System, computer program product and method for accessing a local network of electronic devices

• US 20050243777A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A method of managing electronic devices includes providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration, receiving at the main server wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices, and determining a registered device among the plurality of wireless electronic devices. The registered device is then wirelessly connecting to the main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN), and is managed using the software. The registered device may be an appliance, an environmental control device, or an entertainment device and the LAN may be a home or office LAN.

Claims

1. A method of managing electronic devices comprising:

providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

receiving at said main server wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices;

determining a registered device among said plurality of wireless electronic devices;

wirelessly connecting said registered device to said main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN); and

managing said registered device using said software, wherein said registered device comprises at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a main server comprises providing one of a desktop computer and a portable computer as said main server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining comprises determining a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet received from the registered device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet comprises:

identifying a transmit frequency of the wireless data packet; and

determining if said transmit frequency is a frequency common to all registered devices on the wireless LAN.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet comprises:

identifying an encryption method or identifier of the wireless data packet; and

determining if said encryption method or identifier is common to all registered devices on the wireless LAN.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining comprises determining a registered device based on a unique identifier of the registered device that is included in the wireless data packet received from the registered device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of determining a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet comprises:

identifying a transmit frequency of the wireless data packet; and

comparing said transmit frequency to a network device list to determine if the frequency is associated with a registered device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of determining a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet comprises:

identifying a bit address included in the wireless data packet; and

comparing said bit address to a network device list to determine if the bit address is associated with a registered device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of determining a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet comprises:

identifying an encryption key included in the wireless data packet; and

comparing said encryption key to a network device list to determine if the encryption key is associated with a registered device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of managing said electronic devices comprises:

monitoring management initiating parameters for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters; and

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of monitoring management initiating parameters comprises monitoring at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed; and

performing said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices comprises wirelessly connecting at least one of an office equipment device and a mobile terminal device to said main server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless home network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless office network.

16. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps in the method recited in any one of claims 1-15.

17. A system for managing electronic devices comprising:

a memory configured to store software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

a receiver configured to receive wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices; and

a processor configured to determine a registered device among said plurality of wireless electronic devices and create a wireless local area network (LAN) by wirelessly connecting the system to said registered device to, wherein said processor is further configured to manage said registered device using said software, wherein said registered device comprises at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said system is a main server comprising at least one of a desktop computer and a portable computer as said main server.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to determine by determining a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet received from the registered device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to determine a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet by:

identifying a transmit frequency of the wireless data packet; and

determining if said transmit frequency is a frequency common to all registered devices on the wireless LAN.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to determine a registered device based on a general characteristic of the wireless data packet by:

identifying an encryption method or identifier of the wireless data packet; and

determining if said encryption method or identifier is common to all registered devices on the wireless LAN.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to determine by determining a registered device based on a unique identifier of the registered device that is included in the wireless data packet received from the registered device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor is configured to determine a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet by:

identifying a transmit frequency of the wireless data packet; and

comparing said transmit frequency to a network device list to determine if the frequency is associated with a registered device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor is configured to determine a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet by:

identifying a bit address included in the wireless data packet; and

comparing said bit address to a network device list to determine if the bit address is associated with a registered device.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor is configured to determine a registered device based on a unique identifier included in the wireless data packet by:

identifying an encryption key included in the wireless data packet; and

comparing said encryption key to a network device list to determine if the encryption key is associated with a registered device.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to manage said electronic devices by:

monitoring management initiating parameters for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters; and

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said processor is configured to monitor management initiating parameters by monitoring at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said electronic device to be managed is configured to receive said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed, and perform said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices by wirelessly connecting at least one of an office equipment device and a mobile terminal device to said main server.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to create a wireless LAN by creating a wireless home network.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to create a wireless LAN by creating a wireless office network.

32. A method of managing electronic devices comprising:

step for providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

step for receiving at said main server wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices;

step for determining a registered device among said plurality of wireless electronic devices;

step for wirelessly connecting said registered device to said main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN); and

step for managing said registered device using said software, wherein said registered device comprises at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device.

33. A system for managing electronic devices comprising:

means for storing software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

means for receiving wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices;

means for determining a registered device among said plurality of wireless electronic devices;

means for wirelessly connecting said registered device to said system to create a wireless local area network (LAN); and

means for managing said registered device using said software, wherein said registered device comprises at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device.