Computer, network controller, and system and remote activating method using the computer and controller

• US 6,694,440 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US09/482,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 713/310, 713/320, 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

A personal computer is connected to a 1394/LAN bridge adapter via a 1394 bus and is connected to a LAN via the 1394 bus and the 1394/LAN bridge adapter. When receiving a remote activation packet from the LAN, the 1394/LAN bridge adapter converts the received packet into a Link-on packet and transmits this Link-on packet to the computer via the 1394 bus. The computer uses the reception of the Link-on packet from the 1394 bus as a cause of generating a wake up event and thereby returns to an operation state when receiving the Link-on packet. Thus, the computer can be remotely activated from the LAN when the computer is connected to the LAN via a serial bus.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive first control data transmitted in a first transmission format via a network, the first control data including a first control command and a destination address of a device to be controlled, wherein the first control command and the destination address comply with the first transmission format;

a producer configured to produce second control data from the received first control data by converting the first control command to a second control command that complies with a second transmission format and adding a terminal address that complies with the second transmission format and corresponds to the destination address; and

a memory configured to store a plurality of specific bit patterns, and a detector configured to detect whether the first control command corresponds to a magic packet having a predetermined bit pattern or a specific pattern packet associated with one of the plurality of specific bit patterns stored in the memory, wherein the producer converts the first control command to a link-on packet that complies with a second transmission format, and adds a terminal address that complies with the second transmission format and corresponds to the destination address, when the detector detects a match.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a delay unit configured to delay participation of the apparatus in a tree identification protocol so that the apparatus is identified as a root node in a tree identification on a serial bus, wherein the second control command corresponds to a packet issued by the root node to another node on the serial bus.

3. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive first control data transmitted in a transmission format associated with a LAN, the first control data including a remote activation request packet and a destination MAC address as a unique identifier indicative of a device to be controlled;

a producer configured to produce second control data from the received first control data by converting the remote activation request packet to a link-on packet that complies with a transmission format of an EEE 1394 bus, and adding a terminal address that complies with the transmission format of the IEEE 1394 bus and corresponds to the destination MAC address;

a memory configured to store contents of a plurality of specific bit patterns; and

a detector configured to detect whether the remote activation request packet is a magic packet having a predetermined bit pattern or has a bit pattern matching one of the plurality of specific bit patterns stored in the memory, wherein the producer converts the remote activation request packet to the link-on packet that complies with a transmission format of an IEEE 1394 bus, and adds a terminal address that complies with the transmission format of the IEEE 1394 bus and corresponds to the destination MAC address, when the detector detects a match.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a delay unit configured to delay participation of the apparatus into a tree identification protocol so that the apparatus is identified as a root node in tree identification on the bus; and

wherein the link-on packet is a packet issued by the root node and received by another node on the bus.

5. A remote activation control method, comprising:

receiving first control data transmitted in a first transmission format via a network, the control data including a first control command and a destination address of a device to be controlled, wherein the first control command and destination address comply with the first transmission format;

producing second control data from the received first control data by converting the first control command to a second control command that complies with a second transmission format and adding an address that complies with the second transmission format and corresponds to the destination address of the device to be controlled;

storing contents of a plurality of predetermined specific bit patterns;

detecting whether the first control command is a magic packet having a predetermined bit pattern or a specific pattern packet associated with one of the plurality of predetermined specific bit patterns; and

converting the first control command to a link-on packet that complies with a second transmission format, and adding an address that complies with the second transmission format and corresponds to the destination address of the device to be controlled, when the detection indicates a match.

6. A remote activation control method comprising:

receiving first control data transmitted via a LAN and in a transmission format associated with the LAN, the first control data including a remote activation request packet and a destination MAC address as a unique identifier identifying a device to be controlled, wherein the remote activation request packet and the destination MAC address comply with the transmission format of the LAN;

producing second control data from the received first control data by converting the remote activation request packet to a link-on packet that complies with a transmission format of an IEEE 1394 bus and adding an address that complies with the transmission format of the IEEE 1394 bus and corresponds to the destination MAC address;

storing contents of a plurality of predetermined specific bit patterns;

detecting whether the remote activation request packet is a magic packet having a predetermined bit pattern or a specific pattern packet associated with one of the plurality of predetermined specific bit patterns; and

converting the remote activation request packet to the link-on packet that complies with a transmission format of an IEEE 1394 bus, and adding an address that complies with the transmission format of the IEEE 1394 bus and corresponds to the destination MAC address, when the detection indicates a match.