Address generation method in a device connected to a network and device employing said method

• US 20050251552A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Straub, Gilles, Champel, Mary-Luc, Fleury, Jean-Francois
• Application Number:
  US10/519,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use

Abstract

The invention consists in a procedure for generating an address value within a terminal linked to a communication network. Initially, the terminal receives a pair of address values sent by a configured terminal. Then, the terminal determines a characteristic value of the network which is contained in the first and the second address values. The terminal then calculates a third address value containing the characteristic value of the network. Finally, the terminal assigns the third address value to the terminal if this value is not already assigned to another terminal. According to a refinement, the terminal sends a request to a terminal having this third request; if there is no response, this third address value does not belong to another terminal, so it can be assigned to the terminal to be configured. The invention also relates to the terminal designed to implement the procedure. The invention also relates to a terminal which receives a message comprising a first and a second address values. It is assigned the second address value if it turns out that the latter is not assigned to any other terminal of the network.

Claims

1. A procedure for generating an address value for a communication terminal linked to a network, the procedure being wherein it comprises the following steps, at terminal level:

a) scanning of messages sent over the network and reception of a message interchanged between two terminals already configured comprising a pair of first and second address values,

b) determination of a characteristic value of the network, said value being contained in the first and the second address values,

c) calculation of a third address value containing the characteristic value of the network,

d) assignment of the third address value to the terminal if this value is not already assigned to another terminal.

2. Procedure for generating an address value as claimed in claim 1, wherein if the terminal deduces from the call captured on the communication network that the second address is available, then the calculation step consists in giving to the third value the value of the second value.

3. The procedure for generating an address value as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third value is calculated by concatenating the characteristic value of the network with a specific value, this specific value being maximum on the first calculation, this specific value being reduced by one unit each time that the preceding third value calculated is found to be assigned to another terminal.

4. The procedure for generating an address value as claimed in claim 3, wherein it comprises a step consisting in changing the value of the least significant bit of the characteristic value of the network, the new characteristic value being reduced by this bit, said step being triggered when all the third values calculated from the preceding characteristic value of the network are already assigned to a terminal.

5. The procedure for generating an address value as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assignment step comprises a step for sending a communication request to a terminal having the third address value, and a step for awaiting reception of a response, the reception of a response signifying that the third address value is not available.

6. The procedure for generating an address value as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assignment step comprises a step for sending a communication request to a terminal having the third address value, and a step for receiving a message sent by the network following said request indicating that the third address value is not assigned to a terminal of the network, the step for receiving such a message triggering the assignment of the third address value to the terminal.

7. An electronic device designed to be connected to a communication network, comprising a means of bidirectional communication with said network, wherein it comprises a means of receiving all the messages sent over the network in order to select a message interchanged between two terminals already configured, said message comprising a first and a second address value, a means for determining a characteristic value of the network which constitutes a part of the first and the second address values, and for calculating a third address value containing the characteristic value of the network, and for assigning this third address value to the device if the reaction following a communication request sent by the communication means to a device having the third address indicates that this third address value is not assigned to any terminal of the network.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein it comprises a means of sending a communication request to a device having the third address value, and a means of detecting a response to said request, the detection of a response signifying that the third address value is not assigned to a device of the network.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the calculation means concatenates the characteristic value of the network previously determined with a specific value, this specific value being at its maximum on a first calculation, the calculation means subtracting one unit from this specific value to calculate a new third address value when it turns out that the preceding calculated address value is already assigned to a terminal.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein it comprises a means for changing the value of the least significant bit of the characteristic value of the network, the new characteristic value being reduced by this bit, said means being triggered when it turns out that all third values calculated from the preceding characteristic value of the network are already assigned to a terminal.