Method and apparatus for setting network

• US 20050108408A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ookubo, Toshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A PC activates a software program for detecting when a network terminal device is connected to a network, based on the control action of the user. When the network terminal device is connected to the network, the network terminal device sends a connection signal to the PC, and then operates as a DHCP server. Having received the connection signal, the PC recognizes an IP address of the network terminal device that is included in the connection signal, and operates as a DHCP client. The PC makes its own network setting using an IP address assigned from a DHCP server that has the same IP address as the IP address of the network terminal device.

Claims

1. A terminal device connected to a network, comprising:

DHCP client function performing means for performing a DHCP client function;

receiving means for receiving a signal indicating that a desired service providing device having a DHCP server function is connected to said network; and

operation control means for operating said DHCP client function performing means when said receiving means receives said signal.

2. A terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising:

indicating means for indicating the desired service providing device specified by the user;

wherein said operation control means operates said DHCP client function performing means when said receiving means receives a signal indicating that the service providing device indicated by said indicating means is connected to said network.

3. A terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said DHCP client function performing means uses an IP address assigned by said desired service providing device as its own IP address.

4. A terminal device according to claim 3, wherein said signal includes an IP address of said desired service providing device, and wherein said DHCP client function performing means sends a DHCP discover message to said network, and when said DHCP client function performing means receives an DHCP offer in response to said DHCP discover message, and only if an IP address of a source of said DHCP offer is the same as the IP address included in said signal, said DHCP client function performing means sends a DHCP request to the service providing device having said IP address, and said DHCP client function performing means uses an IP address assigned by said service providing device based on a response to said DHCP request as its own IP address.

9. A network system comprising:

a terminal device according to claim 1;

and

a desired service providing device connected to said terminal device through said network.

5. A service providing device having a DHCP server function and a DHCP client function and connected to a network, comprising:

detecting means for detecting whether, a service providing unit having a DHCP server function and a DHCP client function, for providing the same service as service of the service providing device, is connected as a DHCP server to said network; and

operation control means for performing selectively the DHCP server function and the DHCP client function based on a detected result from said detecting means.

6. A service providing device according to claim 5, wherein said operation control means performs said DHCP client function if said service providing unit is connected as the DHCP server to said network.

7. A service providing device according to claim 5, wherein said detecting means detects an activation time of said service providing unit, and said operation control means selectively performs the DHCP server function and the DHCP client function based on an activation time of the service providing device and the activation time of said service providing unit if said service providing unit is not connected as the DHCP server to said network.

8. A service providing device according to claim 7, wherein if said service providing unit is not connected as the DHCP server to said network, said operation control means performs the DHCP server function when the activation time of the service providing device is earlier than the activation time of said service providing unit, and performs the DHCP client function when the activation time of the service providing device is not earlier than the activation time of said service providing unit.

10. A network system according to claim 9, wherein said desired service providing device comprises a service providing device according to claim 5.

11. A network setting method to be carried out by a terminal device having a DHCP client function and connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating that a desired service providing device having a DHCP server function is connected to said network; and

performing the DHCP client function when said signal is received.

12. A network setting method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

indicating the desired service providing device specified by a user;

wherein said performing step comprises performing said DHCP client function when a signal that indicates that the service providing device indicated in said indicating step is connected to said network is received.

13. A network setting method according to claim 11, wherein said DHCP client function comprises a function for using an IP address assigned by said desired service providing device as its own IP address.

14. A network setting method according to claim 13, wherein said signal includes an IP address of said desired service providing device, said DHCP client function executes DHCP client operation comprising the steps of:

sending a DHCP discover message to said network;

when a DHCP offer in response to said DHCP discover message is received, and only if an IP address of a source of said DHCP offer is the same as the IP address included in said signal, sending a DHCP request to the service providing device having said IP address; and

using an IP address assigned by said service providing device based on a response to said DHCP request as its own IP address.

19. A program for enabling a computer to carry out a network setting method according to claim 11.

15. An operation control method carried out by a service providing device having a DHCP server function and a DHCP client function and connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

detecting whether a service providing unit having a DHCP server function and a DHCP client function, for providing the same service as service of the service providing device, is connected as a DHCP server to said network; and

selectively performing the DHCP server function and the DHCP client function based on a detected result from said detecting step.

16. An operation control method according to claim 15, wherein the performing step comprises performing said DHCP client function if said service providing unit is connected as the DHCP server to said network.

17. An operation control method according to claim 15, wherein said detecting step comprises detecting an activation time of said service providing unit, and said performing step comprises selectively performing the DHCP server function and the DHCP client function based on an activation time of service providing device and the activation time of said service providing unit if said service providing unit is not connected as the DHCP server to said network.

18. An operation control method according to claim 17, wherein if said service providing unit is not connected as the DHCP server to said network, said performing step comprises the steps of performing the DHCP server function when the activation time of the service providing device is earlier than the activation time of said service providing unit, and performing the DHCP client function when the activation time of the service providing device is not earlier than the activation time of said service providing unit.

20. A program for enabling a computer to carry out an operation control method according to claim 15.