Network equipment and networking method

• US 6,694,363 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamadaji, Shinji, Okuyama, Takehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/585,575
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/253, 709/248, 709/227, 709/226, 709/224, 710/72, 710/100, 725/37, 725/100, 370/257
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A DCM/FCM manager detects the coincidence of modules by comparing a device control module and a device function module transferred from a DCM/FCM memory of other device with a content in the inside of a DCM/FCM memory of its own device. One of coincident modules is deleted and this deletion is stored in the DCM/FCM memory. The DCM/FCM manager generates link information for making use of the deleted module and makes a registry store the link information. In case of controlling the other device, a control part reads out the module from the DCM/FCM memory based on the link information of the registry and generates a command based on the read-out module and transfers the command to the other device. Accordingly, the network equipment can control devices on the network with the least memory capacity.

Claims

1. A network equipment comprising;

a first memory holding a plurality of software modules which control respective devices connected to a network,

a module administration device which detects coincidence portions between or among a plurality of software modules and makes the first memory means store one remaining coincidence portion after deleting other coincidence portions with respect to the coincidence portions and generates link information for making use of the remaining coincidence portion in place of the deleted coincidence portions, and

a second memory which holds the link information generated by the module administration device, and

a control device which reads out the software module stored in the first memory based on the link information and controls other devices connected to the network.

2. A network equipment according to claim 1, wherein the software modules include device control modules which control conditions of respective devices connected to the network and device function modules which control functions of respective devices.

3. A network equipment according to claim 1, wherein the module administration device reads out and obtains the software modules which are held in other devices by connecting respective devices on the network.

4. A network equipment according to claim 1, wherein the network equipment is further provided with a display device which displays contents of processing performed by the module administration device.

5. A networking method comprising;

a module administration step which detects coincidence portions between or among a plurality of software modules with respect to a plurality of stored software modules which respectively control respective devices connected to the network and stores one remaining coincidence portion after deleting other coincidence portions with respect to the coincidence portions,

a step which holds link information for making use of the remaining coincidence portion in place of the deleted coincidence portions, and

a step which reads out the software module stored based on the link information and controls other devices connected to the network.

6. A networking method according to claim 5, wherein the module administration step includes a step which reads out and obtains the software modules which are held in other devices by connecting respective devices on the network.