Method For Discovering Network of Home or Building Control Devices

• US 20090150356A1
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Chris D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for discovering, identifying, and cataloguing devices on a network, particularly, devices included in a home automation or building control network. In embodiments, a node information table is populated with generic entries representing potentially-discoverable devices on the network. The table is traverse iteratively and potential devices are queried in turn to determine the type and capabilities of each potential device in the network. Device responses stored in the node information table, replacing generic entries with updated entries representative of actual network devices. Additionally, device responses may be used as a basis for subsequent queries to network devices. After device queries are completed, any remaining generic node information table entries are removed from the table, thereby only entries corresponding to positively-identified network devices remain in the table.

Claims

1. A method for discovering network devices, comprising the steps of:

providing a data table having at least one device entry corresponding to a potentially-identifiable network device;

initializing the data table by at least one of populating a device entry with known device data or populating a device entry with a generic device entry;

requesting device data from a network device corresponding to a device entry;

determining whether a response to the device data request is received;

responding to a determination that the device data request is received by populating a device entry with received device data corresponding thereto; and

responding to a determination that the device data request is not received by nullifying a device entry corresponding thereto.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of providing within a device entry an indication that device data was requested from the corresponding network device.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a device database that includes a priori device data.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether the response to the device data request is complete or partial.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

responding to a determination that the response to the device data request is partial by requesting additional device data from the corresponding device;

receiving additional device data from the corresponding device; and

populating the device entry with the received additional device data corresponding thereto.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a device database that includes a priori device data;

determining whether the response to the device data request is complete or partial;

responding to a determination that the response to the device data request is partial by querying the device database to obtain additional device data; and

populating a device entry with additional device data corresponding thereto.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of responding to a determination that the device data request is received by flagging as found a device entry corresponding thereto.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting a connected node list from a network device corresponding to a device entry, wherein the connected node list identifies at least one connected device node capable of communicating directly with said network device;

sending a generic message to a connected device node;

determining whether a response to the generic message is received; and

responding to a determination that a response to the generic message was received by flagging as potentially found a device entry corresponding to the connected device node.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether device data was requested from the corresponding connected device node;

responding to a determination that device data was not requested from the corresponding connected device node by requesting device data from the connected device node;

determining whether a response to the device data request is received;

responding to a determination that the device data request is received by populating a device entry with received device data corresponding thereto.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a device entry corresponding to a device node is flagged as potentially found;

requesting device data from the device node;

populating the device entry with received device data corresponding thereto;

determining whether the response to the device data request is complete or partial;

responding to a determination that the response to the device data request is partial by requesting additional device data from the corresponding device;

receiving additional device data from the corresponding device; and

populating the device entry with the received additional device data corresponding thereto.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing a device database that includes a priori device data;

responding to a determination that the response to the device data request is partial by querying the device database to obtain additional device data; and

populating a device entry with additional device data corresponding thereto.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of issuing a command to the device, wherein the command is selected from the set consisting of activating the device, deactivating the device, and requesting information form the device.

13. A computer-readable medium storing a set of programmable instructions configured for being executed by at least one processor for performing a method of network discovery in accordance with claim 1.

14. A home automation network, comprising:

at least one network device node;

a home automation network interface, the home automation network interface configured to communicate with the at least one network device node;

a processor operably coupled to the home automation network interface configured to execute a set of programmable instructions for performing a method of network discovery in accordance with claim 1.

15. A home automation network discovery apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a set of programmable instructions for performing a method of network discovery in accordance with claim 1.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

a home automation network interface operably coupled to the processor, wherein the home automation network interface is configured to communicate with a home automation network.