Method and arrangement for configuring a device in a data network

• US 20060015642A1
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Scheering, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for the configuration of a device in a data network. According to said method, a domain name is first stored in the device. The device then transfers an inquiry message comprising the domain name to an addressing server that serves for the conversion between the domain name and the associated internet addresses. In a further step, the addressing server transmits an address information of a parameter server associated with said device to the device as a response to said inquiry message. The device establishes a link to the parameter server on the basis of said address information. The parameter server transmits via this link parameters to the device which serve to configure the device.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for configuring a device in a data network, comprising the following steps:

step a) storing a domain name in the device;

step b) transmitting a request message comprising the domain name to an addressing server by the device, wherein the addressing server is used to convert between domain names and Internet addresses;

step c) transmitting address information of a parameter server associated with the device to the device by the addressing server, in response to the request message;

step d) setting up a connection to the parameter server by the device, the device using the address information setting up the connection; and

step e) transmitting parameters to the device by the parameter server, wherein the parameters are used to configure the device.

18. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein the data network is a voice data network in which voice information is sent in data packets on the basis of the Internet protocol.

19. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein the domain name is the name of that domain which has the device associated with it.

20. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein

the Internet protocol addresses of the associated servers and the respective names of domains are stored in the addressing server, wherein

the address information of the parameter server associated with the device is stored in a text field of a data record belonging to the domain name associated with this device, and wherein

the content of the text field is sent to the device as the response.

21. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein a domain name system server is used as the addressing server.

22. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein in step a) by input from a user or administrator the domain name is inputted and stored on the device.

23. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein in step a) after the device has been started up, the DHCP method is used to send the domain name for storing to the device and/or the DHCP method is used to assign a valid Internet address to the device.

24. The method as claimed in patent claim 17, wherein in step a) a fictitious domain name which does not belong to a real domain is stored in the device as the domain name.

25. The method as claimed in patent claim 24, wherein

in step a) not only the fictitious domain name but also a real domain name, which is the domain name with which the device is associated, is stored in the device as domain name;

in step b) a first attempt is used to transmit the request message with the real domain name to the addressing server; and

in step c) if no address information can be ascertained in the addressing server using the domain name transmitted in the first attempt then the addressing server sends a negative acknowledgement message to the device as address information, wherein a terminal using a second attempt, following receipt of the negative acknowledgement message, to send a further request message with the fictitious domain name to the addressing server.

26. A method for configuring a device in a data network, the method comprising:

step a) storing a domain name in the device;

step b) transmitting a request message to an addressing server by the device, wherein the request message comprises the domain name, and wherein the addressing server is used to convert between domain names and the Internet addresses associated therewith; and

step c) transmitting address information to the device by the addressing server, wherein the address information is related to a parameter server associated with the device, wherein the device uses the address information to set up a connection to the parameter server, and wherein the parameter server uses this connection to transmit to the device parameters which are used to configure the device.

27. The method as claimed in patent claim 26, wherein the addressing server uses data records to store the Internet protocol addresses of the associated servers for the respective names of domains, wherein the address information related to the parameter server associated with the device is stored in a text field which belongs to the data record which belongs to the domain name associated with this device, and wherein the content of this text field is sent to the device as the response.

28. The method as claimed in patent claim 26, wherein in step a) the domain name is entered and stored by an user or administrator.

29. The method as claimed in patent claim 26, wherein in step a) the DHCP method is used for sending the domain name and/or a valid Internet address to the device.

30. An arrangement for configuring a device in a data network, the device having a memory for storing a domain name, the arrangement comprising:

an addressing server for allocating domain names to Internet addresses; and

a parameter server for storing parameters which can be used to configure the device for operation in the data network, wherein

the device, the addressing server, and the parameter server are connected via the data network, wherein

the device is designed to transmit a request message to the addressing server, said request message comprising the domain name stored in the device, wherein

the addressing server comprises a mechanism for transmitting an address information of the parameter server assigned to the device to the device by using the domain name transmitted by the device, in response to the request message, and wherein

the parameter server is adapted to send parameters to the device.

31. The arrangement as claimed in patent claim 30, wherein the data network is a voice data network in which voice information is sent in data packets on the basis of the Internet protocol.

32. The arrangement as claimed in patent claim 30, wherein the addressing server uses data records to store the Internet protocol addresses of the associated servers for the respective names of domains, wherein the address information of the parameter server associated with the device is stored in a text field belonging to the data record which belongs to the domain name stored in this device, and wherein the response comprises the content of this text field.

33. The arrangement as claimed in patent claim 30, wherein the addressing server is a domain name system server.

34. The arrangement as claimed in patent claim 30, further comprising:

a DHCP server connected to the device via the data network and designed to send a domain name to the device using the DHCP method after said device has been started up, the domain name being that domain name which is used by the device in the request message.

35. The arrangement as claimed in patent claim 34, wherein the device is assigned to a domain in the data network, and the domain name sent in the request message is the name of this domain.

36. The arrangement as claimed in one of patent claim 32, wherein in the addressing server is stored a data record with a fictitious domain name which does not belong to a real domain, and wherein the fictitious domain name is simultaneously stored as domain name in the memory of devices in which no domain name for a real domain associated therewith is stored.