WE CLAIM:
1. A method (400) for identifying a unique customer premises equipment (CPE)
ID in a network, the method comprising:
5 receiving (402), by a receiving unit (160), trace raw data transmitted by
a plurality of CPEs (152);
extracting (404), by a processing unit (162), at least one unique
equipment identifier and geographic information from the received trace raw
data;
10 selecting (405), by the processing unit (162), at least one CPE from the
plurality of CPEs based on the at least one unique equipment identifier;
deriving (406), by the processing unit (162), a center identifier (ID) of
the at least one selected CPE based on the extracted geographic information
from the received trace raw data; and
15 generating (408), by the processing unit (162), a masked equipment
identifier corresponding to the at least one selected CPE by adding a plurality
of additional identifiers to the derived center ID.
2. The method (400) of claim 1, wherein the at least one unique equipment
20 identifier extracted from the trace raw data comprises an International Mobile
Equipment Identity (IMEI), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial
number, or a Media Access Control (MAC) address.
3. The method (400) of claim 1, further comprising storing the trace raw data in a
cloud server, and retrieving the stored trace raw data by the processing unit
25 (162).
4. The method (400) of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a request by the
processing unit (162) to the CPE (152) for sending the trace raw data.
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5. The method (400) of claim 1, wherein the generated masked equipment identifier
comprises a set of identification codes, and wherein the set of identification
codes indicates a unique identity of each selected CPE.
5 6. The method (400) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of additional identifiers
includes a technology identifier and an environmental identifier, and wherein
the environmental identifier includes an identifier for indoor environ