NETWORK DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20070067430A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shitano, Masaki, Hirata, Takashi, Fujii, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• 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 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A network device obtains capability information of a device existing on a network, activites/inactivates one of a plurality of types of communication middleware on the basis of the obtained capability information, and executes communication between devices across the network by using the communication middleware. The network device also analyses a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network, and corrects the corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the result of analysis.

Claims

1. A network device comprising:

communication management means for managing a plurality of types of communication middleware;

obtaining means for obtaining capability information of a device existing on a network;

judgment means for judging which communication middleware of said plurality of types of communication middleware of said communication management means is to be activated/inactivated, on the basis of the capability information obtained by said obtaining means;

communication means for executing communication between devices across the network by using communication middleware found to be activated by said judgment means;

analysis means for analyzing a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network; and

protocol correction means for correcting corresponding communication middleware of said communication management means in accordance with a result of analysis by said analysis means.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said analysis means watches an unknown protocol used by the another device, and obtains and analyzes statuses of the another device before and after the unknown protocol is transmitted/received.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said analysis means detects difference information between a protocol used by the another device on the network and a protocol used by the network device, and

said protocol correction means corrects corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the difference information.

4. A control method of a network device comprising a plurality of types of communication middleware, comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining capability information of a device existing on a network;

a judgment step of judging which communication middleware of the plurality of types of communication middleware is to be activated/inactivated, on the basis of the capability information obtained in said obtaining step;

a communication step of executing communication between devices across the network by using communication middleware found in said judgment step;

an analysis step of analyzing a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network; and

a correction step of correcting corresponding communication middleware in accordance with a result of analysis in said analysis step.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein in said analysis step, an unknown protocol used by the other device is watched, and statuses of the other device before and after the unknown protocol is transmitted/received are obtained and analyzed.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein in said analysis step, it is detected difference information between protocol used by the other device on the network and a protocol used by the network device, and

in said correction step, corresponding communication middleware is corrected in accordance with the difference information.

7. A computer program for controlling a network device comprising a plurality of types of communication middleware, comprising:

an obtaining module adapted to obtain capability information of a device existing on a network;

a judgment module adapted to judge which communication middleware of the plurality of types of communication middleware is to be activated/inactivated, on the basis of the capability information obtained by said obtaining module;

a communication module adapted to execute communication between devices across the network by using communication middleware found by said judgment module;

an analysis module adapted to analyze a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network; and

a correction module adapted to correct corresponding communication middleware in accordance with a result of analysis by said analysis module.

8. The program according to claim 7, wherein said analysis module watches an unknown protocol used by the another device, and obtains and analyzes statuses of the another device before and after the unknown protocol is transmitted/received.

9. The program according to claim 7, wherein said analysis module detects difference information between a protocol used by the another device on the network and a protocol used by the network device, and

said correction module corrects corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the difference information.

10. A storage medium for storing a computer program which controls a network device comprising a plurality of types of communication middleware, said computer program comprising:

an obtaining module adapted to obtain capability information of a device existing on a network;

a judgment module adapted to judge which communication middleware of the plurality of types of communication middleware is to be activated/inactivated, on the basis of the capability information obtained by said obtaining module;

a communication module adapted to execute communication between devices across the network by using communication middleware found by said judgment module;

an analysis module adapted to analyze a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network; and

a correction module adapted to correct corresponding communication middleware in accordance with a result of analysis by said analysis module.

11. The medium according to claim 10, wherein said analysis module watches an unknown protocol used by the another device, and obtains and analyzes statuses of the another device before and after the unknown protocol is transmitted/received.

12. The medium according to claim 10, wherein said analysis module detects difference information between a protocol used by the another device on the network and a protocol used by the network device, and

said correction module corrects corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the difference information.