Method and apparatus for automatic network configuration

• US 20060155833A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akio Urabe, Kurt Piersol, Shinsuke Teramura, Tatsuya Inagaki, Toru Matsuda
• Original Assignee: Akio Urabe, Kurt Piersol, Shinsuke Teramura, Tatsuya Inagaki, Toru Matsuda
• Inventors: Inagaki, Tatsuya, Teramura, Shinsuke, Piersol, Kurt, Matsuda, Toru, Urabe, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/365 Application layer names, e.g. buddy names, unstructured names chosen by a user or home appliance name
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

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 environments.

Claims

1. A method of automatically initializing a first device on a network comprising:

requesting configuration information from a second device upon connecting the first device to the network;

delaying a period of time before continuing with said initialization;

providing configuration services to said network if a response to said configuration information request is not received from said second device within said period of time;

providing said configuration services to said network if said first device has a higher priority than said second device.

continuously monitoring said network to detect a connection of an additional device to said network.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said providing said configuration services comprises:

automatically determining a first network address;

automatically assigning a second network address;

automatically assigning a network name;

automatically correlating said first network address, said second network address, and said network name; and

recording said correlated first network address, said correlated second network address and said correlated network name in a table.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first network address comprises a media access control (MAC) address.

4. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said second network address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

5. The method defined in claim 2, wherein assigning said network name comprises:

detecting a network name conflict;

resolving said network name conflict; and

recording a code in said table to indicate said network name conflict.

6. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said network name is suggested by said first device.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said period of time is varied so as to prevent race conditions.

8. A method of automatically allocating network information comprising:

assigning a network address to a device;

assigning a network name to said device;

correlating said network name with said network address; and

recording said correlated network name and said correlated network address in a table to allow a user to refer to said device by said assigned network name independent of said assigned network address.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein assigning said network name comprises resolving a network name conflict when said network name is already in use.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein said network name is suggested by said device.

11. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said network address is assigned using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

12. A method of automatically initializing a network comprising:

automatically assigning an address to a device on said network;

automatically assigning a network name to said device on said network;

automatically supplying user and group information across said network; and

automatically determining service capability of said device on said network.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein supplying user and group information comprises:

detecting when said device is connected to said network;

sending a first user and group list to said device in response to said device connecting to said network;

said device comparing said first user and group list with a second user and group list resident on said device; and

said device determining whether said first user and group list or said second user and group list is more recent;

receiving a more recent user and group list from said device;

updating said user and group information to reflect said more recent user and group list; and

propagating said updated user and group information throughout said network.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein a time-stamp is used to determine whether said first user and group list or said second user and group list is more recent.

15. The method defined in claim 13, wherein updating said user and group information comprises recording said more recent user and group list in clear text.

16. The method defined in claim 15, wherein updating said user and group information comprises encrypting said user and group information prior to transmission across said network.

17. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising:

correlating said network address and said network name; and

storing said correlated network address and said correlated network name in a table.

18. The method defined claim 12, wherein said network name is suggested by said device.

19. The method defined in claim 12, wherein HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used to exchange information.

20. The method defined in claim 12, wherein Service Location Protocol (SLP) is used to exchange information.

21. A network comprising:

a first device coupled to said network, said first device configured to automatically

request a first network address;

receive said first network address from a second device coupled to said network;

provide a network configuration if said first network address is not received from said second device;

determine its priority level on said network if said first network address is received from said second device; and

provide said network configuration if said priority level is higher than a second priority level of said second device.

22. The network defined in claim 21, wherein said first device is a networked office appliance.

23. The network defined in claim 21, wherein the first device is further configured to automatically:

assign a second network address;

assign a network name;

correlate said second network address with said network name; and

record said correlated second network address and said correlated network name in a table.

24. The network defined in claim 23, wherein said table further comprises:

a Media Access Control (MAC) address; and

a code to indicate a conflict with said network name.

25. The network defined in claim 23, wherein said first and second network addresses comprise Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

26. 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.

27. The network defined in claim 26, wherein said user and group information comprises;

a list comprising;

a user name;

a password;

a group name having a second list of members allowed access to said group;

a time stamp; and

a character encoding code.

28. The network defined in claim 27, wherein said password is recorded in clear text.