Device discovery using broadcast technology
View Patent ↗Techniques described herein automatically discover the IP address of a first network device such as but not limited to a multifunction printer. Such techniques use a unique identifier of the first network device, such as for example a multifunction printer serial number. Such unique number is used in the configuration of a second network device, such as for example a Digital Front End/External Print Controller that may need the IP address of the first network device. The unique number may be entered once into the second network device or may be received from the first network device through a data interface by the second network device. Techniques then may use any available broadcast technology such as but not limited to Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to determine from available network devices which network device therefrom has the same unique number, thereby obtaining the IP address of the first network device.
1. A computer-implemented method for determining an IP address of a network device on an electronic network using broadcast technology, comprising:
a first network device having a unique identifier communicably connecting, at an initial handshake, to a second network device via a proprietary or open interface, wherein said proprietary or open interface is not an IP network interface;
during the initial handshake, said first network device transmitting once the unique identifier for delivery to the second network device through said proprietary or open interface, wherein the transmitted unique identifier enables:
subsequent to said transmission, said second network device to broadcast a query request across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network and configured to respond to the broadcast query request, said query request requesting unique identifiers thereof;
responsive to receiving said unique identifiers over said electronic network, matching said transmitted unique identifier received via said proprietary or open interface against said unique identifiers received over said electronic network responsive to said broadcast to determine a matching unique identifier;
responsive to determining the matching identifier, obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device; and
responsive to obtaining the IP address of the first network device, the second network device establishing a connection with the first network device over the electronic network, using the IP address;
wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first network device or the second network device is any of: a multifunction printer, a digital printing press; a Digital Front End/External Print Controller (DFE), a laptop; a projector, and a streaming video player.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a unique identifier is any of: a serial number, a combination of a serial number and make/model, and a MAC address.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein an electronic network is any of: an internet and an intranet.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said proprietary or open interface is any of: a data interface, an HDMI cable, a high-speed serial cable, and a printer cable.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said broadcasting comprises any of: simple network management protocol (SNMP); Web Services on Devices (WSD) discovery, and any proprietary discovery protocol which responds with the unique identifier.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said first network device has a connection established over said electronic network with and by said second network device responsive to said second network device obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device.
8. A computer-implemented method for determining an IP address of a network device on an electronic network using broadcast technology, comprising:
a second network device communicably connecting, at an initial handshake, to a first network device having a unique identifier via a proprietary or open interface, wherein said proprietary or open interface is not an IP network interface;
during the initial handshake, receiving, by said second network, the the unique identifier transmitted once through said proprietary or open interface;
subsequent to said transmission, said second network device broadcasting a query request across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network and configured to respond to the broadcast query request, said query request requesting unique identifiers thereof;
responsive to receiving said unique identifiers over said electronic network, matching said unique identifier received via said proprietary or open interface against said unique identifiers received over said electronic network to determine a matching unique identifier;
responsive to determining the matching identifier, obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device; and
responsive to obtaining the IP address of the first network device, the second network device establishing a connection with the first network device over the electronic network, using the IP address;
wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the first network device or the second network device is any of: a multifunction printer, a digital printing press; a Digital Front End/External Print Controller (DFE), a laptop; a projector, and a streaming video player.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein a unique identifier is any of: a serial number, a combination of a serial number and make/model, and a MAC address.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein an electronic network is any of: an internet and an intranet.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein said proprietary or open interface is any of: a data interface, an HDMI cable, a high-speed serial cable, and a printer cable.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein said broadcasting comprises any of: simple network management protocol (SNMP); Web Services on Devices (WSD) discovery, and any proprietary discovery protocol which responds with the unique identifier.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:
said first network device being connected to said second network device over said electronic network, responsive to said second network device obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein said unique identifier is entered into said configuration of said second network device subsequent to being passed from said first network device to said second network device through said proprietary or open interface.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:
dynamically broadcasting, by said second network device, across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network for unique identifiers thereof in response to said proprietary or open interface being reconnected at a later point in time.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein said second network device periodically broadcasts for said unique identifier on said electronic network to detect whether said first network device is still present and connected on said electronic network.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein when said first network has a different IP address and when said second network device does not receive said unique identifier in response to a periodic broadcast, then said second network device sending out a subsequent broadcast across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network for unique identifiers thereof, thereby obtaining said different IP address of said first network device.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for determining an IP address of a network device on an electronic network using broadcast technology, said computer program comprising a program code which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:
a first network device having a unique identifier communicably connecting, at an initial handshake, to a second network device via a proprietary or open interface, wherein said proprietary or open interface is not an IP network interface;
during the initial handshake, said first network device transmitting once the unique identifier for delivery to the second network device through said proprietary or open interface, wherein the transmitted unique identifier enables:
subsequent to said transmission, said second network device to broadcast a query request across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network and configured to respond to the broadcast query request, said query request requesting unique identifiers thereof;
responsive to receiving said unique identifiers over said electronic network, matching said transmitted unique identifier received via said proprietary or open interface against said unique identifiers received over said electronic network responsive to said broadcast to determine a matching unique identifier;
responsive to determining the matching identifier, obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device; and
responsive to obtaining the IP address of the first network device, the second network device establishing a connection with the first network device over the electronic network, using the IP address.
20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for determining an IP address of a network device on an electronic network using broadcast technology, said computer program comprising a program code which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:
a second network device communicably connecting, at an initial handshake, to a first network device having a unique identifier via a proprietary or open interface, wherein said proprietary or open interface is not an IP network interface;
during the initial handshake, receiving, by said second network, the the unique identifier transmitted once through said proprietary or open interface;
subsequent to said transmission, said second network device broadcasting a query request across said electronic network to any network device available on said electronic network and configured to respond to the broadcast query request, said query request requesting unique identifiers thereof;
responsive to receiving said unique identifiers over said electronic network, matching said unique identifier received via said proprietary or open interface against said unique identifiers received over said electronic network to determine a matching unique identifier;
responsive to determining the matching identifier, obtaining an IP address of the network device having the matching identifier, which is the first network device; and
responsive to obtaining the IP address of the first network device, the second network device establishing a connection with the first network device over the electronic network, using the IP address.