Method and apparatus for replacing a device in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9872365-B2
Application number	US-51729307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2007
Priority date	Dec 6, 2006
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for replacing a device in a network comprising a plurality of devices. The method includes a step of storing ( 132 ) replicated data of a first device in a storage means, a step of removing ( 352 ) the first device from the network, a step of connecting ( 354 ) a second device to the network, a step of providing ( 262 ) a replacement information comprising the first identifier and a step of providing ( 272 ) the replicated data of the first device from the storage means to the second device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for replacing a device in a network comprising a plurality of devices, comprising:
storing replicated data of a first device in a storage means, the replicated data comprising state information pertaining to the first device,
connecting a second device to the network, wherein the second device informs the storage means that the second device is a replacement of the first device, initiated by the connection of the second device,
wirelessly scanning the first and second devices to obtain a respective first and second identifier, which identifies the respective device;
providing to the second device the first identifier, wherein the second device is not provided with the first identifier until after the second device is connected to the network,
informing the storage means from the second device about the replacement of the first device by providing replacement information from the second device to the storage means, the replacement information comprising the first identifier which identifies the first device, and
providing the replicated data of the first device from the storage means to the second device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the first identifier to the second device further comprises a step of providing additional data to the second device, the additional data comprising an identifier of the storage means, information of device functions or identifiers of related devices.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the controller or the first device comprises storage means for storing the additional data.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein storing replicated data of the first device is performed in response to a failure of the first device or a change in the replicated data on the first device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a third device is related to the first device and wherein the method further comprises a step of updating a relationship information in the third device with a second identifier which identifies the second device.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein storing replicated data of the first device is performed at predefined time intervals.

7. An apparatus for replacing a device in a network comprising a plurality of devices, comprising:
a storage device to store replicated data of a first device in a storage means, the replicated data comprising state information pertaining to the first device,
a controller to connect a second device to the network, wherein the second device informs the storage device that the second device is a replacement of the first device, initiated by the connection of the second device, receive wireless scans of the first and second devices to obtain a respective first and second identifier, which identifies the respective device, provide the second device with the first identifier which identifies the first device, wherein the second device is not providing with the first identifier until after the second device is connected to the network, inform the storage device from the second device about the replacement of the first device by providing replacement information comprising the first identifier, and provide the replicated data of the first device from the storage means to the second device.

8. A network comprising a plurality of devices, wherein a first device is replaceable by a second device, comprising:
a storage device to store replicated data of the first device, the replicated data comprising state information pertaining to the first device,
a scanner to scan the first and second devices to obtain a respective first and second identifier, which identifies the respective device;
a controller configured to, after being informed by the second device that the second device is a replacement of the first device, initiated by the connection of the second device, provide the second device with the first identifier which identifies the first device, wherein the second device is not providing with the first identifier until after the second device is connected to the network, wherein the second device is configured to inform the storage means about the replacement of the first device by providing replacement information, the replacement information comprising the first identifier, and
wherein the storage device is configured to provide the replicated data of the first device from the storage means to the second device in response to the replacement information.

9. The network according to claim 8 , wherein the second device comprises an interface for inputting the first identifier.

10. The network according to claim 8 , wherein the first device comprises a controller configured to send the replicated data to the storage means after a failure of the first device.

11. The network according to claim 10 , wherein the controller comprises an independent power source.

Assignees

• Erdmann Bozena
• Schreyer Oliver
• Lelkens Armand Michel Marie
• Philips Lighting Holding Bv

Inventors

• Erdmann Bozena
• Schreyer Oliver
• Lelkens Armand Michel Marie

Classifications

• H05B47/10 Primary

  Controlling the light source · CPC title

• G06T7/215 Primary

  Motion-based segmentation · CPC title

• H05B47/175 Primary

  by remote control · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B37/02

  Electricity · mapped topic