System and process for discovery of network-connected devices at remote sites using audio-based discovery techniques
First Claim
1. A system for a discovering electronic device to discover the network address of a discoverable electronic device which is connected to the same computer network as the discovering device and which is located at a site remote from the discovering device, comprising:
- a general purpose computing device residing in the discovering electronic device;
a computer program comprising program modules executable by the general purpose computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to,receive a signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device, wherein the signal comprises data representing a signature of the discoverable device indicative of its presence at the remote location and its being accessible via the network to which both the discovering electronic device and discoverable electronic device are connected,transmit a request signal for receipt by the discoverable electronic device at the site remote from the discovering device whose signature was received which requests the address assigned to that discoverable device on the network to be transmitted to the discovering device, andreceive a reply signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device whose signature was received which comprises data representing the requested network address, whereinthe signature, request and reply signals are audio signals that are sent between the discovering and discoverable devices over a communications medium not comprising said network, and whereinthe signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device further comprises an indicator indicating the type of electronic device it is, wherein transmitting the request signal is executed only for a discoverable device of the type that it is desired for the discovering device to establish communications with, and wherein the device type ascertained from the indicator included in the signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device.
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Abstract
A system and process for discovery between endpoint components and computing devices residing at remote locations from each other, in cases where the devices are connected to a common computer network, is presented. The present invention allows a device in one location to discover the network address of another device at a different location, which then allows the first device to negotiate with the discovered device to facilitate the transfer of data and other communications over the common network. However, this discovery is accomplished without the use of the common network. Rather the discovery process uses audible or inaudible audio signals transferred between the devices at two different locations using a communication medium, such as a telephone system.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for a discovering electronic device to discover the network address of a discoverable electronic device which is connected to the same computer network as the discovering device and which is located at a site remote from the discovering device, comprising:
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a general purpose computing device residing in the discovering electronic device; a computer program comprising program modules executable by the general purpose computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to, receive a signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device, wherein the signal comprises data representing a signature of the discoverable device indicative of its presence at the remote location and its being accessible via the network to which both the discovering electronic device and discoverable electronic device are connected, transmit a request signal for receipt by the discoverable electronic device at the site remote from the discovering device whose signature was received which requests the address assigned to that discoverable device on the network to be transmitted to the discovering device, and receive a reply signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device whose signature was received which comprises data representing the requested network address, wherein the signature, request and reply signals are audio signals that are sent between the discovering and discoverable devices over a communications medium not comprising said network, and wherein the signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device further comprises an indicator indicating the type of electronic device it is, wherein transmitting the request signal is executed only for a discoverable device of the type that it is desired for the discovering device to establish communications with, and wherein the device type ascertained from the indicator included in the signature signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented process for a discovering electronic device to discover the network address of a discoverable electronic device which is connected to the same computer network as the discovering device and which is located at a site remote from the discovering device, to facilitate the transfer of data and other communications over the common network, said process comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions:
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the discovering device receiving a signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device, wherein the signal comprises data representing the address assigned to the discoverable device on the common network to which both the discovering electronic device and discoverable electronic device are connected, and wherein the signal is an audio signal that is sent between the discovering and discoverable devices over a communications medium not comprising said common network; and the discovering device using the received network address to establish communications via the common network with the discoverable device that initiated the address; wherein the signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device further comprises a signature indicating the type of electronic device it is, and inherently indicating its presence at the remote location and its being accessible via said common network, and wherein the discovering device using the received network address to establish communications via the common network with the discoverable device that transmitted the address is performed only for a discoverable device of the type that it is desired for the discovering device to establish communications with, wherein the device type is ascertained from the signature included in the signal initiated by the discoverable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 37)
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25. A system for a discovering electronic device to discover the network address of one or more discoverable electronic devices which are connected to the same network as the discovering device and which are located at a site remote from the discovering device, comprising:
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a general purpose computing device residing in the discovering electronic device; a computer program comprising program modules executable by the general purpose computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to, transmit a request signal which requests the network address assigned to a discoverable device located at the site remote from the discovering device be transmitted to the discovering device, and which specifies the type of discoverable electronic device it is desired to obtain the network address for, such that only the discoverable electronic devices of the specified type which are presence in the remote location and accessible via said network initiate a reply signal, and receive a reply signal initiated by a discoverable electronic device from the site remote from the discovering device which comprises data representing the requested network address, and a signature indicating the type of electronic device it is so as to inherently indicating its presence in the remote location and its being accessible via said common network thereby allowing the discovering device to determine if it wants to establish communications with the discoverable device over the network, wherein the request and reply signals are audio signals that are sent between the discovering and discoverable devices over a communications medium not comprising said network to which both the discovering electronic device and the one or more discoverable electronic devices are connected. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38)
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Specification