpreted broadly to
`embrace all the variations of the preferred embodiments
`disclosed.
`
`What is claimed is:
`1. A data processing network configuration, comprising;
`an access point configured to receive and Store a request
`to retrieve information from a mobile System asSociated
`with the access point;
`a mobile System having a wireleSS network adapter con
`figured to poll the acceSS point to discover the Stored
`request for information on the access point;
`wherein the mobile System is configured to respond to
`discovery of the Stored request by retrieving the
`requested information from nonvolatile Storage of the
`mobile System and transmitting the requested informa
`tion via the wireleSS network adapter.
`2. The network of claim 1, wherein the access point is
`configured to recognize the request as a packet containing a
`media access control (MAC) address repeated multiple
`times and an appended control field.
`3. The network of claim 1, wherein the mobile system is
`further configured, when in a powered down State, to peri
`odically wake up the wireleSS network adapter to poll the
`access point for pending requests.
`4. The network of claim 1, wherein the access point is
`configured to Store the pending request in a table having an
`entry for each mobile System associated with the acceSS
`point.
`
`5. The network of claim 4, wherein the access point is
`configured to allocate an entry in the table when a mobile
`System associates with the access point.
`6. The network of claim 5, wherein the access point is
`further configured to Store asset information of the mobile
`client in the table.
`7. A computer program product for remotely retrieving
`information from a powered-down mobile data processing
`System, the program product comprising processor execut
`able instructions Stored on computer readable media, com
`prising:
`computer code means for Storing a Server request for asset
`information from the powered-down mobile system on
`an access point associated with the powered-down
`mobile System;
`computer code means for querying the acceSS point
`responsive to Subsequently powering the wireleSS net
`work adapter of the mobile System; and
`computer code means, responsive to detecting the Stored
`request for asset information, for retrieving the asset
`information and forwarding the retrieved information
`to the access point.
`8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the
`code means for retrieving the asset information comprises
`code means for accessing the asset information from non
`volatile storage on the mobile system while the network
`adapter is powered on.
`9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the
`code means for querying the access point comprise code
`means for periodically waking the wireleSS network adapter
`to poll the access point.
`10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein
`code means for Storing the Server request comprises com
`puter code means for Storing the request in a table on the
`access point having an entry for each mobile System asso
`ciated with the access point.
`11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein
`each table entry contains a MAC address of the correspond
`ing wireleSS network adapter.
`12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the mobile System Stores its asset information in the table
`and further comprising code means, responsive to a Subse
`quent request for the mobile System's asset information, to
`Service using the access point.
`13. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein
`the server request includes the MAC address of the wireless
`adapter on the mobile System of interest to the Server
`repeated Sixteen times and a control field appended thereto.
`14. A Service for enabling a server to remotely acceSS data
`from a powered down mobile data processing System, com
`prising:
`enabling the Server to transmit a request to retrieve
`information from a mobile System;
`enabling an access point associated with the mobile
`System to recognize the request and to Store informa
`tion indicative of the request on the access point if the
`request is addressed to a mobile System associated with
`the access point;
`enabling the mobile client to query the access point for a
`pending request during a Subsequent communication
`with the access point;
`
`DELL
`EXHIBIT 1022 - PAGE 10
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`

`

`US 2005/0165909 A1
`
`Jul. 28, 2005
`
`enabling a wireleSS network adapter of the mobile client,
`responsive to detecting the Stored request for informa
`tion from the Server, to retrieve the requested informa
`tion and to transmit the requested information to the
`Server through the acceSS point.
`15. The service of claim 14, wherein enabling the server
`to transmit a request includes enabling the Server to transmit
`a packet containing a media access control address of the
`wireleSS network adapter repeated multiple times and a
`control field appended thereto.
`16. The service of claim 15, wherein enabling the access
`point to Store information indicative of the request com
`prises enabling the access point to Store information indica
`tive of the request in a table having an entry corresponding
`to each mobile client associated with the acceSS point,
`wherein each entry in the request contains the MAC address
`of the corresponding mobile Systems wireleSS network
`adapter.
`17. The service of claim 16, wherein each entry in the
`table is further enabled to store the corresponding mobile
`system's MIF asset information.
`
`18. The service of claim 17, wherein the server request is
`a request for the mobile client's asset information and
`wherein the access point Services the request itself if the
`table contains a valid copy of the mobile client's asset
`information.
`19. The service of claim 14, wherein enabling the mobile
`client to retrieve the information includes enabling the
`wireleSS adapter to retrieve data from nonvolatile Storage
`directly connected to the wireleSS network adapter via a
`System management bus.
`20. The service of claim 14, wherein enabling the mobile
`client to query the acceSS point comprises periodically
`waking the wireleSS network adapter to poll the acceSS point.
`21. The service of claim 14, wherein enabling the mobile
`client to query the access point, comprises enabling the
`client to query the access point during a Subsequent mobile
`client power on event causing the mobile client to associate
`with the access point.
`
`DELL
`EXHIBIT 1022 - PAGE 11
`
`