System and method for establishing master component in multiple home networks

• US 20070022193A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Ryuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line

Abstract

Which device in a first home network is a master device is dynamically established based on the device reporting successful communication with a master device in a second home network, to ensure that the networks have master devices that can “se” each other for, e.g., managing bandwidth.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first home network in a first dwelling, the first home network having plural components, one of which is a first master;

a second home network in a second dwelling, the second home network having plural components, one of which is a second master; and

a logic device executing in the first home network to transfer a master function away from the first master if the first master cannot detect the second master.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second masters communicate with each other for bandwidth management.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first master transmits a query signal, and if the first master does not detect a response from the second master and a detecting component in the first home network detects a response from the second master, the master function is transferred to the detecting component.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the logic device is a processor in the first master.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the components in the first home network communicate with each other over a power line communication network and the components in the second home network communicate with each other over a power line communication network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the components in the first home network communicate with each other over a Wi-Fi network and the components in the second home network communicate with each other over a Wi-Fi network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the components in the first home network communicate with each other over a 802.11 network and the components in the second home network communicate with each other over a 802.11 network.

8. A method executable in a system comprising a first home network with plural devices a second home network with plural devices, comprising:

dynamically establishing which device in the first home network is a master device based on the device reporting successful communication with a master device in the second home network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a master in the first home network transmits queries to non-master devices in the first home network, and each non-master device in the first home network that receives a query reports to the master including informing the master if the non-master device has received signals from a master other than the master in the first home network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the master in the first home network receives a response from a first non-master device indicating that the first non-master device communicates with more masters than the master in the first home network, the master transfers master functionality to the first non-master device, which becomes the new master of the first home network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the devices in both networks communicate over a power line communication network.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the devices in both networks communicate over a Wi-Fi network.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the devices in both networks communicate over a 802.11 network.

14. A logic device, comprising:

means for determining whether a master device in a first network adequately receives signals from a master device in a second network that shares bandwidth with the first network; and

means, responsive to a determination that the master device in the first network does not adequately receive signals from the master device in the second network, for transferring at least one master device function to a component in the first network other than the master device in the first network.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first and second networks are first and second PLC networks and the master device in the first PLC network transmits queries to non-master devices in the first PLC network, and each non-master device in the first PLC network that receives a query reports to the master device including informing the master device if the non-master device has received signals from a master device other than the master device in the first PLC network.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein if the master device in the first PLC network receives a response from a first non-master device indicating that the first non-master device communicates with more masters than the master device in the first PLC network, the master device transfers master functionality to the first non-master device, which becomes the new master device of the first PLC network.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the first and second networks are first and second Wi-Fi networks and the master device in the first Wi-Fi network transmits queries to non-master devices in the first Wi-Fi network, and each non-master device in the first Wi-Fi network that receives a query reports to the master device including informing the master device if the non-master device has received signals from a master device other than the master device in the first Wi-Fi network.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein if the master device in the first Wi-Fi network receives a response from a first non-master device indicating that the first non-master device communicates with more masters than the master device in the first Wi-Fi network, the master device transfers master functionality to the first non-master device, which becomes the new master device of the first Wi-Fi network.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the first and second networks are first and second 802.11 networks and the master device in the first 802.11 network transmits queries to non-master devices in the first 802.11 network, and each non-master device in the first 802.11 network that receives a query reports to the master device including informing the master device if the non-master device has received signals from a master device other than the master device in the first 802.11 network.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein if the master device in the first 802.11 network receives a response from a first non-master device indicating that the first non-master device communicates with more masters than the master device in the first 802.11 network, the master device transfers master functionality to the first non-master device, which becomes the new master device of the first 802.11 network.