Method for assigning an IP address to a device

• US 20050163118A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Steindl, Gunter
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assigning an IP address to a device (116), comprising the following steps:

• • connecting the device (116) to a port (110) of a switch (104),
  • transmitting an identification code (124) of the port (110) from the switch (104) to the device (116),
  • transmitting the identification code (124) of the port (110) from the device (116) to an address server (122),
  • assigning the IP address to the device (116) on the basis of the identification code (124) of the port (110).

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for assigning an IP address to a device, comprising the following steps:

connecting the device to a port of a switch;

transmitting an identification code of the port from the switch to the device;

transmitting the identification code of the port from the device to an address server; and

assigning the IP address to the device on the basis of the identification code of the port.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the transmission of the identification code of the port from the switch to the device is accomplished in accordance with a neighbor discovery protocol.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the neighbor discovery protocol is IEEE802.1AB and/or IEEE803.1.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the transmission of the identification code of the port from the device to the address server is performed by using a DHCP protocol.

25. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the transmission of the identification code of the port from the device to the address server is performed by using a DCP protocol.

26. A digital storage medium having program instructions for carrying out the following steps:

receiving an identification code of a port by a device that is attached to the port;

sending the identification code of the port from the device to an address server for assigning an IP address to the device by the address server on the basis of the identification code of the port.

27. The digital storage medium as claimed in claim 26, having further program instructions of a neighbor discovery protocol.

28. The digital storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein the neighbor discovery protocol is IEEE802.1AB and/or IEEE803.1.

29. The digital storage medium as claimed in claim 26, having further program instructions for sending the identification code of the port in accordance with a DHCP protocol.

30. The digital storage medium as claimed in claim 26, having further program instructions for sending the identification code of the port by using a DCP protocol.

31. A device for connection to a port of a switch, the device comprising:

a mechanism for receiving an identification code of the port from the switch;

a mechanism for sending the identification code of the port from the device to an address server for assigning an IP address to the device on the basis of the identification code of the port.

32. The device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the mechanism for receiving the identification code of the port is designed to carry out a neighbor discovery protocol.

33. The device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the neighbor discovery protocol is IEEE802.1AB and/or IEEE803.1.

34. The device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the mechanism for sending the identification code of the port is designed in accordance with a DHCP protocol.

35. The device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the mechanism for sending the identification code of the port is designed in accordance with a DCP protocol.

36. A switch comprising:

a plurality of ports, wherein each port has an unambiguous identification code;

a mechanism for sending an identification code of one of the ports to a device that is connected to the relevant port; and

a mechanism for forwarding a data packet received from the device and containing the identification code of the port to an address server for assigning an IP address to the device on the basis of the identification code of the port.

37. The switch as claimed in claim 36, wherein the sending of the identification code of the port to the device is performed in accordance with a neighbor discovery protocol.

38. The switch as claimed in claim 37, wherein the neighbor discovery protocol is IEEE802.1AB and/or IEEE803.1.

39. The switch as claimed in claim 36, wherein the forwarding of the data packet containing the identification code of the port is performed in accordance with a DHCP protocol.

40. The switch as claimed in claim 36, wherein the forwarding of the data packet containing the identification code of the port is performed in accordance with a DCP protocol.