System and method for automatically addressing devices in a multi-drop network

1. An address assignment device for assigning addresses to a plurality of target devices within a network, the address assignment device comprising a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and being configured to:

instruct each target device of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a first dynamic address from a first set of dynamic addresses at least in part by:

providing an indication of a first address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices; and

providing an indication of a last address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices;

respectively assign a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device;

instruct each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that identifies at least two target devices of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a second dynamic address from a second set of dynamic addresses; and

respectively assign another different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a second dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

2. The address assignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of dynamic addresses has a cardinality different from a cardinality of the second set of dynamic addresses.

3. The address assignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the address assignment device is further configured to respectively receive confirmations from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

4. The address assignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the address assignment device is further configured to:

respectively request an identifier from each target device of the plurality of devices using the first dynamic address selected by the target device; and

respectively receive the identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device, wherein the address assignment device is configured to respectively assign a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device responsive to receipt of the identifier of the target device.

5. The address assignment device according to claim 4 , wherein the identifier includes at least one of a serial number, a microprocessor identifier, a number generated from a random number generator and a number generated from a true random number generator.

6. The address assignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the address assignment device is further configured to:

respectively request an identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices using the second dynamic address selected by the target device; and

responsive to receiving no identifiers, discontinue assigning addresses.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a master-slave network and the plurality of target devices includes a plurality of slave devices.

8. A method of assigning addresses to a plurality of target devices using an address assignment device, the address assignment device including a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the method comprising:

instructing, by the address assignment device via a network, each target device of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a first dynamic address from a first set of dynamic addresses at least in part by:

providing an indication of a first address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices; and

providing an indication of a last address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices;

respectively assigning, by the address assignment device, a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device;

instructing, by the address assignment device, each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that identifies at least two target devices of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a second dynamic address from the a second set of dynamic addresses; and

respectively assigning, by the address assignment device, another different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a second dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein instructing each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that identifies at least two target devices of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a second dynamic address includes instructing each target device of the plurality of target devices to select from a second set of dynamic addresses having a cardinality different from a cardinality of the first set of dynamic addresses.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising respectively receiving confirmations from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

respectively requesting an identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices using the first dynamic address selected by the target device; and

respectively receiving the identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device, wherein the act of respectively assigning a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device is responsive to receipt of the identifier of the target device.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein respectively receiving the identifier includes receiving at least one of a serial number, a microprocessor identifier, a number generated from a random number generator and a number generated from a true random number generator.

13. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

respectively requesting an identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices using the second dynamic address selected by the target device; and

responsive to receiving no identifiers, discontinuing assigning addresses.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for assigning addresses to a plurality of target devices within a network including instructions that will cause at least one processor of an address assignment device to:

instruct each target device of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a first dynamic address from a first set of dynamic addresses at least in part by:

providing an indication of a first address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices; and

providing an indication of a last address of the first set of dynamic addresses to each target device of the plurality of target devices;

respectively assign a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device;

instruct each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that identifies at least two target devices of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a second dynamic address from the a second set of dynamic addresses; and

respectively assign another different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a second dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will cause the at least one processor of the address assignment device to instruct each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that identifies at least two target devices of the plurality of target devices to respectively select a second dynamic address by instructing each target device of the plurality of target devices having the first dynamic address to select from a second set of dynamic addresses having a cardinality different from a cardinality of the first set of dynamic addresses.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor of the address assignment device to respectively receive confirmations from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor of the address assignment device to:

respectively request an identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices using the first dynamic address selected by the target device; and

respectively receive the identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device, wherein the act of respectively assigning a different static address to each target device of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device is responsive to receipt of the identifier of the target device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor of the address assignment device to respectively receive the identifier by receiving at least one of a serial number, a microprocessor identifier, a number generated from a random number generator and a number generated from a true random number generator.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor of the address assignment device to:

respectively requesting an identifier from each target device of the plurality of target devices using the second dynamic address selected by the target device; and

responsive to receiving no identifiers, discontinuing assigning addresses.

20. A system for assigning addresses to a plurality of target devices within a network, the system comprising:

an address assignment device configured to:

issue a first instruction to each target device of the plurality of target devices, the first instruction requesting that each target device of the plurality of target devices respectively select a first dynamic address from a first set of dynamic addresses, the first instruction including an indication of a first address of the first set of dynamic addresses and an indication of a last address of the first set of dynamic;

receive at least one first response from any of a first subset of target devices of the plurality of target devices having a first dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device; and

respectively issue a first assignment of a first different static address to each target device of the first subset of target devices, wherein each of the plurality of target devices is configured to:

receive the first instruction from the address assignment device;

select the first dynamic address responsive to receiving of the first instruction;

issue, to the address assignment device, a first response to the first instruction;

receive, from the address assignment device, the first assignment of the first different static address; and

store the first different static address as a communications address.

21. The system according to claim 20 , wherein the address assignment device is further configured to:

issue a second instruction to each target device of the plurality of target devices, the second instruction requesting that each target device of the plurality of target devices not belonging to the first subset of target devices respectively select a second dynamic address from a second set of dynamic addresses;

receive at least one second response from any of a second subset of target devices of the plurality of target devices, each target device of the second subset of target devices having a second dynamic address that uniquely identifies the target device; and

respectively issue a second assignment of a second different static address to each target device of the second subset of target devices,

wherein each target device of the plurality of target devices is further configured to:

receive the second instruction from the address assignment device;

select the second dynamic address responsive to receiving of the second instruction;

issue, to the address assignment device, a second response to the second instruction;

receive, from the first address assignment device, the second assignment of the second different static address; and

store the second different static address as a communications address.

22. The system according to claim 20 , wherein each target device of the plurality of target devices is configured to randomly select the first dynamic address.

23. The system according to claim 20 , wherein each target device of the plurality of target devices is configured to respond to the first instruction with a unique identifier.

24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the unique identifier is based on at least one of a serial number, a microprocessor identifier, a number generated from a random number generator and a number generated from a true random number generator.