Systems and methods for assigning an address to a network device added to an existing network

• US 20040133721A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ellerbrock, Philip J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,111,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods, and bus controllers (12) for establishing communication with various network systems located on a network system (10). Importantly, the systems, methods, and bus controllers (12) of the present invention are capable recognizing that a new network device (16, 18, 20) has been added to an existing network and assigning it an address such that the added network device is identifiable on the network. Further, the systems, methods, and bus controllers (12) of the present invention may update the operating schedule that outlines communication in the network system between the bus controller (12) and the network devices (16, 18, 20) to include commands for communicating with the added network device. The systems, methods, and bus controllers (12) of the present invention may also detect when a network device (16, 18, 20) has been disconnected from a network system (10) and remove the commands associated with the networked device from the command schedule.

Claims

1. A system for establishing communication over a network bus comprising:

an initial set of network devices in electrical communication with the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of said initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network devices on the network bus;

a bus controller in electrical communication with the network bus for establishing communication with network devices connected to the network bus using the logical address assigned to each network device; and

at least one additional network device electrically connected to the network bus after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices,

wherein said bus controller is capable of assigning a logical address to said additional network devices, wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of said initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller assigns logical addresses to each of said additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logical address for each network device is assigned based on a unique aspect of the network device, wherein said bus controller initially assigns a unique logical address to each network device of said set of initial network devices, and wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with said set of initial network devices, assigns a logical address to said additional network device subsequently connected to the bus network based on a unique aspect of said additional network device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the network devices of said initial set of network devices and said additional network device have an associated manufacturing identifier based partially on the geographic location where the network device was manufactured, and wherein said bus controller assigns logical addresses to the network device of said initial set of network devices and said additional network device based on the manufacturing identifier associated with each network device.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the network devices of said initial set of network devices and said additional network device have an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, wherein said bus controller assigns logical addresses to each of said initial set of network devices and said additional network device based on both the manufacturing identifier and the type identifier associated with the network devices.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said bus controller segments possible logical addresses to assign to the network devices into categories based on possible different types of network devices, and wherein said bus controller, for each network device of said initial set of network devices and for said additional network device, assigns a logical address to said network device from the category of logical addresses corresponding to the type identifier associated with the network device.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said additional network devices initially has a common null address prior to connection to the network bus, and wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of said initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus still having an associated common null address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller replaces the common null address associated with each of said additional network devices with a logical address.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of the network devices of said initial set of network devices and said additional network device initially have a common null address prior to connection to the network bus, and wherein after said network devices have been connected to the network bus and assigned a logical address, if said network device is disconnected from the network bus, said network device replaces the assigned logical address with the common null address.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller continues communication with said initial set of network devices based on the command schedule and assigns a logical address to said additional network device during predefined pauses in the command schedule.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller postpones communication with the network devices, assigns a logical address to said additional network device, and resumes the command schedule.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein said additional network device includes an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, and wherein after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller assigns a logical address to said additional network device and adds said additional network device to the command schedule based on the type identifier associated with the additional network device.

11. A method for establishing communication between a bus controller and network devices via a network bus comprising the steps of:

communicating between the bus controller and an initial set of network devices connected to the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of the initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network device on the network bus;

connecting at least one additional network device to the network bus after said communicating step has commenced communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices; and

assigning a logical address to the additional network device added in said connecting step such that the additional network device can be identified on the network buss

