Patent ID: 8254395

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for tracking a physical location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment, comprising: authenticating the user of the wireless device with a private network over a public network, wherein the user uses the wireless device to establish wireless connectivity to the public network using a provider of wireless connectivity; establishing a data connection between the wireless device and the private network in response to a connection request; storing real-time physical location information on a device locator application; the device locator application maintained on the wireless device; receiving the real-time physical location information from the device locator application on a provider locator application, wherein the provider application acts as a counterpart to the device locator application, and the provider locator application is maintained on a provider of the private network, distinct from the provider of the wireless connectivity, wherein the real-time physical location information comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address corresponding to the wireless device, a location corresponding to a server maintained by the private network, wherein the location identifies a public environment of the physical location of the user, a timestamp corresponding to the data connection between the wireless device and the private network, a name corresponding to the wireless device, a connection type corresponding to the data connection, and a date corresponding to the date of the data connection; tracking the precise physical location of the user based on the information; updating the real-time physical location information on the device locator application by the device locator application querying the wireless device and receiving updated physical location information; querying the wireless device from the provider of the private network; and receiving, on the provider locator application, the updated physical location information based on the querying.