Connection device and program

• US 8,510,456 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuyama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US12/177,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/218, 709/249, 709/250, 701/29, 701/32, 701/33, 340984-987, 340438-462
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

In a connection device connected to a network mounted in a boat, a protocol of a connection device connected to a network mounted in a boat is identified based on a communication ID in a certain message transmitted through the network. A device protocol is determined in accordance with the protocol of the network. Data communication in the network is performed in conformity with the device protocol. Accordingly, when the connection device is connected to the network, the connection device automatically identifies a protocol of the network and operates appropriately. Therefore, upward compatibility is maintained and usability is improved.

Claims

1. A connection device connected to a network mounted in a boat, the connection device comprising:

a protocol identification section configured to identify whether a device protocol of the network is a first protocol or a second protocol;

a protocol determination section configured to determine which of the first protocol or the second protocol that the connection device should use to communicate with the network based on the device protocol identified by the protocol identification section; and

a data communication section configured to perform data communication with the network in conformity with both of the first protocol and the second protocol, including the device protocol determined by the protocol determination section;

wherein the first protocol is a protocol that requires authentication at a time of connecting the connection device to the network, and the second protocol is a protocol that does not require authentication at the time of connecting the connection device to the network.

2. The connection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory arranged to store a protocol indicator of the device protocol of the network;

wherein

after the determination of the device protocol, the protocol determination section is arranged to perform no further protocol determination, and the device protocol is obtained based on the protocol indicator stored in the non-volatile memory.

3. The connection device according to claim 2, further comprising a memory reset arranged to erase the protocol indicator stored in the non-volatile memory in order to return the non-volatile memory to its initial state.

4. The connection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory arranged to store a protocol indicator of the device protocol of the network;

wherein

the protocol identification section identifies the device protocol based on the protocol indicator stored in the non-volatile memory.

5. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein when the protocol identification section cannot identity the device protocol as the first protocol after a predetermined time period, the protocol identification section identifies that the protocol is the second protocol.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for performing, when the program runs on a computer in a network mounted in a boat, a method comprising the steps of:

performing a protocol identification process while a connection device is connected to the network to identify whether a device protocol of the network is a first protocol or a second protocol;

performing a protocol determination process with the connection device to determine which of the first protocol or the second protocol that the connection device should use to communicate with the network based on the device protocol identified by the protocol identification process; and

performing a data communication process with the connection device to perform data communication with the network in conformity with both of the first protocol and the second protocol, including the device protocol determined by the protocol determination process;

wherein the first protocol is a protocol that requires authentication at a time of connecting the connection device to the network, and the second protocol is a protocol that does not require authentication at the time of connecting the connection device to the network.