SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSIGNING AN ADDRESS TO A NETWORK DEVICE ADDED TO AN EXISTING NETWORK
First Claim
1. A system for establishing communication over a network bus comprising:
- an initial set of network devices in electrical communication with the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of said initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network devices on the network bus;
a bus controller in electrical communication with the network bus for establishing communication with network devices connected to the network bus using the logical address assigned to each network device; and
at least one additional network device electrically connected to the network bus after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices, wherein said bus controller is capable of assigning a logical address to said additional network devices, wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of said initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller automatically and independent of user input assigns logical addresses to each of said additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address.
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Abstract
The present invention provides systems, methods, and bus controllers for establishing communication with various network systems located on a network system. Importantly, the systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention are capable recognizing that a new network device has been added to an existing network and assigning it an address such that the added network device is identifiable on the network. Further, the systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention may update the operating schedule that outlines communication in the network system between the bus controller and the network devices to include commands for communicating with the added network device. The systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention may also detect when a network device has been disconnected from a network system and remove the commands associated with the networked device from the command schedule.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for establishing communication over a network bus comprising:
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an initial set of network devices in electrical communication with the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of said initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network devices on the network bus;
a bus controller in electrical communication with the network bus for establishing communication with network devices connected to the network bus using the logical address assigned to each network device; and
at least one additional network device electrically connected to the network bus after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices, wherein said bus controller is capable of assigning a logical address to said additional network devices, wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of said initial set of network devices, transmits a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller automatically and independent of user input assigns logical addresses to each of said additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for establishing communication between a bus controller and network devices via a network bus comprising the steps of:
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communicating between the bus controller and an initial set of network devices connected to the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of the initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network device on the network bus;
connecting at least one additional network device to the network bus after said communicating step has commenced communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices; and
assigning a logical address to the additional network device added in said connecting step such that the additional network device can be identified on the network bus, wherein said assigning step comprises after said communicating step has commenced communication with the network devices of the initial set of network devices the step of transmitting a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond, and thereafter assigning logical addresses to each of the additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address, wherein the logical address for each network device is assigned based on a unique aspect of the network device, wherein said assigning step initially assigns a unique logical address to each network device of the set of initial network devices, and wherein said assigning step assigns a logical address to the additional network device subsequently connected to the bus network by said connecting step based on a unique aspect of the additional network device.
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7. A method for establishing communication between a bus controller and network devices via a network bus comprising the steps of:
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communicating between the bus controller and an initial set of network devices connected to the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of the initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network device on the network bus;
connecting at least one additional network device to the network bus after said communicating step has commenced communication between the bus controller and the initial set of network devices; and
assigning a logical address to the additional network device added in said connecting step such that the additional network device can be identified on the network bus, wherein said assigning step comprises after said communicating step has commenced communication with the network devices of the initial set of network devices the step of transmitting a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond, and thereafter automatically and independent of user input assigning logical addresses to each of the additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification