Apparatus connected to network, and address determination program and method

• US 20030140283A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishio, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names

Abstract

A network-capable device stores an address of another device. The network-capable device determines whether or not a connected network has been changed. If it has not been changed, then an address other than the address of the other device stored is determined as an address of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus connected to a network, comprising:

communications means for communicating with another device over a network;

determination means for determining an address of the apparatus; and

memory means for storing an address of another device, wherein

said determination means determines whether or not the network to which the apparatus is connected is changed, and determines an address other than the address of the other device stored in said memory means as the address of the apparatus when the network is not changed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said determination means determines whether or not there is a device which uses the address of the apparatus on the network, and determines an address other than the address of the other device stored in said memory means as the address of the apparatus when there is the device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said determination means controls depending on traffic on the network a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses an address determined as the address of the apparatus.

4. An apparatus connected to a network, comprising:

communications means for communicating with another device over a network;

determination means for determining an address of the apparatus; and

memory means for storing an address of the apparatus and an address of another device, wherein

said determination means determines whether or not there is a device which uses the address of the other device stored in said memory means, and determines that the address stored in said memory means is reused if there is the device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said determination means determines an address other than the address of the other device stored in said memory means as the address of the apparatus if there is the device on the network which uses the address of the apparatus stored in said memory means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said determination means controls depending on traffic on the network a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses the address of the apparatus.

7. An address determination program, comprising:

a storing step of storing an address of another device; and

a determining step of determining whether or not a network to which the apparatus is connected is changed, wherein

when the network is not changed, an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step is determined as an address of the apparatus.

8. The program according to claim 7, wherein

said determining step comprises a second determining step of determining whether or not there is a device on the network which uses the address of the apparatus, and, when there is the device, determines an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step as an address of the apparatus.

9. The program according to claim 7, wherein

said determining step controls depending on traffic on the network a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses an address determined as the address of the apparatus.

10. An address determination program, comprising:

a storing step of storing an address of an apparatus executing the program, and an address of another device;

a determining step of determining whether or not there is a device on a network which uses the address of the other device stored in said storing step; and

a reusing step of reusing the address of the apparatus stored in said storing step when there is the device.

11. The program according to claim 10, wherein

in said reusing step, when there is the device on the network which uses the address of the apparatus stored in said storing step, an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step is determined as the address of the apparatus.

12. The program according to claim 10, wherein

in said reusing step, a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses the address of the apparatus is controlled depending on traffic on the network.

13. An address determination method, comprising:

a storing step of storing an address of another device; and

a determining step of determining whether or not a network to which the apparatus is connected is changed, wherein

when the network is not changed, an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step is determined as an address of the apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

said determining step comprises a second determining step of determining whether or not there is a device on the network which uses the address of the apparatus, and, when there is the device, determines an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step as an address of the apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein

said determining step comprises a controlling step of controlling depending on traffic on the network a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses an address determined as the address of the apparatus.

16. An address determination method, comprising

a storing step of storing an address of an apparatus executing the program, and an address of another device;

a determining step of determining whether or not there is a device on a network which uses the address of the other device stored in said storing step; and

a reusing step of reusing the address of the apparatus stored in said storing step when there is the device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein

in said reusing step, when there is the device on the network which uses the address of the apparatus stored in said storing step, an address other than the address of the other device stored in said storing step is determined as the address of the apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein

in said reusing step, a transmission of a signal for use in checking whether or not there is a device which uses the address of the apparatus is controlled depending on traffic on the network.