Method and device for initializing a wireless network using a plurality of controlled devices

• US 6,658,475 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ueno, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Application Number:
  US09/381,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/226, 709/228-229, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A control device preferably applied to a wireless network in which a control node 2 holds a predetermined number of node IDs (bus IDs) to be allocated to the controlled nodes 3 to 6 which are newly connected to the network. The control node allocates a node ID not yet allocated among the held node IDs to a controlled node when the controlled node is newly connected to the network, and deallocates the node ID allocated to the controlled node when the controlled node is removed from the network. Thus, the control device may grasp the configuration of the whole network easily when the controlled node is connected to and removed from the network, eliminating a need for resetting the whole network.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a plurality of controlled apparatuses performing communications within a wireless network, comprising:

a first wireless network node included in said control device and a plurality of wireless network nodes each included in a corresponding one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses;

a first data packet sending and receiving means included in said control device and a plurality of data packet sending, and receiving means each included in a corresponding one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses;

a first controller included in said control device and a plurality of controllers each included in a corresponding one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, wherein

when, on power up, a first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses receives a control block from a second one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, said second one of said plurality of controlled apparatus functions as said control device and performs a node initialization process to form said wireless network, and

when said first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses cannot receive said control block from said second one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, said first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses configures itself to function as said control device and performs said mode initialization process to form said wireless network;

holding means for holding a predetermined number of identifiers to be allocated to any of said plurality of controlled apparatuses connected to said wireless network;

allocating means for allocating an identifier not yet allocated among said identifiers held in said holding means to one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, when said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses is newly connected to said wireless network on power-up; and

deallocating means for deallocating said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses when said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses is removed from said wireless network on power-down.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses identifies a bus connected to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

the identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses comprises a first identifier for identifying said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses and a second identifier for identifying a bus connected to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control device further comprises

storing means for storing data indicating a use condition of said identifier;

and said allocating means alters said data indicating said use condition of the identifier so that said data indicates that said identifier is in use when said identifier is allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control device further comprises

storing means for storing data indicating a use condition of said identifier;

and

said deallocating means alters said data indicating said use condition of said identifier so that said data indicates that said identifier is not in use when said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses is deallocated.

6. A control method of a control device for controlling a plurality of controlled apparatuses performing communications within a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

performing a node initialization process to form said wireless network by a second one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses when a first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses receives a control block from said second one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, and

performing said mode initialization process to form said wireless network by said first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses when said first one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses cannot receive said control block from said second one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses;

holding a predetermined number of identifiers to be allocated to any of said plurality of controlled apparatuses connected to said wireless network;

allocating an identifier not yet allocated among said identifiers held in said holding step to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses, when said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses is newly connected to said wireless network on power-up; and

deallocating said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses when said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses is removed from said wireless network on power-down.

7. The control method according to claim 6, wherein said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses identifies a bus connected to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses.

8. The control method according to claim 6, wherein

said identifier allocated to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses comprises a first identifier for identifying said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses and a second identifier for identifying a bus connected to said one of said plurality of controlled apparatuses.