Method and apparatus for automatic network configuration
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing dynamic configuration services comprising:
- requesting, with a local device, configuration services from a first remote device over a network in response to connecting the local device to the network, the requested configuration services including acquiring an IP (Internet protocol) address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the first remote device operates as a DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) server to the network;
operating the local device as a configuration services server to provide configuration services to one or more second remote devices of said network if the response to the requested configuration services is not received by the local device from said first remote device within a predetermined period of time or if the response to the requested configuration services is received by the local device from said first remote device within the predetermined period of time and the response indicates that the local device has a higher priority than the first remote device, wherein the local device is operated as a DHCP server to the network to provide the configuration service, the configuration services provided by the local device including assigning an IP address and allocating a domain name for each of the second remote devices; and
operating the local device as a configuration services client to receive configuration services from said first remote device if the response is received within the predetermined period of time and said first remote device has a higher priority than said local device, wherein the local device is configured to use the received configuration services from the first remote device when entering the network, including acquiring an IP address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the local device utilizes the acquired IP address and domain name to boot the local device up and enter the network using the acquired IP address and domain name as an identity representing the local device in the network.
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Abstract
A dynamically configurable network architecture comprising networked office appliances which provide network addressing, network naming, service discovery, and user identification in one system. The network architecture provides automatic configuration services for unadministered networks while being automatically adaptable within administered environments.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for providing dynamic configuration services comprising:
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requesting, with a local device, configuration services from a first remote device over a network in response to connecting the local device to the network, the requested configuration services including acquiring an IP (Internet protocol) address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the first remote device operates as a DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) server to the network; operating the local device as a configuration services server to provide configuration services to one or more second remote devices of said network if the response to the requested configuration services is not received by the local device from said first remote device within a predetermined period of time or if the response to the requested configuration services is received by the local device from said first remote device within the predetermined period of time and the response indicates that the local device has a higher priority than the first remote device, wherein the local device is operated as a DHCP server to the network to provide the configuration service, the configuration services provided by the local device including assigning an IP address and allocating a domain name for each of the second remote devices; and operating the local device as a configuration services client to receive configuration services from said first remote device if the response is received within the predetermined period of time and said first remote device has a higher priority than said local device, wherein the local device is configured to use the received configuration services from the first remote device when entering the network, including acquiring an IP address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the local device utilizes the acquired IP address and domain name to boot the local device up and enter the network using the acquired IP address and domain name as an identity representing the local device in the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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determining service capability of a local device coupled to a network including whether said local device is capable of providing configuration services to one or more remote devices of said network; operating the local device as a server device to provide configuration services to the one or more remote devices from the local device of said network if configuration services are not provided by a network device of the network having a higher priority than said local device, the provided configuration services including supplying user and group information to the one or more remote devices of the network, and allocating and assigning an IP address and network name to each of the one or more remote devices, wherein priorities of the local device and the network device are determined based on information stored in a standard option field of TCP/IP packets exchanged between the local device and the network device; and operating said local device as a client device to receive configuration services from a remote device if said remote device has a higher priority than said local device, wherein the local device is configured to use the received configuration services from the remote device when entering the network, wherein the received configuration services include obtaining user and group information, an IP address, and network name from the network device, and wherein the local device utilizes the obtained user and group information, an IP address, and network name as an identity representing the local device in the network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A device configured to:
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requesting a first network address from a first remote device coupled over a network; operate as a server device to provide network configuration services to a second remote device of the network, if said first network address is not received from said remote device within a predetermined period of time; communicating with the first remote device over the network to determine whether a priority level of the device is higher than the first remote device, if said first network address is received from said remote device, wherein priorities of the device and the first remote device are determined based on information stored in a standard option field of TCP/IP packets exchanged between the device and the first remote device; operate as a server device to provide said network configuration services to members of the network including the first remote device and the second remote device if said priority level is higher than a second priority level of said remote device, wherein the first remote device operates as a client device for receiving the configuration services in response to the determination of the priority level; and operate as a client device to receive configuration services from said first remote device if said remote device has a higher priority than said device, wherein said device is configured to use the received configuration services from the first remote device when entering the network. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A network comprising:
a first device configured to assign an address to a second device on said network; assign a network name to said second device on said network; supply user and group information across said network; and determine service capability of said second device on said network, wherein if said first device is capable of providing configuration services to said network; operate as a server device to provide configuration services to one or more devices of said network if configuration services are not provided by a network device having a higher priority than said first device, wherein priorities of the first device and the network device are determined based on information stored in a standard option field of TCP/IP packets exchanged between the first device and the network device; and operate as a client device to receive configuration services from said remote device if said remote device has a higher priority than said first device, wherein the first device is configured to use the received configuration services from the remote device when entering the network, wherein the received configuration services include obtaining user and group information, an IP address, and network name from the network device, and wherein the first device utilizes the obtained user and group information, an IP address, and network name as an identity representing the first device in the network.
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33. An apparatus comprising:
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means for requesting, with a local device, configuration services from a remote device coupled to the network in response to connecting the local device to the network, the requested configuration services including acquiring an IP (Internet protocol) address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the first remote device operates as a DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) server to the network; means for operating the local device as a configuration services server to provide configuration services to one or more remote devices of said network if the response to the requested configuration services is not received by the local device from said remote device within a predetermined period of time or if the response to the requested configuration services is received by the local device from said remote device within the predetermined period of time and the response indicates that the local device has a higher priority than the remote device, wherein the local device is operated as a DHCP server to the network to provide the configuration service, the configuration services provided by the local device including assigning an IP address and allocating a domain name for each of the second remote devices; and means for operating the local device as a client device to said remote device if the response is received within the predetermined period of time and said remote device has a higher priority than said local device, wherein the local device is configured using the received configuration services from the remote device when entering the network, including acquiring an IP address and a domain name for the local device from the first remote device, wherein the local device utilizes the acquired IP address and domain name to boot the local device up and enter the network using the acquired IP address and domain name as an identity representing the local device in the network. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus comprising:
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means for assigning an address to a local device on said network; means for assigning a network name to said local device; means for supplying user and group information across said network; and means for determining service capability of said local device including whether said local device is capable of providing configuration services to one or more remote devices of said network; means for providing configuration services to one or more devices of said network if configuration services are not provided by a network device having a higher priority than said local device, the configuration services being provided to the network device having a lower priority than the local device, wherein priorities of the local device and the network device are determined based on information stored in a standard option field of TCP/IP packets exchanged between the local device and the network device; and means for operating as a client device to receive configuration services from a remote device if said remote device has a higher priority than said local device, wherein the local device is configured using the received configuration services from the network device when entering the network, wherein the received configuration services include obtaining user and group information, an IP address, and network name from the network device, and wherein the local device utilizes the obtained user and group information, an IP address, and network name as an identity representing the local device in the network. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification