Method for automatically independently providing asynchronous brouter address information to remote control units

• US 5,809,076 A
• Filed: 03/31/1993
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation Of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Technologies, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Judson A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VINH THI
• Application Number:
  US08/040,472
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 370/384, 370/401, 370/410, 370/428, 370/908, 370/911, 370/913, 370/245
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25198 Brouter: transfers data from wireless to wired networks, router: wired to wired
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25199 Router brouter broadcast configuration data periodically to update control units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/911 Bridge, e.g. brouter, bus extender

Abstract

A network configuration communication system and method comprising at least one brouter for automatically broadcasting its address and other network configuration information and at least one remote control device for receiving brouter broadcasts and automatically updating its network configuration storage locations. The remote control device may also be equipped to send requests for information for automatically transmitted response by proximate network brouters.

Claims

1. A local area packet-switched network for communication of information and control signals between remotely controllable, addressable electronic units of said network, said electronic units being interconnected in said network through a first transmission medium, said network adapted to route signals received from a remote control unit through a second, wireless transmission medium to at least one of said electronic units, said received signals containing information for permitting said network to route said received signals to at least one of said electronic units, said network comprising:

at least one brouter for receiving signals from a remote control unit through said second, wireless transmission medium and for routing said received signals to at least one of said electronic units through said first transmission medium,

said brouter including means for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting an asynchronous brouter address signal through said second, wireless transmission medium, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address used by a remote control unit in transmitting a signal to said network through said brouter.

2. A local area packet-switched network for communication of information and control signals between remotely controllable, addressable electronic units of said network, said electronic units being interconnected in said network through a first transmission medium, said network adapted to route signals received from a remote control unit through a second, wireless transmission medium to at least one of said electronic units, said received signals containing information for permitting said network to route said received signals to at least one of said electronic units, said network further adapted to receive signals from said remote control unit regardless of a change in location of said remote control unit, said network comprising:

at least one brouter for receiving signals from a remote control unit through said second, wireless transmission medium and for routing said received signals to at least one of said electronic units through said first transmission medium,

said brouter including means for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting an asynchronous brouter address signal through said second wireless transmission medium, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address used by a remote control unit in transmitting a signal to said network through said brouter, thereby permitting a remote control unit moved into the vicinity of said brouter to transmit a signal to said network.

3. The network of claim 2, further including at least one remote control unit adapted to transmit, through said second, wireless transmission medium, a signal addressed to at least one of said electronic units.

4. The network of claim 3 wherein said at least one remote control unit further comprises means for receiving signals transmitted by said at least one brouter.

5. The network of claim 4 wherein said remote control unit further comprises brouter address storage means for automatically storing a brouter address contained in an address signal received from said brouter.

6. The network of claim 5 wherein said remote control unit further comprises:

means for generating a brouter address request packet for requesting a brouter address for communicating to said network through said brouter; and

means for generating a brouter address request packet in response to user input on said remote control unit.

7. The network of claim 6 wherein said brouter additionally comprises means for automatically transmitting a brouter address signal in response to receiving a brouter address request packet.

8. The network of claim 6 wherein each of said electronic units is associated with a network address and wherein said brouter includes at least one brouter storage location for storing at least one of said network addresses.

9. The network of claim 8 wherein said brouter further automatically transmits a signal on said second, wireless transmission medium, said signal comprising the contents of said at least one brouter storage location.

10. The network of claim 9 wherein said at least one remote control unit further comprises network address storage means for storing at least one network address and for automatically updating said at least one stored network address in response to receipt of said signal comprising the contents of said at least one brouter storage location.

11. A brouter for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a first transmission medium, said brouter routing information and control signals between a first transmission medium and a second, wireless transmission medium, said brouter being addressable through said first and said second, wireless transmission media through a brouter address associated with said brouter, said brouter further adapted to receive signals through said second wireless transmission medium from a remote control unit located in the vicinity of said brouter for permitting said remote control unit to transmit a signal to at least one of said electronic units, said brouter comprising:

a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said brouter, and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous brouter address signal for transmission on said first and said second, wireless transmission media to said electronic units and to said remote control unit, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address for use by at least one of said electronic units and by said remote control unit in transmitting a signal to at least one of said electronic units through a network connection provided by said brouter;

a first transmitter for transmitting signals on said first transmission medium to said electronic units;

a first receiver for coupling signals received through said first transmission medium to said central processing unit;

a second transmitter for transmitting signals on said second wireless transmission medium to at least one remote control unit; and

a second receiver for coupling signals received through said second, wireless transmission medium to said central processing unit.

12. The brouter of claim 11 wherein said central processing unit further includes means for generating a network information signal including said brouter address for transmission to at least one of said electronic units in response to a request signal received over said first transmission medium.

13. A router for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a transmission medium for transferring information and control signals through said transmission medium, said router being addressable through said transmission medium through a router address associated with said router, said router routing information and control signals between said electronic units, said router comprising:

a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said router and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous router address signal for transmission on said transmission medium to said electronic units, said router address signal containing a router address for use by at least one of said electronic units in transmitting a signal to at least one other of said electronic units through said router;

a transmitter for transmitting signals on said transmission medium to said electronic units; and

a receiver for coupling signals received through said transmission medium to said central processing unit.

14. The router of claim 13 wherein said central processing unit further includes means for generating a network information signal including said router address for transmission to at least one of said electronic units in response to a request signal received over said first transmission medium.

15. A method for use in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a first transmission medium, said network having a brouter connected to at least one of said electronic units for routing signals received through a second, wireless transmission medium to said network, said method providing network information including a brouter address to a remote control unit proximate to said brouter, said network information for use by said remote control unit in transmitting a signal over said second, wireless transmission medium to said brouter for transmission to at least one of said electronic units, said remote control unit including a network information storage location for storing received network information including said brouter address, comprising the steps of:

periodically, automatically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting asynchronous network information signals including said brouter address over said second, wireless transmission medium;

receiving said network information signals at said remote control unit;

automatically storing information contained in said received network information signal in a network information storage location provided in said remote control unit; and

using said stored network information by said remote control unit to transmit a signal to said brouter for receipt by at least one of said electronic units.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said network information further comprises at least one network address associated with an addressable electronic unit for permitting said remote control unit to transmit a signal to the electronic unit associated with said network address.