System and method for discovery and remote control of computers

• US 20030212820A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pace Micro Technology PLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: deCarmo, Linden
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A system and method for enabling computers associated with a communications network to remotely locate each other and establish a master-slave relationship.

Claims

1. A system for enabling computers associated with a communications network to remotely locate each other and establish a master-slave relationship comprising:

a first computer having a first MAC address associated therewith;

a second computer having a second MAC address associated therewith and the first computer and second computer part of the communications network; and

a third computer having knowledge of the first MAC address and the second MAC address and sending a first message having the first MAC address to the second computer and a second message having the second MAC address to the first computer over the communications network;

wherein the first computer broadcasts a third message having the second MAC address over the communications network and in response to the third message the second computer establishes a connected socket between the second computer and the first computer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second computer responds with a fourth message having the first MAC address.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computer sends a heartbeat message to the second computer.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the second computer responds to the heartbeat message.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computer sends a fifth message including a command to control the second computer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the second computer sends a sixth message including an indication of a change in IP address of the second computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the second MAC address is used to locate the second computer among the computers in the communications network and determine an IP address of the second computer.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein a user can break the master/slave relationship.

7. The system of claim 7 wherein the first computer stops communicating with the second computer and disables the connected socket.

10. A method for enabling computers associated with a communications network to remotely locate each other and establish a master-slave relationship comprising:

broadcasting over the communications network a first message having a first MAC address associated with a first computer;

broadcasting over the communications network a second message having a second MAC address associated with a second computer;

broadcasting over the communications network a third message having the first MAC address and the second MAC address by the second computer;

establishing a connected socket by the first computer;

broadcasting over the communications network a fourth message having the first MAC address and the second MAC address by the first computer; and

establishing a second connected socket by the second computer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending a fifth message to the first computer through the connected socket.

12. A method for establishing a master-slave relationship among computer in a communications network comprising:

receiving a first MAC address associated with a first computer;

broadcasting a first message having the first MAC address and a second MAC address associated with a second computer;

receiving from the first computer a second message having the first MAC address and the second MAC address; and

establishing a connected socket over the communications network with the first computer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising sending a third message having a command for the first computer via the connected socked over the communications network.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein a user can break the master/slave relationship.