Indirect method for network peripheral automated detection

• US 5,687,320 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: QNAP Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Motes, Matthew J., Wiley, Steve R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boortalary, Forood
• Application Number:
  US08/431,328
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 395/868, 395/200.16, 395/610, 395/200.11, 395/200.12, 380/25
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

This invention allows a selected type of network device or resource (e.g. printers) to be discovered on a subnetwork and on remote subnetworks on a network. A broadcast message is sent requesting a response from each host on the subnetwork with a file having a listing of the device. Upon receipt of responses, a STIFLE message is transmitted to the host, thereby allowing subsequent broadcast messages to generate responses from remaining hosts. The responding hosts are then queried in order to obtain address information of potential devices on the subnetwork. A corresponding procedure obtains addresses of agents on remote subnetworks. The agents are then queried in order to obtain addresses of servers containing lists of potential devices on the remote subnetworks.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer on a computer network having a plurality of different types of devices connected for data communication, said network further having a plurality of hosts, each said host has at least one device address, in order to provide said computer with a list of addresses of said plurality of different types of devices on the computer network, comprising the steps of:

a. causing a first message on the network;

b. waiting for receipt of at least one transmitted response to the first message, said transmitted responses provided by ones of plurality of hosts on the computer network, and said transmitted responses to the transmitted messages including address information;

c. if said transmitted response is received, discontinuing transmission of said transmitted response;

d. waiting for receipt of a subsequent transmitted response;

e. said computer transmitting a discontinue command which includes sufficient address information to allow said host from which said computer received a transmitted response to respond by discontinuing said transmission, while not discontinuing transmission from different hosts having different addresses;

f. discontinuing transmission of said subsequent transmitted response;

g. repeating steps d trough f until receipt of a predetermined complete set of responses by said computer;

h. said transmitted responses transmitted by said plurality of hosts;

i. using said transmitted responses from the hosts to the transmitted messages to obtain address information of the hosts providing the transmitted responses;

j. said computer transmitting a discontinue command which includes sufficient address information to allow a host from which said computer received a transmitted response to respond by discontinuing said transmission, while not discontinuing transmissions from different hosts prior to said different hosts receiving a discontinue command, thereby discontinuing transmission of said subsequent transmitted response by said host from which said computer received a transmitted response; and

k. using the address information of the hosts providing the transmitted responses to query said hosts for address data of a predetermined type of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a) said network including a home subnetwork on which said computer resides and further including at least one connection to a foreign subnetwork;

b) limiting transmission of the first message to prevent transmission of the first message across at least said connection to the foreign subnetwork; and

c) obtaining foreign address information from one of said devices, said foreign address information identifying agents on the foreign subnetwork.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a) said network including a home subnetwork on which said computer resides and further including at least one connection to a foreign subnetwork;

b) limiting transmission of the first message to prevent transmission of the first message across at least said connection to the foreign subnetwork;

c) obtaining foreign address information from one of said hosts, said foreign address information identifying agents on the foreign subnetwork; and

d) querying at least one agent on the foreign subnetwork for address information of an agent on said foreign subnetwork.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

a) using 48-bit addresses for transmitting messages solely within the local subnetwork; and

b) permitting the use of 32-bit addresses for transmitting messages between the local subnetwork and said foreign subnetwork.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

a) using addresses size of a first length for transmitting messages solely within the local subnetwork; and

b) permitting the use of an address size of a second, shorter length for transmitting messages between the local subnetwork and said foreign subnetwork.

6. A method of operating a computer on a computer network having a plurality of different types of devices connected for data communication, said network including a plurality of hosts connected to a home subnetwork on which said computer resides and further including at least one connection to a foreign subnetwork, in order to provide said computer with a list of addresses of said plurality of different types of devices on the network, each said host has at least one device address or one agent address wherein said agent has a plurality of device addresses connected to said foreign subnetwork, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting a first message on the network;

b. waiting for receipt of at least one transmitted response to the first message;

c. using information from said transmitted response to the first message to obtain address information for addressing one of said agents for the foreign subnetwork;

d. addressing the agent in order to obtain the addresses of said devices on the foreign subnetwork from the agent;

e. repeating steps c and d for different ones of said agents in order to obtain said list of addresses;

f. said transmitted response transmitted by ones of said plurality of hosts on the home subnetwork;

g. using said transmitted responses from the hosts to the transmitted messages to obtain address information of the hosts providing the transmitted responses;

h. said computer transmitting a discontinue command which includes sufficient address information to allow a host from which said computer received a transmitted response to respond by discontinuing said transmission, while not discontinuing transmissions from different hosts prior to said different hosts receiving a discontinue command, thereby discontinuing transmission of said subsequent transmitted response by said host from which said computer received a transmitted response; and

i. using the address information of the hosts providing the transmitted responses to query said hosts for address data of a predetermined type of devices.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

a) upon receipt of said transmitted response to the first message, discontinuing transmission of said transmitted response;

b) waiting for receipt of a subsequent transmitted response;

c) discontinuing transmission of said subsequent transmitted response; and

d) repeating steps b and c until receipt of a predetermined complete set of responses by said computer.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

a) limiting transmission of the first message to prevent transmission of the first message across at least said connection to the foreign subnetwork; and

b) obtaining foreign address information from one of said devices, said foreign address information identifying agents on the foreign subnetwork.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

a) limiting transmission of the first message to prevent transmission of the first message across at least said connection to the foreign subnetwork;

b) obtaining foreign address information from one of said hosts, said foreign address information identifying agents on the foreign subnetwork; and

c) querying at least one agent on the foreign subnetwork for address information of an agent on said foreign subnetwork.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

a) using 48-bit addresses for transmitting messages solely within the local subnetwork; and

b) permitting the use of 32-bit addresses for transmitting messages between the local subnetwork and said foreign subnetwork.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

a) using addresses size of a first length for transmitting messages solely within the local subnetwork; and

b) permitting the use of an address size of a second, shorter length for transmitting messages between the local subnetwork and said foreign subnetwork.