Method for automatically independently providing asynchronous brouter address information to remote control units

Claim 2

A local area packet-switched network for communication of information and control signals between remotely controllable, addressable electronic units of said network, said electronic units being interconnected in said network through a first transmission medium, said network adapted to route signals received from a remote control unit through a second, wireless transmission medium to at least one of said electronic units, said received signals containing information for permitting said network to route said received signals to at least one of said electronic units, said network comprising: at least one brouter for receiving signals from a remote control unit through said second, wireless transmission medium and for routing said received signals to at least one of said electronic units through said first transmission medium, said brouter including means for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting an asynchronous brouter address signal through said second, wireless transmission medium, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address used by a remote control unit in transmitting a signal to said network through said brouter.

Claim 3

A local area packet-switched network for communication of information and control signals between remotely controllable, addressable electronic units of said network, said electronic units being interconnected in said network through a first transmission medium, said network adapted to route signals received from a remote control unit through a second, wireless transmission medium to at least one of said electronic units, said received signals containing information for permitting said network to route said received signals to at least one of said electronic units, said network further adapted to receive signals from said remote control unit regardless of a change in location of said remote control unit, said network comprising: at least one brouter for receiving signals from a remote control unit through said second, wireless transmission medium and for routing said received signals to at least one of said electronic units through said first transmission medium, said brouter including means for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting an asynchronous brouter address signal through said second wireless transmission medium, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address used by a remote control unit in transmitting a signal to said network through said brouter, thereby permitting a remote control unit moved into the vicinity of said brouter to transmit a signal to said network.

Claim 4

A local area packet-switched network for communication of information and control signals between remotely controllable, addressable electronic units of said network, said electronic units being interconnected in said network through a first transmission medium, said network adapted to route signals received from a remote control unit through a second, wireless transmission medium to at least one of said electronic units, said received signals containing information for permitting said network to route said received signals to at least one of said electronic units, said network further adapted to receive signals from said remote control unit regardless of a change in location of said remote control unit, said network comprising: at least one brouter for receiving signals from a remote control unit through said second, wireless transmission medium and for routing said received signals to at least one of said electronic units through said first transmission medium, said brouter including means for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, transmitting an asynchronous brouter address signal through said second wireless transmission medium, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address used by a remote control unit in transmitting a signal to said network through said brouter, thereby permitting a remote control unit moved into the vicinity of said brouter to transmit a signal to said network.

Claim 5

The network of claim 2, further including at least one remote control unit adapted to transmit, through said second, wireless transmission medium, a signal addressed to at least one of said electronic units.

Claim 6

The network of claim 3 wherein said at least one remote control unit further comprises means for receiving signals transmitted by said at least one brouter.

Claim 7

The network of claim 4 wherein said remote control unit further comprises brouter address storage means for automatically storing a brouter address contained in an address signal received from said brouter.

Claim 8

The network of claim 5 wherein said remote control unit further comprises: means for generating a brouter address request packet for requesting a brouter address for communicating to said network through said brouter; and means for generating a brouter address request packet in response to user input on said remote control unit.

Claim 9

The network of claim 6 wherein said brouter additionally comprises means for automatically transmitting a brouter address signal in response to receiving a brouter address request packet.

Claim 10

The network of claim 6 wherein each of said electronic units is associated with a network address and wherein said brouter includes at least one brouter storage location for storing at least one of said network addresses.

Claim 11

The network of claim 8 wherein said brouter further automatically transmits a signal on said second, wireless transmission medium, said signal comprising the contents of said at least one brouter storage location.

Claim 12

The network of claim 9 wherein said at least one remote control unit further comprises network address storage means for storing at least one network address and for automatically updating said at least one stored network address in response to receipt of said signal comprising the contents of said at least one brouter storage location.

Claim 13

A brouter for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a first transmission medium, said brouter routing information and control signals between a first transmission medium and a second, wireless transmission medium, said brouter being addressable through said first and said second, wireless transmission media through a brouter address associated with said brouter, said brouter further adapted to receive signals through said second wireless transmission medium from a remote control unit located in the vicinity of said brouter for permitting said remote control unit to transmit a signal to at least one of said electronic units, said brouter comprising: a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said brouter, and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous brouter address signal for transmission on said first and said second, wireless transmission media to said electronic units and to said remote control unit, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address for use by at least one of said electronic units and by said remote control unit in transmitting a signal to at least one of said electronic units through a network connection provided by said brouter; a first transmitter for transmitting signals on said first transmission medium to said electronic units; a first receiver for coupling signals received through said first transmission medium to said central processing unit; a second transmitter for transmitting signals on said second wireless transmission medium to at least one remote control unit; and a second receiver for coupling signals received through said second, wireless transmission medium to said central processing unit.

Claim 14

A brouter for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a first transmission medium, said brouter routing information and control signals between a first transmission medium and a second, wireless transmission medium, said brouter being addressable through said first and said second, wireless transmission media through a brouter address associated with said brouter, said brouter further adapted to receive signals through said second wireless transmission medium from a remote control unit located in the vicinity of said brouter for permitting said remote control unit to transmit a signal to at least one of said electronic units, said brouter comprising: a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said brouter, and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous brouter address signal for transmission on said first and said second, wireless transmission media to said electronic units and to said remote control unit, said brouter address signal containing a brouter address for use by at least one of said electronic units and by said remote control unit in transmitting a signal to at least one of said electronic units through a network connection provided by said brouter; a first transmitter for transmitting signals on said first transmission medium to said electronic units; a first receiver for coupling signals received through said first transmission medium to said central processing unit; a second transmitter for transmitting signals on said second wireless transmission medium to at least one remote control unit; and a second receiver for coupling signals received through said second, wireless transmission medium to said central processing unit.

Claim 15

The brouter of claim 11 wherein said central processing unit further includes means for generating a network information signal including said brouter address for transmission to at least one of said electronic units in response to a request signal received over said first transmission medium.

Claim 16

A router for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a transmission medium for transferring information and control signals through said transmission medium, said router being addressable through said transmission medium through a router address associated with said router, said router routing information and control signals between said electronic units, said router comprising: a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said router and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous router address signal for transmission on said transmission medium to said electronic units, said router address signal containing a router address for use by at least one of said electronic units in transmitting a signal to at least one other of said electronic units through said router; a transmitter for transmitting signals on said transmission medium to said electronic units; and a receiver for coupling signals received through said transmission medium to said central processing unit.

Claim 17

A router for connection in a local area packet-switched network of remotely controllable, addressable electronic units interconnected through a transmission medium for transferring information and control signals through said transmission medium, said router being addressable through said transmission medium through a router address associated with said router, said router routing information and control signals between said electronic units, said router comprising: a central processing unit for processing signals originating from and received by said router and for automatically, periodically, and not in response to a polling signal, generating an asynchronous router address signal for transmission on said transmission medium to said electronic units, said router address signal containing a router address for use by at least one of said electronic units in transmitting a signal to at least one other of said electronic units through said router; a transmitter for transmitting signals on said transmission medium to said electronic units; and a receiver for coupling signals received through said transmission medium to said central processing unit.

Claim 18

The router of claim 13 wherein said central processing unit further includes means for generating a network information signal including said router address for transmission to at least one of said electronic units in response to a request signal received over said first transmission medium.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15 wherein said network information further comprises at least one network address associated with an addressable electronic unit for permitting said remote control unit to transmit a signal to the electronic unit associated with said network address.