Electronic device that stores information on its location based on information obtained from a node

• US 6,721,818 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US09/379,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 710/9, 710/10, 710/15, 710/104, 713/1, 709/224
• US Class Current: 710/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

In a bus network wherein a plurality of devices are interconnected, the devices share an address space that they can access. The position information describing the actual locations of the devices, and the functional information for the devices are stored in a predetermined area in the address space. When a specific device on the network displays information in the address space for each device, a user can easily specify the actual location of a desired device that is connected to the network, and can also identify the functional information for the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a digital interface that is connectable to a node in a network, said node including first location information indicating a room where said node is located; and

a memory that stores second location information indicating a room where said electronic device is located,

wherein said memory is a memory for storing information about said electronic device, and

wherein said electronic device automatically obtains said first location information from said node connected to said digital interface, and stores said first location information as said second location information in said memory.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said digital interface is connectable to an outlet mounted in a room.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said digital interface transmits said second location information to a request node that requests location information of said electronic device.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said network is a home network.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said digital interface conforms to IEEE 1394 standards.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device automatically obtains said first location information from said node connected to said digital interface if said second location information is invalid.

7. An electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said electronic device automatically obtains said first location information from said node connected to said digital interface again if said first location information is invalid.