Method for the discovery of devices connected to an IP network and device to carry out said method

• US 7,701,873 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Tang-Talpin, Yan-Mei, Salmon-Legagneur, Charles, Heen, Olivier, Maetz, Yves, Prigent, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINKANTARAKORN, PAWARIS
• Application Number:
  US11/093,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/253, 370254-255, 709220-224
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention relates to IP networks and, more particularly, local area networks, for example home networks. It concerns the manner in which devices connected to such networks obtain and update knowledge of the other compatible devices connected to the network. To do this, the invention is based on a finite-state machine, comprising connected, disconnected and standby states. The changes of state take place on receipt of messages, requests or replies from the other devices, or on expiry of timers in the absence of receipt of messages.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

discovery, by a first device intended to be connected to an IP network, of a state of connection of said first device to said IP network, said IP network comprising at least one compatible second device, the method comprising the following steps, implemented by said first device;

switchover to a disconnected state, at startup, and sending a request on said P network asking said at least one compatible second device to reply;

in the disconnected state, repeatedly sending of said request on said IP network asking said at least one compatible second device to reply, when no message is received from said at least one compatible device within a first given period of time;

from the disconnected state, switchover to a connected state, on receipt by said first device of at least one message from said at least one compatible second device;

from the connected state switching to a standby state when no message is received from said at least one compatible second device within a second given period of time;

from the standby state, switching to said connected state upon reception of at least one message from said at least one compatible second device within a third given period of time; and

from the standby state, switching to said disconnected state when no message is received from said at least one compatible second device within said third given period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, on receipt of a request originating from said at least one compatible second device, said first device sends a reply on the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first device, being in a connected state, and not having received a message from said at least one compatible second device within said second period of time, sends a request on the IP network and switches to said message reception standby state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device sends messages according to the method in a multicast mode to an address and a port known to all devices, and whereby the first device monitors the traffic on this address and on this port.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the requests sent when said first device is in the disconnected state, referred to as first requests, are different from the requests sent when said first device is in the connected state and whereby the first reply sent after having switched from the disconnected state is different from the following replies.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device signals the arrival of a new device on the network on receiving a first request or a first reply.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the said first device maintains a list of connected devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first device compares replies received in response to a request with the list of connected devices in order to remove from the list devices that have not replied.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one message is a reply message generated in response to said request repeatedly sent by said first device or a request message from said second device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device, being in said standby state and not having received any messages from said at least one compatible second device, repeats a given number of times and for a given period of time, the sending of a request on said IP network asking said at least one compatible second device to reply, before switching to said disconnected state.

11. A method, comprising:

configuring a first device to a disconnected state upon the first device attempting to connect to a network, the disconnected state indicating a lack of a connection to the network;

sending, from the first device in the disconnected state, at least one automatic request repeatedly through a network;

reconfiguring the first device from the disconnected state to a connected state upon receiving at least one message from a second device connected to the network, the connected state indicating a connection to the network, the second device being distinct from the first device and, the sending of automatic request being stopped when the first device is in the connected state;

sending a reply through the network upon receipt of a request originating from the second device;

sending a request through the network and reconfiguring the first device from the connected state to a message reception standby state upon the first device not receiving a message during a first predetermined time period while the first device is in the connected state;

reconfiguring the first device to the disconnected state upon the first device not receiving a message during a second predetermined time period while the first device is in the message reception standby state;

reconfiguring the first device to the connected state upon the first device receiving a message while in the message reception standby state; and

repeating dispatch of the request during the second predetermined time period while the first device is in the message reception standby state before reconfiguring the first device to the disconnected state.