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A method and apparatus for detecting remote network devices. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting an event and a) transmitting a message requesting a response from one or more remote network devices, the message comprising a first network identification code, and b) determining whether

A method and apparatus for detecting remote network devices. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting an event and a) transmitting a message requesting a response from one or more remote network devices, the message comprising a first network identification code, and b) determining whether a response to the message has been received, the response transmitted by a remote network device after receiving the message and determining that the first network identification code matches a second network identification code stored within the remote network device, the response comprising identification information of the remote network device. If c) a response has not been received, terminating the method for detecting remote network devices if a pre-determined time period has elapsed since transmitting the message. If d) a response has been received, storing identification information associated with the responding remote network device and repeating steps a-d until no further responses are received.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for detecting remote network devices in a network by a network control device in communication with one or more remote network devices, comprising: detecting an event by the network control device;in response to detecting the event: a) transmitting a message by the network control device

1. A method for detecting remote network devices in a network by a network control device in communication with one or more remote network devices, comprising: detecting an event by the network control device;in response to detecting the event: a) transmitting a message by the network control device, the message requesting a response from any remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the network control device comprising a first network identification code that identifies a first network controlled by the network control device;b) determining whether a response to the message has been received by the network control device, the response transmitted by a remote network device after receiving the message and determining that the first network identification code matches a second network identification code stored within the remote network device, the response comprising identification information of the remote network device;c) if a response has not been received:terminating the method for detecting remote network devices if a pre-determined time period has elapsed since transmitting the message;d) if a response has been received: storing identification information associated with the responding remote network device; andrepeating steps a-d until no further responses are received. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps a-d if the pre-determined time period has not elapsed. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting an acknowledgement to each remote network device that sends a response. 4. A network control device for detecting remote network devices in a network, comprising: a memory for storing a first network identification that identifies a first network controlled by the network control device code and identification information of any detected remote devices;a transmitter for transmitting messages;a receiver for receiving messages; anda processor for detecting an event and in response to detecting the event: a) causing a transmitter to transmit a message requesting a response from one or more remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the network control device, the message comprising the first network identification code;b) determining whether a response to the message has been received, the response transmitted by a remote network device in response to receiving the message, and determining that the first network identification code matches a second network identification code stored within the remote network device, the response comprising identification information of the remote network device;c) if a response has not been received:terminating the detection of remote network devices if a pre-determined time period has elapsed since transmitting the message;d) if a response has been received:storing identification information associated with the responding remote network device; andrepeating steps a-d until no further responses are received. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further for repeating steps a-d if the pre-determined time period has not elapsed. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further for causing the transmitter to transmit an acknowledgement to each remote network device that sends a response. 7. A method for detecting remote network devices by a network control device, comprising: detecting an event by the network control device;in response to detecting the event: a) transmitting a message by the network control device requesting a response from any remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the network control device, the message comprising a first network identification code that identifies a first network controlled by the network control device;b) receiving the first network identification code by a remote network device;c) in response to receiving the first network identification code, transmitting a response to the network control device if the first network identification code matches a network identification code stored within the remote network device, the response comprising identification information of the remote network device;d) receiving the response by the network control device;e) storing the identification information; andf) repeating steps a-e until no response is received in response to the last transmission of the first network identification code. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: sending an acknowledgement to each remote network device that sends a response; andin response to receiving the acknowledgment, ignoring further requests to respond to the network control device upon receipt of subsequent messages requesting a response. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein subsequent requests to respond are ignored for only a predetermined time period. 10. A system for detecting remote network devices by a network control device, comprising: a first network control device, comprising: a memory for storing a network identification code and identification information of any detected remote devices;a transmitter for transmitting messages;a receiver for receiving messages; anda processor for detecting an event, and in response to detecting the event: a) causing the transmitter to transmit a first message requesting a response from any remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the first network control device, the first message comprising the first network identification code that identifies a first network controlled by the network control device;b) determining that a response to the first message has been received, the response comprising identification information of a responding remote network device;c) storing the identification information associated with the responding remote network device in the memory;d) causing the transmitter to re-transmit the first message until no further responses are received; andf) terminating the detection of remote network devices when no further responses are received; and at least one remote network device, comprising: a memory for storing a remote network device network identification code and remote network device identification information;a transmitter for transmitting messages;a receiver for receiving the first and second messages and an acknowledgment message indicating receipt of a previously-transmitted response; anda processor for determining whether the network identification code in the first or second messages matches the remote network device network identification code and, if so, for generating a response comprising the remote network device identification information and causing the transmitter to transmit the response to the first network device, the processor further for ignoring the second and subsequent requests to respond if the acknowledgment has been previously received. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein determining that no further responses have been received comprises comparing a transmission time of the first message to a predetermined time period, and determining that no further responses have been received when no further responses have been received within the predetermined time period after the transmission time. 12. A method for detecting remote network devices in a network in communication with a network control device, implemented by a particular remote network device, comprising: receiving a message from the network control device requesting that remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the network control device respond to the message, the message comprising a network identification code that identifies a first network controlled by the network control device;determining whether the network identification code matches a network identification code stored within a memory of the particular remote network device;determining whether an acknowledgement message has been previously received by the particular remote network device, the acknowledgment message indicating receipt by the first network device of a previously-transmitted response by the particular remote network device in response to a previously-received message;generating a response to the message if the network identification code matches the network identification code stored within the memory of the particular remote network device and if the acknowledgement message has not been previously received, the response comprising identification information of the particular remote network device; andtransmitting the response to the first network device. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the response is performed if the network identification code matches the network identification code stored within the memory of the particular remote network device and if the acknowledgement message has not been previously received within a predetermined time period. 14. A remote network device in communication with a network control device, comprising: a memory for storing a remote network device network identification code and identifying information of the remote network device;a transmitter for transmitting a response message to the network control device, the response message comprising the identifying information;a receiver for receiving a message from the network control device requesting that remote network devices that have not previously communicated with the network control device respond to the message, the message comprising a network identification code; anda processor for determining whether the network identification code in the message matches the network identification code stored within the memory, for determining whether an acknowledgement message has been previously received by the remote network device, the acknowledgment message indicating receipt by a first network device of a previously-transmitted response by the remote network device in response to a previously-received message, and for generating a response to the message if the network identification code matches the network identification code stored within the memory and if the acknowledgement message has not been previously received. 15. The remote network device of claim 14, wherein generating the response is performed if the network identification code in the message matches the network identification code stored within the memory and if the acknowledgement message has not been previously received within a predetermined time period.