Simple installation of devices on a network

• US 20060250979A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Blomseth, Richard A., Gauweiler, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• 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: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention employs techniques for the self-installation of network devices using fire-and-forget principles. These devices modify their own network configuration data, but do not modify the network configuration data of other devices. Utilizing fire-and-forget principles, the need for a central database and central authority on the network is not required but may still be used.

Claims

1. A method of interconnecting a device in a network of devices, comprising:

acquiring a system identifier for the device;

assigning a network address to the device;

verifying the network address assigned to the device;

binding the device to create a connection to the network;

verifying the connection of the device in the network; and

wherein at least one of assigning the network address to the device and binding the device is implemented using fire-and-forget.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system identifier is a domain address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discovering other devices on the network.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

removing the device connection.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selectively accessing a device based on a table stored in a controller, wherein the controller is a device in the network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

decommissioning the device to remove all connection data associate with the device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein verifying the network address assigned to the device further comprises:

periodically broadcasting a device resource usage message to determine if another device shares the same network address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning a network address to a device using fire-and-forget further comprises:

selecting a subnet and node ID for the device;

broadcasting the subnet and node ID of the device; and

confirming the network address of the device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting new subnet and node ID for the device if a second device has the same subnet and node ID; and

broadcasting the new subnet and node ID of the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein binding the network variables of the device to create a connection to the network using fire-and-forget further comprises:

selecting a connection selector and creating a connection ID;

broadcasting the connection ID;

opening a connection period;

approving at least one connection requested during the connection period;

closing the connection period.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting new connection ID for the device if a second device has the same connection ID;

broadcasting the new connection ID of the device; and

acquiring a new connection selector.

12. A system, comprising:

a plurality of self-installing network devices, wherein each network device of the plurality includes a network address and at least one connection,

wherein each network device of the plurality utilizes fire-and-forget self-installation and periodically broadcasts a device resource usage message to the plurality of network devices; and

at least one network domain through which communication between the devices communicate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein fire-and-forget self-installation is used for device network address assignment and binding.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one network device operates as a controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller determines the size of the network based on messages received from other devices in the network

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the size of the network determines the frequency of the periodic broadcast of the device resource usage message.

17. A machine-readable medium including a program code which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the operations of:

acquiring a system identifier for the device;

assigning a network address to the device;

verifying the network address assigned to the device;

binding the device to create a connection to the network;

verifying the connection of the device in the network; and

wherein at least one of assigning the network address to the device and binding the device is implemented using fire-and-forget.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein assigning a network address to a device using fire-and-forget further comprises:

selecting a subnet and node ID for the device;

broadcasting the subnet and node ID of the device; and

confirming the network address of the device.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting new subnet and node ID for the device if a second device has the same subnet and node ID; and

broadcasting the new subnet and node ID of the device.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein binding the network variables of the device to create a connection to the network using fire-and-forget further comprises:

selecting a connection selector and creating a connection ID;

broadcasting the connection ID;

opening a connection period;

approving at least one connection requested during the connection period;

closing the connection period.