Method of detecting and solving network ID conflict

Abstract

A method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict is provided. The method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict includes generating and transmitting a personal area network identifier (PAN ID) report command frame that includes an extended PAN ID, and receiving a PAN ID update command frame in response to the transmitted PAN ID report command frame. According to the method, the PAN ID report command and the PAN ID update command are generated and provided by providing an extended PAN ID (EPID), and thus a network ID conflict can be detected and a new PAN ID is provided to solve the network ID conflict.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aspects of the present invention will be more apparent by describing certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view explaining a network ID conflict occurring in the related art when two different PAN networks use the same PAN ID;

FIG. 2 is a view explaining a network ID conflict occurring in the related art when two different networks have the same PAN ID and the same node address;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of generating a PAN ID report command frame when a new node intends to access a network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an example of a PAN ID report command frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of generating a PAN ID update command frame when a new node intends to access a network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a PAN ID update command frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view explaining a method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict using commands generated as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are views provided to explain a method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict occurring due to the mobility of a network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views illustrating the structures of an EPID request command frame and an EPID response command frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting and solving a network ID conflict according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of detecting and solving a network identifier (ID) conflict, the method comprising: generating and transmitting a personal area network identifier (PAN ID) report command frame that comprises an extended PAN ID (EPID); andreceiving a PAN ID update command frame in response to the transmitted PAN ID report command frame.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PAN ID report command frame comprises at least one of: a command frame ID, an extended PAN ID (EPID), PAN ID information, and a neighboring PAN ID list.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the PAN ID report command frame comprises PAN ID information; and wherein the PAN ID information comprises at least one of: a PAN ID conflict flag, a number indicating a length of a neighboring PAN ID list, and a reserved region.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the EPID comprises a 64-bit extended MAC address.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the EPID comprises at least one of a PAN security key or a specified name set by a user.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PAN ID update command frame comprises at least one of: a command frame ID, an EPID, an old PAN ID, and a new PAN ID.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: scanning beacon frames from a network in order to access a network intended to be accessed,; anddetermining whether one or more neighboring networks exist with respect to the network intended to be accessed on the basis of the scanned beacon frames;wherein if it is determined that one or more neighboring networks exist, then the PAN ID report command frame is generated and transmitted.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PAN ID report command frame is transmitted to a coordinator of a network.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising searching whether a second network, using a same PAN ID as a first network, exists; wherein the PAN ID report command frame comprises a PAN ID conflict flag, andwherein generating the PAN ID report command frame comprises setting a value of the PAN ID conflict flag, in accordance with the result of searching whether a second network, using a same PAN ID as the first network, exists.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising retransmitting the PAN ID report command frame to a network coordinator if the PAN ID update command frame is not received when a preset PAN ID update interval elapses after the PAN ID report command frame is transmitted.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extended PAN ID is added to a payload of a beacon frame.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising allocating the extended PAN ID (EPID); wherein the EPID is allocated before or at a time when a node accesses a network.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: broadcasting an extended PAN ID request command frame to request an extended PAN ID (EPID) that is allocated to a network; andreceiving an EPID response command frame, which comprises an EPID, in response to the broadcasted EPID request command frame.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: collecting EPIDs of networks based on the EPID response command frame;comparing an EPID of a currently accessed network with an EPID of a network intended to be accessed; andreleasing access to the current accessed network and accessing the network intended to be accessed based on the result of the comparison.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising releasing access to the current accessed network and accessing the network intended to be accessed based on the result of the comparison only if the EPID of the current accessed network is not equal to the EPID of the network intended to be accessed.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising determining whether one or more neighboring networks exist with respect to the network; and transmitting the PAN ID report command to a coordinator of the network if it is determined that any neighboring networks exist.

17. A method of detecting and solving a network identifier (ID) conflict, the method comprising: receiving a personal area network identifier (PAN ID) report command frame that comprises an extended PAN ID (EPID); andgenerating and transmitting a PAN ID update command frame in response to the received PAN ID report command frame.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the PAN ID report command frame comprises at least one of: a command frame ID, an extended PAN ID (EPID), PAN ID information, and a neighboring PAN ID list.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the PAN ID report command frame comprises PAN ID information; and wherein the PAN ID information comprises at least one of: a PAN ID conflict flag, a number indicating a length of a neighboring PAN ID list, and a reserved region.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the EPID comprises a 64-bit extended MAC address.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, the EPID comprises at least one of a PAN security key or a specified name set by a user.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the PAN ID update command frame comprises at least one of: a command frame ID, an EPID, an old PAN ID, and a new PAN ID.

23. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising: adding PAN IDs of a neighboring PAN ID list, which is included in the PAN ID report command frame, to a PAN ID blacklist that comprises the PAN IDs allocated to neighboring networks;selecting a new PAN ID, if a PAN ID conflict flag included in the PAN ID report command frame indicates a PAN ID conflict;generating the PAN ID update command frame so as to include the selected new PAN ID; andbroadcasting the generated PAN ID update command frame.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the PAN ID blacklist is managed by a coordinator of a network; wherein a new PAN ID is selected that is different from the PAN IDs included in the PAN ID blacklist.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising changing a PAN ID to a new PAN ID if a preset network broadcast delivery time elapses after the broadcasting of the PAN ID update command frame.

26. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising: receiving an EPID request command frame requesting an EPID that is allocated to a network; andtransmitting an EPID response command frame, which comprises an EPID, in response to the EPID request command frame.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising adding PAN IDs of a neighboring PAN ID list included in the PAN ID report command frame to a PAN ID blacklist that comprises the PAN IDs that are allocated to neighboring networks, wherein the PAN ID blacklist is managed in a plurality of nodes.