EP0472874B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated address discovery method and apparatus for local area networks
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1991-07-15
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Granted: 1996-03-20
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Expires: 2011-07-15
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Brian Mathias
- 👤 Richard Jeffrey Planutis
- 👤 Judith Ann Wierbowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of automatically associating a physical network address of a device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) with a logical identifier for the device in a local area network comprised of a plurality of intelligent devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) including a central administrator device (2), wherein each such device has a physical network address stored therein, said method comprising the steps of, transmitting the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) from the device to the central administrator (2), receiving the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) at the central administrator (2), associating the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) with a logical identifier at the central administrator (2), transmitting the logical identifier back to the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12), and maintaining a compilation of such associations between physical network addresses and logical identifiers which have been made for intelligent devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) of the local area network at the central administrator (2).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) for which the association is made is being installed on the network, and the logical identifier is a new logical identifier which was not previously used in the local area network, or is a replacement device, and the logical identifier is the same as the logical identifier of the device which is being replaced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) which is being replaced is replaced with the physical network address of the replacement device at the central administrator (2).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the logical identifier is inputted by an operator to the central administrator (2), or is originated internally at the central administrator (2).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
56 words
The method of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the compilation of associations or a subset thereof is transmitted to the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12), or the compilation of associations especially the new association or some subset thereof is transmitted to other devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) of the local area network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said other devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) to which the new association is transmitted comprise a subset of all of the devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) on the network, which subset of devices have a need to communicate to the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) for which the new association has been made.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
49 words
The method of anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein when a device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) is removed from the local area network, its logical identifier and associated physical network address are removed from the compilation of such associations which is maintained at the central administrator (2).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein when a new association is made, a message indicating that a change has occurred is transmitted to other devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) of the local area network.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
193 words
An apparatus for automatically associating a physical network address of a device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) with a logical identifier for the device, in a local area network (Fig. 1) comprised of a plurality of intelligent devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) including a central administrator device (2), wherein each such device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) has a physical network address stored therein, said apparatus comprising means for transmitting the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) from the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) to the central administrator (2), means for receiving the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) at the central administrator (2), means for associating the physical network address of the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) with a logical identifier at the central administrator (2), means for transmitting the logical identifier back to the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12), and means for maintaining a compilation of such associations between physical network addresses and logical identifiers which have been made for intelligent devices (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) of the local area network at the central administrator (2).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) for which the association is made is being installed on the network, and the logical identifier is a new logical identifier which was not previously used in the local area network, or is a replacement device, and the logical identifier is the same as the logical identifier of the device which is being replaced.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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