Ad-hoc established device network

• US 7,304,968 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Stadelmeier, Lothar, Dawidowsky, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Jay P.
• Application Number:
  US10/232,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/332, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

In an ad-hoc established device network, a profile based handover of the network control functionality is performed whenever a new device (15) requests association with the network and the central controller (16) does not support the profile of the new device (15). A database is searched for a controller-capable device that supports both the profiles of the network devices and the profile of the new device. The former central controller (16) passes the control functionality to the controller-capable device (17), which becomes the new central controller (24). Thus it is possible to associate the new device (15) with the network. The invention allows to integrate devices supporting different profiles into a common network.

Claims

1. A method for associating a new device with an ad-hoc established device network comprising a central controller and a set of terminal devices, comprising:

checking whether the central controller supports a transmission profile of a new device which requests association, wherein the transmission profile indicates all transmission and connection related parameters that are mandatory for the new device;

in case the transmission profile of the new device is not supported, searching a database for a terminal device which is capable of acting as a controller and which supports both transmission profiles of the set of terminal devices and the transmission profile of the new device;

in case at least one such terminal device is found, performing a handover of a control functionality in order to establish said terminal device as the new central controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating said new device with the new central controller.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the former central controller as a terminal device with the new central controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of profiles comprises a consumer electronics profile and a business profile.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said consumer electronics profile comprises a direct mode allowing for direct links between the network devices.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said business profile only allows for links between the network devices acid a central access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search for a controller-capable terminal device is performed in a database which is kept on part of the central controller.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said database from the former central controller to the new central controller whenever a handover of the control functionality is performed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises, for each device of the network, a record indicating whether a device is capable of acting as a controller, and which transmission profiles are supported by said device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adding a new record to said database whenever a new device is associated with the network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying each device of the network that it is no longer controlled by the former central controller , and that it is furtheron controlled by the new central controller, whenever a handover of the control functionality is performed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the network being a wireless network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network is a wireless network according to the HIPERLAN/2 standard.

21. A computer readable storage medium including computer program code to carry out the method defined in claim 1 when being executed on a computer and/or said central controller.

14. A central controller for controlling a set of terminal devices in an ad-hoc established device network, comprising:

a database configured to store information about the controller capability of said terminal devices, and about the transmission profiles supported by said terminal devices, wherein the information about the transmission profiles indicates all transmission and connection related parameters that are mandatory for the terminal devices,

a checking unit configured to check whether the central controller supports the transmission profile of a new terminal device which is to be associated with the network, and for searching said database for a terminal device which is capable of acting as a controller and which supports both the transmission profiles of the network devices and the transmission profile of the new device,

a handover unit configured to perform a handover of the control functionality to a controller-capable terminal device in case the central controller is not capable of supporting the transmission profile of said new terminal device.

15. The central controller of claim 14, wherein the set of profiles comprises a consumer electronics profile and a business profile.

16. The central controller of claim 15, wherein said consumer electronics profile comprises a direct mode allowing for direct links between the network devices.

17. The central controller of claim 15, wherein said business profile only allows for links between the network devices and a central access point.

18. The central controller of claim 14, wherein said database comprises, for each device of the network, a record indicating whether a device is capable of acting as a controller, and which transmission profiles are supported by said device.

19. The central controller of claim 14, further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit said database to said controller-capable terminal device in case the central controller is not capable of supporting the transmission profile of said new terminal device.

20. The central controller of claim 14, further comprising:

a processor configured to add a new record to said database whenever a new device is associated with the network.