Network discovery using unicast communications
US9442679B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 2013 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/1231
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A first printer acquires a first network address from an external server using unicast (non-broadcast) transmissions. Then, second printers and an external computerized device also acquire the first network address from the external server, similarly using unicast transmissions. The second printers contact (e.g., say “hello” to) the first printer using a peer-to-peer network. The external computerized device contacts (again using unicast transmissions) the first printer using the first network address to cause the first printer to transmit a list of the second printers that have contacted the first printer to the external computerized device. The external computerized device then contacts (again using unicast transmissions) the second printers using the list of contacted printers (which includes network address information of the second printers) to allow the external computerized device to configure the second printers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.