IP Device Discovery Systems and Methods
First Claim
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1. A method for Internet Protocol (IP) device discovery implemented in a control network having a gateway device, a router, and an IP device, wherein the gateway device, the router, and the IP device are at a location, wherein the method comprises:
- receiving, in the gateway device, a gateway IP address assigned to the gateway device by the router from a pool of IP addresses smaller than a subnet of possible network IP addresses, wherein the gateway device is coupled to the network;
determining an IP address for the IP device at the location, the IP device coupled to the gateway, wherein the router has assigned the IP address to the IP device at the location from the pool, the determining including;
the gateway device choosing a subset of IP addresses from the subnet, wherein the subset comprises a continuous subset range, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address, and wherein the subset has a size that is substantially smaller than a size of the subnet, and wherein the subset contains at least as many IP addresses as the total number of IP devices coupled to the gateway device, and the gateway device querying IP addresses within the subset to determine the IP address of the IP device at the location; and
the gateway device communicating with the IP device at the location using the determined IP address of the IP device; and
managing the IP device at the location.
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Abstract
A method for Internet Protocol (IP) device discovery implemented in a control network having a gateway device, a router, and an IP device at a location. A location management system including a IP device at a location having an IP address assigned by a router at the location. A gateway device for managing a set of two or more local management devices at a location.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for Internet Protocol (IP) device discovery implemented in a control network having a gateway device, a router, and an IP device, wherein the gateway device, the router, and the IP device are at a location, wherein the method comprises:
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receiving, in the gateway device, a gateway IP address assigned to the gateway device by the router from a pool of IP addresses smaller than a subnet of possible network IP addresses, wherein the gateway device is coupled to the network;
determining an IP address for the IP device at the location, the IP device coupled to the gateway, wherein the router has assigned the IP address to the IP device at the location from the pool, the determining including;
the gateway device choosing a subset of IP addresses from the subnet, wherein the subset comprises a continuous subset range, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address, and wherein the subset has a size that is substantially smaller than a size of the subnet, and wherein the subset contains at least as many IP addresses as the total number of IP devices coupled to the gateway device, and the gateway device querying IP addresses within the subset to determine the IP address of the IP device at the location; and
the gateway device communicating with the IP device at the location using the determined IP address of the IP device; and
managing the IP device at the location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A location management system comprising:
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at least one IP device at a location assigned an IP address by a router at the location; and
a gateway device at the location comprising;
an interface that allows connectivity to a network over which the gateway can communicate to remote systems which are remote to the location, an interface for communication with the IP device, logic that receives a gateway IP address assigned to the gateway device by the router from a pool of IP addresses smaller than a subnet of possible network IP addresses available to the router to assign addresses, wherein the gateway is coupled to the network;
logic that determines the IP address for the IP device coupled to the gateway, wherein the router has assigned an IP address to the IP device coupled to the gateway from the pool, comprising;
logic that chooses a subset of IP addresses from the subnet, wherein the subset comprises a continuous subset range, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address, and wherein the subset has a size that is substantially smaller than a size of the subnet, and wherein the subset contains at least as many IP addresses as the total number of IP devices coupled to the gateway; and
logic that queries IP addresses within the subset to determine the IP address of the IP device at the location; and
logic that communicates with and manages the EP device using the IP address of the IP device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A gateway device for managing a set of local management devices at a location, wherein the gateway device comprises:
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logic for monitoring and controlling a set of local management devices coupled to a local network located at the location, wherein the gateway is also located at the location, and wherein the set of local management devices comprises at least one IP device;
an interface that allows connectivity to a network over which the gateway can communicate to remote systems which are remote to the location;
an interface for communication to the IP device;
a processor;
memory;
logic that receives a gateway IP address assigned to the gateway device by the router from a pool of IP addresses smaller than a subnet of possible network IP addresses available to the router to assign addresses, wherein the gateway is coupled to the network;
logic that determines the IP address for the IP device coupled to the gateway, wherein the router has assigned an IP address to the IP device coupled to the gateway from the pool, comprising;
logic that chooses a subset of IP addresses from the subnet, wherein the subset comprises a continuous subset range, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address, and wherein the subset has a size that is substantially smaller than a size of the subnet, and wherein the subset size contains at least as many IP addresses as the total number of IP devices coupled to the gateway, logic that queries whether an IP address within the subset has been assigned, and if the querying of the IP address in the subset results in a response, wherein the response comprises an Ethernet address of the IP device and the IP address of the IP device, logic that records the response in the gateway device;
logic that allows communication with the IP device using the recorded IP address for the IP device; and
logic that allows management of the IP device at the location, wherein the management comprises at least one of monitoring the IP device coupled to the gateway at the location, and controlling the IP device coupled to the gateway at the location. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification