Network device discovery

• US 9,021,084 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chapin, David M., Edmonds, Jonathan Allen, Stutzman, Andrew T., Glass, Brian Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US12/603,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A system and method enable a local area network connected mobile device to discover, via an ancillary wireless communication channel, a local area network connected device and install the appropriate driver and network configuration information when the mobile device and network connected device are brought into physical close proximity with each other.

Claims

1. A system for enabling an end user mobile device to acquire network identification and network configuration information for a networked connected device via an ancillary wireless communication channel to enable the end user mobile device to utilize the networked connected device, comprising:

a local area network providing a plurality of network communication channels;

an electronic device, communicatively connected to said local area network, said electronic device having a network communication device to provide the communicative connection between said electronic device and said local area network over a first network communication channel;

said electronic device having an ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver, said ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said electronic device using a communication protocol; and

an end user mobile device having an ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver, said ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said end user mobile device using a communication protocol that matches said communication protocol of the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said electronic device, said communication protocol enabling a wireless communication channel to be established between said end user mobile device and said electronic device, said wireless communication channel not being one of the plurality of network communication channels provided by said local area network;

said ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said end user mobile device communicating with said ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said electronic device over said wireless communication channel;

said end user mobile device having a network communication device to provide communication between said end user mobile device and said local area network over a second network communication channel;

said electronic device transmitting, through the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said electronic device and over said wireless communication channel, identification and network configuration information for said electronic device to said end user mobile device, the ancillary wireless communication transmitted identification and network configuration information including an internet protocol address for said electronic device;

said end user mobile device receiving, over said wireless communication channel, the identification and network configuration information for said electronic device;

said end user mobile device, based upon the received identification and network configuration information for said electronic device, locating, through said second network communication channel, a device driver associated with said electronic device;

said end user mobile device installing, through said second network communication channel, said device driver associated with said electronic device, said device driver enabling said end user mobile device to utilize, via said local area network, said electronic device;

said end user mobile device, based upon the received internet protocol address for said electronic device, establishing a communication connection, through said second network communication channel, via said local area network, and said first network communication channel, with said electronic device;

said end user mobile device causing, by utilizing the installed device driver, said electronic device to operate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a device having a printing capability and the identification and network configuration information for said electronic device comprises a printer model.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said end user mobile device comprises a personal digital assistant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said end user mobile device comprises a mobile computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said end user mobile device includes a mode of operation that enables said end user mobile device to be discoverable by another device having ancillary wireless communication functionality.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of said electronic device includes a mode of operation that enables said electronic device to be discoverable by another device having ancillary wireless communication functionality.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication channel is a low-power radio communication channel.

8. A method to enable an end user mobile device to acquire network identification and network configuration information for a networked connected device via an ancillary wireless communication channel to enable the end user mobile device to utilize the networked connected device, comprising:

placing an end user mobile device in close physical proximity to an electronic device communicatively connected to a local area network the local area network providing a plurality of network communication channels, the electronic device having a network communication device to provide the communicative connection between the electronic device and the local area network over a first network communication channel, the electronic device having an ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver, the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of the electronic device using a communication protocol, the end user mobile device having an ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver, the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of the end user mobile device using a communication protocol that matches the communication protocol of the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of the electronic device, the communication protocol enabling a wireless communication channel to be established between the end user mobile device and the electronic device and a network communication device to provide communication between the end user mobile device and the local area network over a second network communication channel, the wireless communication channel not being one of the plurality of network communication channels provided by the local area network;

establishing a communication connection, over the wireless communication channel, between the end user mobile device and the electronic device when the end user mobile device is located in close proximity to the electronic device;

obtaining, by the end user mobile device over the wireless communication channel, network configuration connection information for the electronic device from the electronic device, the network configuration connection information being transmitted over the wireless communication channel, the network configuration connection information including an internet protocol address for the electronic device;

locating, based upon the received identification and network configuration information, by the end user mobile device, through the second network communication channel, a device driver associated with the electronic device;

installing, by the end user mobile device, through the second network communication channel, the device driver associated with the electronic device, the device driver enabling the end user mobile device to utilize, via the local area network, the electronic device;

establishing, by the end user mobile device, a communication connection, through the second network communication channel, via the local area network, and the first network communication channel, between the end user mobile device and the electronic device based upon the obtained ancillary wireless communication connection transmitted internet protocol for the electronic device; and

causing, by the end user mobile device utilizing the installed device driver, the electronic device to operate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of the end user mobile device includes a mode of operation that enables the end user mobile device to be discoverable by another device having ancillary wireless communication functionality.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the ancillary wireless communication transmitter/receiver of the electronic device includes a mode of operation that enables the electronic device to be discoverable by another device having ancillary wireless communication functionality.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication channel is a low-power radio communication channel.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a printer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the network connected device is a scanner.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the end user mobile device comprises a personal computer.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said end user mobile device comprises a personal digital assistant.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a multifunction device including printing and scanning functionality.