Initialization method for an entertainment and communications network
First Claim
1. A method of initializing a peer-to-peer network of devices, at least one of said devices remotely located at a remote node, said remote node being connected to a hub port on said network, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) scanning remote nodes for nodes requesting communications channel addresses for unassigned active communications channels, comprising;
i) providing a null packet to each remote node for synchronization; and
ii) receiving a return null racket from said each remote node, said return null packet indicating a number of unassigned active communications channels at said remote node;
b) identifying a requesting node for channel address assignment;
c) assigning an unassigned channel address to said identified node; and
d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until all requesting nodes have received channel addresses for all corresponding active communications channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of initializing a multi-zone peer-to-peer entertainment and communications network. During normal network operation, data is streamed from one or more entertainment media source nodes to multiple independent other nodes and, then, passed to connected receivers and/or transceivers. The receivers and transceivers may be located in different zones from each other. The zones may be different rooms in a building or house. The initialization sequence is an autonomous process. During initialization, at least one backplane address is assigned to each network hub port and to each local node. One hub port is designated as backplane master. Upon power-up or a reset, a remote scan is initiated, automatically, from the hub ports to the remote nodes. Any remote node requiring an address responds to the remote scan indicating that one or more addresses are needed. Then, nodes requesting addresses enter a contention arbitration phase to select the next requesting node which is assigned addresses next. Addresses are assigned to the remote mode nodes, giving priority according to serial number, lowest to highest. Each remote node acquires addresses from the hub backplane master which tie the particular remote node to the hub backplane. The backplane master manages the initialization process, providing addresses to each of the other remote nodes, as required.
97 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of initializing a peer-to-peer network of devices, at least one of said devices remotely located at a remote node, said remote node being connected to a hub port on said network, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) scanning remote nodes for nodes requesting communications channel addresses for unassigned active communications channels, comprising;
i) providing a null packet to each remote node for synchronization; and
ii) receiving a return null racket from said each remote node, said return null packet indicating a number of unassigned active communications channels at said remote node;
b) identifying a requesting node for channel address assignment;
c) assigning an unassigned channel address to said identified node; and
d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until all requesting nodes have received channel addresses for all corresponding active communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of initializing a peer-to-peer network of devices, at least one of said devices remotely located at a remote node, said remote node being connected to a hub port on said network, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying one hub port as a bus master, said bus master asserting an initialization signal to begin network initialization;
b) scanning remote nodes to identify if any nodes are requesting address assignment for unassigned active communications channels responsive to said initialization signal;
c) identifying a requesting node for channel address assignment;
d) assigning an unassigned channel address to said identified node; and
e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until all requesting nodes have received channel addresses for all corresponding active communications channels, and f) placing said identified bus master port in a normal operating state, said bus master operating identically to other hub ports. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification