IP DEVICE DISCOVERY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140372599A1
• Filed: 01/20/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aaron Wood, Gerald Gutt
• Inventors: GUTT, Gerald, WOOD, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 10,785,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

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.

Claims

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 by the router, wherein the gateway device is coupled to the control network;

determining an IP address for the IP device at the location, the IP device coupled to the gateway, the determining including the gateway device choosing a subset of IP addresses by determining at least one boundary of a continuous subset range using the gateway IP address, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address, and 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes:

querying respective addresses in the chosen subset of IP addresses; and

if the querying of the IP addresses 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, recording the response in the gateway device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if querying of the IP address within the subset results in no response, the determining comprises:

the gateway device repeating the querying at different IP addresses within the subset until either a response is received or all IP addresses of the subset have been queried; and

if the entire subset has been queried, and there is an IP device without an IP address determined, the gateway device expanding the subset to an expanded subset and the gateway device querying at IP addresses within the expanded subset until either a response is received, or there all IP addresses of the expanded subset have been queried; and

the gateway device communicating with the IP device at the location using the determined IP address of the IP device.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising managing the IP device at the location.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining includes:

querying respective addresses in the chosen expanded subset of IP addresses; and

if the querying of the IP addresses in the expanded subset results in a response, wherein the response comprises an Ethernet address of the IP device and the IP address of the IP device, recording the response in the gateway device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset range is substantially centered at the gateway IP address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset range begins at a multiple of a selected number which is at the gateway IP address or is less than the selected number of sequential addresses from the gateway IP address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected number is the gateway address rounded to the one of the nearest 5, the nearest 2, and the nearest 10.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset range begins at one of a multiple of 25 which is at the gateway IP address or is less than 25 sequential addresses from the gateway IP address, a multiple of 50 which is at the gateway IP address or is less than 50 sequential addresses from the gateway IP address, a multiple of 100 which is at the gateway IP address or is less than 100 sequential addresses from the gateway IP address, and a multiple of 150 which is at the gateway IP address or is less than 150 sequential addresses from the gateway IP address.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset comprises at least one of:

10 sequential IP addresses in the range, 25 sequential IP addresses in the range, 50 sequential IP addresses in the range, 100 sequential IP addresses in the range, 150 sequential IP addresses in the range, 200 sequential IP addresses in the range, and between 10 and 200 sequential IP addresses in the range.

6. (canceled)

10-11. -11. (canceled)

13-15. -15. (canceled)

17-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A location management system, comprising:

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, the gateway device comprising;

at least one interface coupled to the IP device and coupled to a network over which the gateway can communicate to remote systems,

logic that receives a gateway IP address assigned by the router;

logic that determines the IP address for the IP device the logic comprising, logic that chooses a subset of IP addresses by determining at least one boundary of a continuous subset range using the gateway IP address, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address; and

logic that queries IP addresses within the subset to determine the IP address; and

logic that manages the IP device using the IP address.

20. The gateway device of claim 19, wherein managing the IP device includes monitoring and controlling the IP device coupled to the gateway device at the location.

22. The system of claim 19, comprising a non-IP device coupled to the gateway.

23. The system of claim 19, comprising a Z-wave device coupled to the gateway.

24. The system of claim 19, comprising an RF device coupled to the gateway.

25. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

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.

21. (canceled)

26-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A gateway device for managing a set of local management devices at a location, wherein the gateway device comprises:

a processor coupled to a memory and the set of local management devices, wherein the set of local management devices are coupled to a local network at the location and include an IP device, wherein the processor couples to a remote network;

logic for monitoring and controlling the set of local management devices;

logic that receives a gateway IP address assigned to the gateway device;

logic that determines the IP address for the IP device the logic comprising logic that chooses a subset of IP addresses by determining a continuous subset range using the gateway IP address, wherein the continuous subset range includes the gateway IP address and logic that queries whether an IP address within the subset has been assigned, and logic that records the response in the gateway device if the querying results in a response, wherein the response comprises an Ethernet address and the IP address of the IP device;

logic that communicates with the IP device using the recorded IP address; and

logic that manages the IP device at the location, wherein the management comprises at least one of monitoring and controlling the IP device.

30-33. -33. (canceled)