wherein said assigning step comprises after said communicating step has commenced communication with the network devices of the initial set of network devices the step of transmitting a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond, and thereafter assigning logical addresses to each of the additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the logical address for each network device is assigned based on a unique aspect of the network device, wherein said assigning step initially assigns a unique logical address to each network device of the set of initial network devices, and wherein said assigning step assigns a logical address to the additional network device subsequently connected to the bus network by said connecting step based on a unique aspect of the additional network device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the network devices of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device has an associated manufacturing identifier based partially on the geographic location where the network device was manufactured, and wherein said assigning step assigns logical addresses to the network devices of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device based on the manufacturing identifier associated with each network device.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the network devices of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device have an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, wherein said assigning step assigns logical addresses to each of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device based on both the manufacturing identifier and the type identifier associated with the network devices.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of segmenting possible logical addresses to assign to the network devices into categories based on the possible different types of network devices, and wherein said assigning step, for each network device of the initial set of network devices and for the additional network device, assigns a logical address to the network device from the category of logical addresses corresponding to the type identifier associated with the network device.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein each of the additional network devices connected in said connecting step initially has a common null address prior to connection to the network bus, wherein said transmitting step transmits a query on the network bus requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus still having an associated common null address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said assigning step replaces the common null address associated with each of the additional network devices with a logical address.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of replacing the logical address assigned to a network device with the common null address if the network device is disconnected from the network bus.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein said communicating step communicates between the bus controller and the network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said communication step has established communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said connecting step connects an additional network device to the network bus, said communicating step continues communication with the initial set of network devices based on the command schedule and said assigning step assigns a logical address to the additional network device during predefined pauses in the command schedule.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein said communicating step communicates between the bus controller and the network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said communication step has established communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said connecting step connects an additional network device to the network bus, said communication step postpones communication with the network devices, and said assigning step assigns a logical address to the additional network device.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein said communicating step communicates between the bus controller and the network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein the additional network device has an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, and wherein after said communication step has established communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if said connecting step connects an additional network device to the network bus, said assigning step assigns a logical address to the additional network device adds the additional network device to the command schedule based on the type identifier associate with the additional network device.

21. A bus controller for establishing communication with network devices via a network bus using a logical address assigned to each network device, wherein said bus controller is capable of establishing communication with an initial set of network devices connected to the network bus each having an assigned logical address identifying the network device and thereafter assigning a logical address to at least one additional network device subsequently connected to the network bus [after said bus controller has established communication with the initial set of network devices], wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of the initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller assigns logical addresses to each of the additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address.

22. A bus controller according to claim 21, wherein the logical address for each network device is assigned based on a unique aspect of the network device, wherein said bus controller initially assigns a unique logical address to each network device of the set of initial network devices, and wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the set of initial network devices, assigns a logical address to the additional network device subsequently connected to the bus network based on a unique aspect of the additional network device.

23. A bus controller according to claim 22, wherein the network devices of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device have an associated manufacturing identifier based partially on the geographic location where the network device was manufactured, and wherein said bus controller assigns logical addresses to the network device of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device based on the manufacturing identifier associated with each network device.

24. A bus controller according to claim 23, wherein the network devices of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device have an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, wherein said bus controller assigns logical addresses to each of the initial set of network devices and the additional network device based on both the manufacturing identifier and the type identifier associated with the network devices.

25. A bus controller according to claim 24, wherein said bus controller segments possible logical addresses to assign to the network devices into categories based on the possible different types of network devices, and wherein said bus controller, for each network device of the initial set of network devices and for the additional network device, assigns a logical address to the network device from the category of logical addresses corresponding to the type identifier associated with the network device.

26. A bus controller according to claim 21, wherein each of the additional network devices initially has a common null address prior to connection to the network bus, and wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of the initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus still having an associated common null address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller replaces the common null address associated with each of the additional network devices with a logical address.

27. A bus controller according to claim 21, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said bus controller has established communication with the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if an additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller continues communication with the initial set of network devices based on the command schedule and assigns a logical address to the additional network device during predefined pauses in the command schedule.

28. A bus controller according to claim 21, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein after said bus controller has established communication with the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if an additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller postpones communication with the network devices, assigns a logical address to the additional network device, and resumes the command schedule.

29. A bus controller according to claim 21, wherein said bus controller communicates with network devices connected to the network bus according to an command schedule, wherein the additional network device includes an associated type identifier based on a function of the network device, and wherein after said bus controller has established communication with the initial set of network devices according to the command schedule, if the additional network device is connected to the network bus, said bus controller assigns a logical address to the additional network device and adds the additional network device to the command schedule based on the type identifier associate with the additional network device.