Capability addressable network and method therefor

• US 6,069,896 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leeper, David G., Woodward, Ernest Earl, Harris, Jeffrey Martin, Borgstahl, Ronald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US08/729,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/310, 370/329, 370/338, 370/341, 370/348, 370/349, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless, peer-to-peer, capability addressable network (22) is disclosed. The network (22) accommodates any number of peers (20). Network connections are formed based upon proximity between peers (20) and upon a needs and capabilities evaluation (82). Networks (22) support three classifications of service capabilities: service requesting, service providing, and service relaying. Wireless communications occur at a sufficiently low power to form a detection zone (28) of less than five meters for many peers (20).

Claims

1. In a capability addressable peer-to-peer data communication network, a method of establishing network connectivity comprising the steps of:

initiating a setup connection between first and second peers of said network by transmitting an unsolicited message containing an identification of said first peer to said second peer;

authorizing said second peer to establish said setup connection with said first peer based on said identification of said first peer;

exchanging needs and capabilities between said first and second peers after establishing said setup connection; and

selectively processing an addressed service connection in response to said exchange of needs and capabilities.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said addressed service connection occurs when said needs of said first peer match said capabilities of said second peer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said addressed service connection occurs when said needs of said second peer match said capabilities of said first peer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a network capability available through said second peer to said first peer using said service connection; and

said network capability includes relaying, at said second peer, data communications between said first peer and a device in data communication with said second peer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a network capability available through said second peer to said first peer using said service connection; and

said network capability includes collecting user input data at said second peer and communicating said user input data to said a first peer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a network capability available through said second peer to said first peer using said service connection, wherein said network capability includes annunciating, at said second peer, user output data generated at said first peer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a network capability available through said second peer to said first peer using said service connection, wherein said network capability includes controlling an appliance through said second peer in response to control data generated at said first peer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

uploading a computer program from said second peer to said first peer, said computer program defining a process for controlling said appliance; and

executing said computer program at said first peer to generate said control data.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

storing personalizing data at said first peer; and

programming said appliance with said personalizing data.

10. A method of operating a capability addressable peer-to-peer data communication network comprising the steps of:

a) broadcasting an unsolicited beacon message from a first peer node;

b) identifying said second peer node as being authorized to establish communications with said first peer node when said first peer node receives a response message from said second peer node;

c) establishing a setup connection between said first peer node and said second peer node;

d) receiving information by first peer node describing a network capability provided by said second peer node; and

e) forming a service connection between said first peer node and said second peer node when said capability information indicates a capability compatible with a need of said first peer node.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further including the step of routing the service connection by the second peer node to a third peer node to fulfill said need of said first peer node, if said second peer node is unable to fulfill said need of said first peer node.

12. A method of operating a capability addressable peer-to-peer data communication network comprising the steps of:

a) detecting, at a first one of a service-requesting peer and a service-providing peer, physical proximity of a second one of said service-requesting and service-providing peers;

b) determining whether a need for a service connection exists at one of said service-requesting and service-providing peers;

c) establishing, if said determining step identifies said need, a setup wireless connection between said service-requesting and service-providing peers;

d) communicating authorization information describing said service-requesting peer to said service-providing peer;

e) forming a wireless service connection between said service-requesting and service-providing peers when said service-requesting peer is authorized through an identification code;

f) communicating capability information describing said service-providing peer to said service-requesting peer;

g) forming said wireless service connection between said service-requesting and service-providing peers when said service-providing peer is determined to have a capability compatible with said need determined in step b); and

h) providing said capability using said service connection.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said providing step comprises the step of relaying, at said service-providing peer, data communications between said service-requesting peer and a device in data communication with said service-providing peer.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said providing step comprises the steps of:

collecting user input data at a first one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers; and

communicating said user input data to said a second one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said providing step comprises the steps of:

generating user output data at a first one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers; and

annunciating said user output data to said a second one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said providing step comprises the steps of:

generating appliance control data at a first one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers; and

controlling an appliance in accordance with said control data at a second one of said service-providing and service-requesting peers.

17. An apparatus for interactively coupling one appliance to another appliance, comprising:

a receiver for receiving input data;

a transmitter for transmitting output data; and

a processor coupled to said transmitter for broadcasting an unsolicited message from said one appliance that includes an identity of said one appliance, and wherein said processor receives through said receiver a response message.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein a setup connection between said one appliance and said another appliance is formed over a wireless communication link.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said setup connection occurs when said one appliance and said another appliance are within a wireless communication range of less of than 400 meters.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said processor further includes a memory for storing a list of needs and capabilities of said one appliance that is compared with another list received through said receiver from said another appliance.