Apparatus and method for establishing network

• US 20060268862A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Dang Woo
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types

Abstract

Embodiments of a method and apparatus can establish a network using pre-set IP information when a host is coupled to a network. In an embodiment of a network establishment method, ARP response information can be compared with pre-stored set information using a predetermined calculation so to decide a set, an ARP can be broadcasted to determine whether the decided set is applicable to a network, and, if a response for one or more ARP is received, the decided set can be established as a network. In another embodiment of a network establishment method, an ARP can be broadcasted using pre-stored set information, and if a response for the ARP is received, a network can be established. According to embodiments of the invention, by applying an appropriate available setting among pre-set TCP/IP settings without manually establishing a TCP/IP connection, direct connection (e.g., Plug-and-Play) of a network can be performed.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a connection to a network of devices, comprising:

initiating a connection to a current network with IP address information of a current network unknown; and

establishing the connection with the IP address information of the current network received from another device connected to the current network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing comprises transmissions on the current network using a ARP packet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said another device is a host device or a gateway device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address information of the current network is determined using at least one prestored network information corresponding to each of a plurality of networks.

5. A method of establishing a connection to a network of devices, comprising:

attempting to make a connection to a current network using at least one prestored network information corresponding to a plurality of networks.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the attempting comprises:

comparing the prestored network information with network information contained in an ARP packet received from a device already connected to the current network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the prestored network information includes at least two sets of network data, each set corresponding to a different network and including an IP address of the corresponding network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said each set further includes a subnet information and a gateway address of the corresponding network.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the attempting further comprises:

generating an ARP test packet, the ARP test packet carrying an IP address information included in the prestored network information; and

broadcasting the ARP test packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the attempting further comprises:

determining when a response to the ARP test packet is received; and

using the IP address information to carry out the current network connection when the response is received.

11. A computer program product embodied on at least one computer-readable medium, for establishing a connection to a network of devices, the computer program product comprising:

computer executable code configured to automatically make a connection to a current network using prestored network information corresponding to a plurality of networks.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer executable code configured to automatically make a connection to the current network comprises:

computer executable code configured to compare the prestored network information with network information contained in an ARP packet received from a device already connected to the current network.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the prestored network information includes at least two sets of network data, each set corresponding to a different network and including an IP address of the corresponding network.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said each set further includes a subnet information and a gateway address of the corresponding network.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer executable code configured to automatically make a connection to the current network further includes:

computer executable code configured to generate an ARP test packet, the ARP test packet carrying an IP address information included in the prestored network information; and

computer executable code configured to broadcast the ARP test packet.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, comprising:

computer executable code configured to determine if a response to the ARP test packet is received; and

computer executable code configured to use the IP address information to carry out a network connection if the response is received.

17. A host for establishing a connection to a network of devices, comprising:

a processor configured to connect to a current network using prestored network information corresponding to a plurality of networks.

18. The host of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to compare the prestored network information with network information contained in an ARP packet received from a device already connected to the current network.

19. The host of claim 18, wherein the prestored network information includes at least two sets of network data, each set corresponding to a different network and including an IP address of the corresponding network.

20. The host of claim 19, wherein said each set further includes a subnet information and a gateway address of the corresponding network.

21. The host of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to generate an ARP test packet and broadcast the ARP test packet, wherein the ARP test packet comprises an IP address information included in the prestored network information.

22. The host of claim 21, wherein the processor configured to determine if a response to the ARP test packet is received;

and use the IP address information to carry out a network connection if the response is received.

23. A network system, comprising:

a plurality of hosts for establishing a connection to a network, at least one of the hosts including;

a processor configured to make a connection to a current network using prestored network information corresponding to a plurality of networks.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of hosts communicate with each other using ARP request and response packets to make the connection to the network.

25. A network establishment method, comprising:

transmitting an ARP packet using pre-stored network information corresponding to at least one network;

receiving an ARP response for the ARP packet; and

establishing a network according to the ARP response.

26. The network establishment method of claim 25, wherein when a plurality of ARP responses are received, a set having pre-stored network information selected on the basis of a predetermined standard is used to connect to the network.

27. The network establishment method of claim 26, wherein for the plurality of received ARP responses, the selected set for establishing the network is selected considering at least one of a response speed and a response priority.

28. The network establishment method of claim 25, further comprising:

comparing the received information with at least two sets of pre-set information when an ARP is received.