Networking method and network for marine navigation devices

1. A method for networking a plurality of marine navigation devices into a network, the network comprising one master marine navigation device and at least one slave marine navigation device, the method comprising:

determining if a slave marine navigation device has recently been operatively coupled to the one master marine navigation device;

determining if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device;

assigning an identifier to the slave marine navigation device if the device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device; and

transmitting the identifier to at least the slave marine navigation device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

receiving a message from the slave marine navigation device; and

determining if the slave marine navigation device has recently been operative coupled to the master marine navigation device according to the receipt of the message.

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:

receiving a message from the slave marine navigation device, the message comprising a device type identifier for the slave marine navigation device; and

determining if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device according the device type identifier.

4. The method according to claim 3 , comprising:

receiving a message from the slave marine navigation device, the message comprising a device type identifier for the slave marine navigation device, the device type identifier including a manufacturer identifier and a device type number.

5. The method according to claim 3 , comprising:

accessing a list of device type identifiers of devices permitted to network with the master marine navigation device;

comparing the device type identifier from the message received from the slave marine navigation device with the list of device type identifiers; and

determining if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device according the comparison of the device type identifier from the message received from the slave marine navigation device with the list of device type identifiers.

6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

determining if a second slave marine navigation device has recently been operatively coupled to the one master marine navigation device;

determining if the second slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device;

assigning a second identifier to the second slave marine navigation device if the device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device; and

transmitting the second identifier to at least the second slave marine navigation device.

7. A network of marine navigation devices comprising:

at least one slave marine navigation device; and

one master marine navigation device, the master marine navigation device including a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor,

the processor programmed to determine if a slave marine navigation device has recently been operatively coupled to the one master marine navigation device;

the processor programmed to determine if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device,

the processor programmed to assign an identifier to the slave marine navigation device if the device is of a device type-permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device, and

the processor programmed to transmit the identifier to at least the slave marine navigation device.

8. The network according to claim 7 , wherein:

the processor is programmed to receive a message from the slave marine navigation device; and

the processor is programmed to determine if the slave marine navigation device has recently been operative coupled to the master marine navigation device according to the receipt of the message.

9. The network according to claim 8 , wherein:

the processor is programmed to receive a message from the slave marine navigation device, the message comprising a device type identifier for the slave marine navigation device; and

the processor is programmed to determine if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device according the device type identifier.

10. The network according to claim 9 , wherein:

the processor is programmed to receive a message from the slave marine navigation device, the message comprising a device type identifier for the slave marine navigation device, the device type identifier including a manufacturer identifier and a device type number.

11. The network according to claim 9 , wherein:

the processor is programmed to access a list of device type identifiers of devices permitted to network with the master marine navigation device;

the processor is programmed to compare the device type identifier from the message received from the slave marine navigation device with the list of device type identifiers; and

the processor is programmed to determine if the slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device according the comparison of the device type identifier from the message received from the slave marine navigation device with the list of device type identifiers.

12. The network according to claim 7 , wherein:

the processor is programmed to determine if a second slave marine navigation device has recently been operatively coupled to the one master marine navigation device;

the processor is programmed to determine if the second slave marine navigation device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device;

the processor is programmed to assign a second identifier to the second slave marine navigation device if the device is of a device type permitted to network with the one master marine navigation device; and

the processor is programmed to transmit the second identifier to at least the second slave marine navigation device.