Automatic configuration system for mapping node addresses within a bus structure to their physical location
First Claim
1. A method of automatically mapping device addresses to physical locations of devices within a bus structure corresponding to the device addresses, comprising the steps of:
- a. maintaining a wiring database including wiring diagram and physical locations of devices;
b. maintaining a topology map representing device addresses of devices coupled to the bus structure; and
c. comparing the wiring database to the topology map and matching device addresses of devices coupled to the bus structure to physical locations of devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic configuration system maps a device address of each node coupled to a bus structure to a network protocol address corresponding to the physical location of the node. A configuration database is built which includes the network protocol address of each node and its corresponding device address. A wiring database, including each device position within the network, is maintained within a network server. Preferably, the network is an IEEE 1394 serial bus network. A topology map, including the device addresses of the nodes within the network and their relationship to each other, is generated during a self-ID sequence and is maintained by the network server. This information is then compared to the wiring database by the network server in order to build a restored topology map including the corresponding device address for each device at each position. A DHCP database is then generated which includes each device address and its corresponding network protocol address. The network protocol address corresponds to the position of the respective device. Using the DHCP database, the network protocol address is maintained for the devices at each position, in order to monitor the positions of the devices and communications from the devices.
352 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of automatically mapping device addresses to physical locations of devices within a bus structure corresponding to the device addresses, comprising the steps of:
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a. maintaining a wiring database including wiring diagram and physical locations of devices; b. maintaining a topology map representing device addresses of devices coupled to the bus structure; and c. comparing the wiring database to the topology map and matching device addresses of devices coupled to the bus structure to physical locations of devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for automatically mapping device addresses within a bus structure to corresponding physical locations of devices, comprising:
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a. a plurality of devices coupled together to form a bus structure; b. a network interface coupled to the bus structure and configured for controlling communications to and from the plurality of devices and for maintaining a topology map representing device addresses of each of the plurality of devices; and c. a system controller coupled to the network interface for monitoring operation of the plurality of devices, wherein the system controller is configured for maintaining a system wiring database including a wiring diagram and physical locations of the plurality of devices and further wherein the system controller is configured for comparing the wiring database to the topology map and forming a restored topology map by matching the device addresses to a corresponding one of the physical locations of the plurality of devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of automatically mapping device addresses to network protocol addresses of device locations within a bus structure, comprising the steps of:
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a. maintaining a wiring database in a first control computer including wiring diagram and physical locations of devices; b. maintaining a topology map in a second control computer representing device addresses of devices coupled to the bus structure; c. generating a restored topology map by combining the wiring database with the topology map to map device addresses to a corresponding physical location; d. maintaining a host database in the first control computer representing network protocol addresses of the physical locations of devices; and e. generating a network database by combining the host database and the restored topology map, wherein the network database includes network protocol addresses and corresponding device addresses. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An in-flight entertainment system comprising:
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a. one or more zones each including; i. a plurality of passenger control units, through which a passenger accesses the in-flight entertainment system; ii. a plurality of seat electronics units each including at least one seat CPU coupled to each other to form a bus structure, wherein each seat CPU is coupled to control a passenger set of seat peripherals, each seat CPU having a unique device address; iii. a control unit coupled to the bus structure for controlling communications to and from the seat CPUs and for maintaining a topology map representing device addresses of each of the seat CPUs; and b. a system manager unit within a headend of the system, coupled to the control units for comparing the topology map to a wiring database, including a wiring diagram and physical locations of the seat CPUs, and forming a configuration database including device addresses and corresponding physical locations of seat CPUs. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An automatically configurable in-flight entertainment system comprising:
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a. a plurality of passenger seat units, each configured as a passenger entertainment system; b. an IEEE 1394 network for coupling the passenger seat units together; c. a system manager unit coupled to the IEEE 1394 network for generating a topological map to correlate each of the passenger seat units to a location on the IEEE 1394 network and for generating a replacement topological map after a passenger seat unit is either moved, repaired and replaced; and d. a data input device coupled to the system manager configured to receive a collection of data regarding a passenger, one collection for each passenger, and for correlating each of the collection of data to a passenger seat unit. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification