RU2301498C2 - Method for realization of dynamic network organization and combined usage of resources by devices - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: computer networks, method for supporting mutual connection between devices in network environment.

SUBSTANCE: in accordance to method for dynamic organization of network and combined usage of resources by devices in home backbone network, home network device is connected to local area network or wireless local area network, group broadcast of information of aforementioned device is realized by outputting announcement message, message about existence of other devices is received, one or more than one service-using device and more than one service-representing device form one home network by using one-rank connection mode, therefore service-using device connected to home backbone network receives service information and uses service.

EFFECT: dynamic organization of network and combined usage of resources by a set of devices in network, possible free connection without dynamic changes of original network parameters.

4 cl, 12 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to computer networks and distributed computing, and more particularly, to a method for supporting interconnection between devices in a network environment, which includes a method for dynamically organizing a network so as to share resources.

Description of the Related Art

Known network technologies provide a basic method for communicating and addressing network devices, for example, as the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) family. However, there is still a need for an architecture and method that can implement dynamic networking and resource sharing between devices.

The dynamic networking between devices considered in the present invention means that: a) there is no need to modify the network parameters of the device in the network; b) a node can be built by dynamically selecting the appropriate devices from the network, and this node can implement a function that cannot be implemented by a single device, or improve the performance of the original function of this single device; and c) two nodes can directly interact and share resources among themselves so as to expand the function of a single node.

Resource sharing discussed in the present invention indicates that when the number of network devices is not increased, devices on the network can readily provide resources provided by themselves, and can also extract and use resources readily provided by other devices .

Many standards and methods have already been proposed by some organizations and companies around the world, and they can, to varying degrees, implement dynamic networking and resource sharing among network devices.

A forum on the universal standard for automatic recognition and configuration of peripheral equipment (UPNP) has already proposed a network architecture in the context of home appliance management. These UPNP-based network devices can dynamically form a peer-to-peer network in which each device can dynamically allocate its resources and retrieve the resources of other devices in the network. However, what is proposed by UPNP is a method for a device, such as a management point controlling another device, but not a method to implement dynamic networking and resource sharing among multiple devices.

CORBA is a cross-platform distributed computing technology proposed by the International Object Management Group. This technology requires that there is a central server designed to implement the extraction of objects on the network. Such an application model is more suitable for the Client / Server mode, but cannot very well support dynamic networking, resource sharing, and interaction among multiple devices.

Microsoft (R) has proposed DCOM distributed computing technology. But the implementation of such technology is limited only by the Microsoft system platform, and only the new Client / Server computing platform is provided.

Currently, various new emerging peer-to-peer technologies are focusing on how to implement resource sharing without depending on a central server in the Internet environment. Well-known technical solutions include Freenet, Gnutella and Napster. However, the resource sharing extensions implemented by these well-known solutions are much smaller, and most of them are limited to sharing static files.

Grid proposed a technology for implementing resource sharing in a network environment between organizations or companies. However, to date, this technology is still just an evolving infrastructure and cannot provide an embodied method for dynamic networking and resource sharing.

Thus, although various existing technologies for distributed computing have already proposed many technical solutions for issuing and extracting specific resources in relation to a single device, the problem associated with dynamic networking and resource sharing and interaction among multiple devices is still unresolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing, which can implement dynamic networking and resource sharing among multiple devices in a network. In accordance with the method of the present invention, devices in the network are configured to connect to each other freely and dynamically without changing the initial network parameters. Additionally, each of the devices on the network can not only issue its resources, but also retrieve and use the resources of other devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a network organization method for a home network backbone network that can implement dynamic network organization and resource sharing among home network devices by establishing a basic component of a home backbone network structure.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing in a home backbone network, which makes the respective independent devices containing processors and storage devices dynamically interconnected in a home network environment so as to form a network, in which the respective devices can access each other and use resources on other devices. New devices can be networked at any time so as to improve interoperability and ease of use between home devices.

To solve the above objectives of the present invention, a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing among devices is provided, comprising the steps of:

A1) install a set of modules for dynamic networking and resource sharing on each of the devices that must implement dynamic networking and resource sharing, said set of modules including a network transmission layer module for transmitting and receiving data; a device management layer module for establishing a connection relationship between devices to monitor and control the device; a service management level module for performing management services for devices and nodes. These devices periodically send device messages to the network through multicast;

B1) the device serves as a node control device and sends an announcement message about its existence through multicasting with the aim of creating a node;

C1) the device finds the node by monitoring the node’s announcement message, and the devices that make a registration request to the node register service information that they can provide on the node control device from the composition of the node; or the node control device configures other devices on the network so as to instruct these devices to register service information that they can provide with the node control device and thus register with the node;

D1) a device that has registered with the node finds a device that provides the desired service by indexing the node control device, and receives the desired service from the device by sending a service request message to the device that provides the desired service.

Mentioned nodes include global nodes and special nodes. Service items on all devices belong to the same global node by default. A service element on any of the devices can create a special node that is different from global nodes.

In accordance with the present invention, many services (devices) are dynamically combined by creating global nodes and special nodes, thereby sharing a resource. One global node can have one service element (device) that is capable of controlling the node, and if such an element exists, all other services (devices) are registered on this service (device) and this element (device) controls them. All service elements (devices) belonging to the same global node, by default, can create a special node that is different from global nodes, and can invite or configure other service elements (devices) for registration in this newly created special node. After creating a new global node or a special node, its service node control element sends an announcement message about its existence to the network, and other service elements, as soon as they receive this announcement message from a global or special node, can send a registration request to the service element (device) management from the global or special node. Thus, the problem of the present invention is solved, which is so that each of the devices in the network can not only announce its own resources, but also extract and use the resources of other devices.

In accordance with the present invention, a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing among devices further comprises a method for communicating between nodes, including the steps of:

E1) the control device of the source node and the control device of the destination node send the corresponding announcement messages to the network regarding their own nodes, respectively;

F1) the control device of the source node and the control device of the destination node, by using the procedures for initiating the request and receiving the request, establish a resource sharing relationship between these two nodes and exchange resource information, respectively;

G1) the device inside the source node sends a request, which is transmitted by the control device of the destination node, to the control device of this node in order to call the resource of the device inside the destination node;

H1) the device inside the destination node sends back a response to the call of the resource, which is transmitted by the control device of the source node, to the device inside the source node.

In accordance with the present invention, resource information of a node can be exchanged by establishing a resource sharing relationship through a communication medium between two nodes, which may be between global nodes, between special nodes, and between a global node and a special node). Thus, devices within two nodes can share resources through the corresponding node control device.

To solve the above problems of the present invention, also provides a method of organizing a network for a home backbone network, comprising the steps of:

A2) provide at least one service providing device for providing services to other devices in the home network;

B2) provide at least one device using services for using services provided by other devices in the home network;

C2) provide at least one protocol gateway for connecting a home backbone network to an external network;

D2) connect the service providing device, the service using device and the protocol gateway by using the broadband and high speed home trunk network protocol to form the home backbone network.

The service providing device and the service using device in steps A2 and B2 may be the same physical device.

Said home backbone network adopts a wired transmission mode or a wireless transmission mode, or both of them.

Said one service providing device, or said one using a service device, or a protocol gateway is assigned as a resource control device of a home backbone network in such a way as to form a topological structure of a master / slave connection network between the resource control device and other devices, and the control device resources centrally manage other devices.

Said centralized management includes the fact that the service providing device and / or the service using device, after successfully registering with the resource management device, is connected to the home backbone network, and also the service using device that has connected to the home backbone network, indexes the services from the device resource management.

Said service providing device, the service using device and the protocol gateway form the topological structure of the peer-to-peer backbone network by using the peer-to-peer mode.

Said peer-to-peer connection is performed in such a way that the source device requesting the connection sends a request to create a peer-to-peer connection to the destination device, and this destination device sends a response to the request to create a peer-to-peer connection to the source device.

Said destination device and source device may be a service providing device or a service using device for each other.

Said service providing device and service using device are interchangeable, and the home backbone network can be either a service providing device or a service using device.

The method of establishing a home backbone network in accordance with the present invention, based on the description of the home backbone network and its members, can implement dynamic network organization and resource sharing by using the provided model of the home backbone network, i.e., the Master / Slave connection mode and the peer-to-peer connection mode .

To solve the above objectives of the present invention, also provides a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing among devices in a home backbone network, comprising the steps of:

A3) connect the device of the home backbone network to the local network or wireless LAN;

B3) batch broadcast information of this device by issuing an announcement message to the said device;

C3) receive a message about the existence of other devices by monitoring or searching for an announcement message;

D3) a service-using device and a service-providing device, together with one resource management device, form one home network by registering with said resource management device; or more than one device using services and more than one device providing services form one home network by using a peer-to-peer mode;

E3) a service-using device obtains service information of a service-providing device within the home network by sending a service search request to a resource management device, and a service-using device acquires the right to use the service and uses this service provided by the service-providing device, by sending a service rental request or service call request ; or a device that uses services receives the service information of the device that provides the service and the right to use the service, and uses the service provided by the device that provides the services by sending a service search request, requesting a service rental and requesting a service call to the service providing device that has established a peer-to-peer connection with the service using device.

In said step A3, said home backbone network may include information devices, communication devices, and entertainment devices. Information of the device and its services is encapsulated and issued in accordance with the specification of the description of the device and its services, corresponding to the protocol of the backbone network.

For the aforementioned backbone network protocol, the backbone protocol stack includes a transmission control layer for data interaction between devices and services, an intermediate protocol layer for interconnecting and sharing resources between devices in a home network, and an application support level for providing an application programming interface ( API) access for top-level applications.

At step B3, the device periodically announces its own information through multicast. The generated announcement message at least includes a description of the device, device identification data in the form of a network address, and service information available on the device.

At said step C3, said monitoring includes that the device receives messages about the existence of other devices by monitoring the announcement messages of other devices; and said search includes that the device sends a message to search for other devices via multicast, and the device that receives the message through the multicast search message returns its own device announcement message via unidirectional transmission when the conditions of the device itself are compatible with the search conditions contained in the search message.

In said step D3, when the resource management device is assigned in the service using or service providing device, the service using device or service providing device initiates a registration procedure on the resource management device existing in the network.

In said step D3, said service using device or service providing device is simultaneously registered to only one resource management device.

Said step D3 further comprises steps in which the service providing device, which has successfully registered with the resource management device, registers its own service on the resource management device, and the resource management device supports all the devices registered on it and their service information.

Said step D3, that is, a step where more than one device forms one home backbone network by using a peer-to-peer connection mode, further comprises the steps of the device receiving messages about the existence of other devices by monitoring the announcement of multicast messages of other devices, and the device initiating a request Establish peer-to-peer connections with other devices in such a way as to request services on other devices.

Said step D3 further comprises a procedure for establishing a security mechanism, including the steps of:

D31) the resource management device sends authentication information to devices connected to the home network, and the key configuration management program is responsible for its authentication key and if authentication (authentication) is successful, then registration is successful;

D32) authenticate the connection between the two peer-to-peer devices, the connection authentication key being issued by the key configuration manager and supported locally by the two peer-to-peer devices.

The method in accordance with the present invention allows home devices to be dynamically organized into a network as a whole and allows different devices to combine to provide a systematic and complete service for a home user. The characteristic of openness fully foresees the future development and support of existing technologies and devices.

The method in accordance with the present invention supports both a wired network and a wireless network.

List of drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the logical structure for devices, which provides an abstract representation of all physical network devices in the present invention in the corresponding logical devices due to their functionality;

2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a global node in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram showing a procedure for generating a (global or special) node in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a diagram showing a procedure for interaction between nodes in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a diagram showing when a node generation mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a meeting room;

6 is a diagram showing one example of a home network established in accordance with the method of the present invention;

7 is a diagram showing the topological structure of a home backbone network connected in a master / slave connection mode and resource sharing;

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a topological structure of a home backbone network connected in a peer-to-peer mode and resource sharing;

9 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of a device protocol stack used by a home backbone network;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a transmission control level shown in FIG. 9;

11 is a diagram showing an intermediate protocol layer shown in FIG. 9; and

12 is a flowchart showing a process of dynamically organizing a network and sharing resources between devices in a home backbone network in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The method in accordance with the present invention does not need to increase the number of any new devices based on source devices existing in the network, but only requires the installation of additional software on devices for which it is desirable to have the functions of dynamic networking and resource sharing. Dynamic networking and resource sharing in a limited expansion in accordance with the present invention is performed by this software. One device can intelligently establish a communication connection corresponding to the lower levels with other devices, announce information related to itself, other devices, find other devices that have such software on the mentioned network, and dynamically and intellectually form one node (a combination of many services) along with them on demand in such a way as to support the sharing and integration of services distributed across multiple devices roystv. These services are provided by a resource element that has a specific function, and includes the interaction between software or hardware, or both of them. For example, in a printer, the physical device of the printer provides a print service through a program that controls printing.

Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the logical structure for devices that provide an abstract representation of all physical network devices in the present invention in the corresponding logical devices in accordance with the functionality, contains a service control level 11, a device control level 12 and a network transfer level 13 . Network transmission layer 13 is used to transmit and receive data. The device management layer 12 performs monitoring and control for communication between devices, such as authentication of identity between devices. Service management level 11 performs service management for the devices themselves, for example, checking the security of a service call.

It is necessary to form a node consisting of many devices in a network in order to implement the method in accordance with the present invention. A device is also needed to implement the node management function. A device that implements a node management function is a node management device. That is, one node consists of one node control device and a possible plurality of devices. A service element that can perform a node management function must exist on the node management device. A service element that can perform a node management function can also exist on each device to implement the method in accordance with the present invention. Inside one node, however, a service control service element is active at the same time on only one device.

The node control device can be assigned by users or dynamically configured.

Nodes in the present invention may include two types of nodes — global nodes and special nodes. All service elements in the same broadcast area belong to the same global node by default. Any of the service elements can create a special node that is different from the global node.

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the formation of a node for implementing the method in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, device 1, device 2, device 3, and device 4 are connected to a local area network (LAN) or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). Devices 1, 2, and 3 surrounded by an elliptical line make up node 1. Service element NMS1 (Node Management Service), which controls node 1, is provided in device 1 and forms a control device for node 1. Device 2 and device 3 are a server (service) 1 and server (service) 2, respectively. The NMS service element 2 controlling the node 2 is provided in the device 4 and forms a control device for the node 2.

With reference to FIG. 3, device 1, device 2, device 3, and device 4 are connected to a LAN / WLAN, wherein the global node management service (GNMS) is a service element on the device 1 for performing global node management, a special node management service (SNMS ) is a service element on device 2 for performing control of a special unit. Service 1 is a service on device 3, and Service 2 is a service on device 4.

The contents of the steps in FIG. 3 are as follows:

Step 1, device 1 creates a global node and issues its global node announcement message to the LAN / WLAN;

Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 4, device 2, device 3 and device 4, respectively, are combined into a global node;

Step 5, device 2 creates a new special node and issues a corresponding announcement message of the special node to the network;

Step 6, device 2 requests service information existing on the network from the global node;

Step 7, device 1 returns the corresponding service information to device 2;

Step 8, device 2 invites device 3, in which Service 1 exists, to join a special node;

Step 9, the device 3 is attached to a special node;

Step 10, device 2 invites device 4, in which Service 2 exists, to join a special node;

Step 11, the device 4 is connected to a special node;

Step 12, device 2 sends a service call message to Service 1;

Step 13, device 2 sends a service call message to Service 2.

3A shows a procedure for generating a node including a global node or a special node. The complete procedure for generating and deleting a node should include the steps of announcing a device, creating a node, expanding a node, canceling a node, managing a global node and selecting a device, etc. It should be noted that during the dynamic organization of the network, there is no need for the global node and the special node to coexist. Dynamic networking and resource sharing can only be achieved if a global node or dedicated node is created.

In the above steps, all devices existing in the same broadcast area belong to the same global node by default. If its own capabilities allow this, any device can serve as a node control device for a global node only if the ability of this device allows it. However, only one global node control device, such as device 1, can exist in one broadcast area at the same time. The lifetime of the global node will automatically end when there is no control device in the network.

If a global node already exists in the broadcast area where the device is located, this device should join this global node. When combined into a global node, the device must register its own service information on the control device of the global node. The global node management device manages services on all devices, and the global node only serves to perform the indexing function of services to manage the corresponding device service.

Any of the devices, such as device 2 on the network, can create a special node in addition to one global node. This device may invite other devices to join this newly created special node. With the exception of the global node control device, only one device can be active in one node at a time. The node control device that creates the special node maintains the lifetime of the special node.

The node control device controls the lifetime of the node, for example, device 1 controls the lifetime of a global node, and device 2 controls the lifetime of a special node. When the control device decides to cancel the previously created node, it sends an exit message from the node to the corresponding devices in the node. Upon exiting the node in which it has ever been involved, the device deletes all service information of the device from the control device of the global node.

After creating a new node, including a global node and a special node, the node control device from the composition of the said node, i.e. device 1 and device 2 in the drawings, will be responsible for sending to the network an announcement message about the existence of the node, and the announcement message of the node is sent via multicast. The node announcement message at least includes the identity of the node control device in the form of a network address, the type of node, the node identifier, and information about other related properties. Other devices, as soon as they detect the node’s announcement message, can send an attachment request to the node control device from the mentioned node, such as device 1 and device 2. Or, the node control device configures other devices on the network so that these devices must register them service information on the node control device so as to join the node.

All devices on the network announce device information through multicast. They periodically send device announcements via multicast to the network and show device identification in the form of network addresses, device descriptions and device service information contained in the messages so that other devices can receive information related to these devices.

The host control device periodically issues an announcement message to the network about its existence in the network. The node announcement message at least includes the identity of the node control device in the form of a network address, the type of node, the node identifier, and information about other related properties. The node announcement message is broadcast via multicast.

Any device on the network can search for nodes that exist on the network in active or passive mode. Active mode corresponds to the fact that the device sends a node search message to the network via multicast, and the node control device that meets the search criteria sends a node announcement message to the device from which the search message is sent via unidirectional transmission. Passive mode means that the device monitors the assigned multicast address in order to receive a node message in the same broadcast area or another broadcast area.

When the device detects that there is a message from the node on the network, this device can initiate a request to join the node to the node control device, and the node control device will determine if the device is allowed to join the node, i.e. whether to expand the node or not.

The host control device can also receive device messages that are currently appearing on the network by monitoring the device’s announcement message on the network. Also, the node control device may initiate a node join invitation for the device, and the device determines whether to join the node or not.

Figure 4 shows a communication mechanism between devices. Device 1, device 2, device 3 and device 4 are connected to a LAN / WLAN, wherein NMS 1 (Node Management Service) is a service element on device 2 for managing a global or special node 1, NMS 2 is a service element on device 3 for performing control a global or special node 2, and Service 1 is a service on device 1 inside node 1, Service 2 is a service on device 4 inside node 2. NMS 1 and NMS 2 communicate between nodes as follows:

Stage 1, device 2 sends an announcement message of node 1 to the network;

Step 2, device 3 sends an announcement message from node 2 to the network;

Step 3, node 1 initiates a resource sharing request to node 2;

Step 4, node 2 receives a resource sharing request from node 1, and a resource sharing relationship between nodes is established between node 1 and node 2;

Stage 5, node 1 and node 2 exchange resource information of the nodes;

Step 6, Service 1 on device 1 inside node 1 initiates a call request to Service 2 on device 4 inside node 2;

Step 7, the control device of the node 1 transmits a call request to the control device of the node 2;

Step 8, the control device of the node 2 transmits a call request to the device 4;

Step 9, Service 2 of device 4 sends back a response to the call request to the control device of node 2;

Step 10, the control device of the node 2 transmits a response to the call request to the control device of the node 1;

Step 11, the control device of the node 1 transmits a response to the call request to the device 1.

In the above steps, communication between two different global or special nodes is performed by the respective node control devices. The control devices of the two nodes can find each other using the announcement message of the node of the opposite side. The control device of one node (called the control device of the source node) can initiate a resource sharing request to the control device of another node (called the control device of the destination node). The destination host control device accepts or rejects the host resource sharing request in accordance with its own security strategy. After the two nodes establish a relationship of resource sharing, they can exchange the resource information of the nodes. Devices inside these two nodes can share resources through their respective node control devices. The response to the call request includes combined management information between the service call information and the service.

Figure 5 shows that the method in accordance with the present invention is applied to the meeting room in such a way as to form a network structure in the intelligent meeting room. 5, reference numeral 51 denotes an access point (AP) device for providing wireless access, 52 denotes a network printer, 57 denotes a PC (personal computer). The AP device 51, the network printer 52, and the PC 57 are connected via an Ethernet network 58. Present laptop 1 (53), present laptop 2 (54), ..., present N laptop (55), wireless projector 56, personal digital information devices (PDAs) and mobile phones (not shown) are used as mobile devices and connect to 51 AP device via WLAN 59.

In an environment such as that shown in another figure, the AP device 51 for providing wireless access, the network printer 52 and the PC 57, the wireless projector 56 are stationary devices in the meeting room. In terms of the functionality and performance of the AP device 51, network printer 52, and wireless projector 56, they cannot be used as a global host control device. After a plurality (for example, N, where N is a positive integer) of the present laptops are in the meeting room, the meeting room administrator designates one of the 57 PC devices and N present laptops as the global host control device.

The network printer 52 and the wireless projector 56 can register their own services on the global node control device by monitoring the global node announcement message.

After the formation of the global node, not all laptops present require the installation of a printer control program in advance and a direct connection to the wireless projector, but they can perform ordered management of the network printer 52 and the wireless projector 56 under the control of the global node control device. Each of the laptops present can use a wireless projector 56 and / or network printer 52 by creating a dedicated site without conflicts.

With an increase in living standards, the number of devices, such as information devices, communication devices, entertainment devices, home appliances, automatic devices, security (monitoring) devices, is increasing. Meanwhile, due to the widespread use of personal computers and the Internet in everyday life, the development of telecommunication technologies and the progress of smart devices, it is expected that more and more attention will be paid to the home network and the demand for a simple, flexible and reliable home network will increase. Currently, there are many relevant technical concepts, such as Smart Home, Electronic Home, e-Home, Digital Family, Network Home, and Intelligent Home. The content and concepts covered by these technical concepts are basically similar, and they all come from a home network. Therefore, home network technology is a key technology for digitizing home appliances. Using the method in accordance with the present invention, all electrical equipment in the house can be dynamically connected as a whole and interconnect devices and deliver information at any time.

In particular, the home network contains the following semantic content:

1. Information devices, communication devices, entertainment devices, home appliances, automatic devices, security (monitoring) devices in the house can be connected to each other and dynamically organized into a network in order to implement resource sharing and form a home intelligent network system.

2. The home network is connected to the public network or the Internet via a gateway in such a way as to realize the exchange of information with the environment outside the home.

3. Home appliances and the network to which they are connected must meet the basic requirements of safety, convenience, comfort, protection of human health and the environment, so that people enjoy and be happy.

4. The concept of human orientation should be implemented, it should be easy to use, safe, convenient and inexpensive so as to meet the requirements of family life.

The requirements for home networks are completely different than those for commercial networks. The topological structure of the network architecture for Digital Family technology basically includes two hierarchies, one is the backbone network and the other is the management subnet. The backbone network is used to implement the interconnection between information devices, communication devices and entertainment devices, etc. (in general, refers to devices with good computing capabilities and memory capacity). The control subnet connects household devices such as a refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioning to the main network through the control gateway. In order to realize mutual connections with some wireless mobile devices and provide users with the ability to access arbitrary information, the home backbone network additionally supports the wireless connection and access mode, and thus with respect to the network mode, the home backbone network must contain two parts, i.e. wired part and wireless part. Moreover, the external Internet can be connected to the home backbone network through a portal gateway in such a way as to provide broadband access.

6 shows an embodiment of a home network structure that is implemented by an Ethernet architecture established in accordance with a network organization method according to the present invention. The backbone network has two transmission modes, i.e., wired and wireless. The requirements for a home backbone network are mainly high-speed transmission, high-quality service, dynamic networking, and efficient resource sharing. Different and complex devices in a home can be interconnected and work together, and implement dynamic networking and resource sharing between devices in an efficient manner.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 61 denotes a home gateway including a portal gateway and a control gateway, 62 denotes a lamp, 63 denotes a television, 64 denotes an audio device, 65 denotes a PC, and 66 denotes an AP device for providing wireless access that connects to a mobile device 68 including PDA devices, laptop computers (laptops), etc., via WLAN 67. The Home Gateway 61 has a low power consumption performance without turning off the power. Additionally, the home gateway 61 has various network interfaces, for example, interface 1 is an external Internet interface for connecting to the Internet, interface 2 is an RS232 interface for connecting to a lamp 52, a television 53 and an audio device 54, etc., and interface 3 is Ethernet interface for connecting to PC 65, 66 AP device, and so on. Home gateway 61 can be manually installed as a host global control device.

The AP device 66 within the backbone network is a device for providing wireless access, and the mobile device 68 is connected to the backbone network via WLAN 67. The node management device (also called resource management device) in the backbone network must be an information device, such as a PC, such that various services can run on it. Here, the home gateway 61 has a protocol gateway function through which the backbone network can communicate with devices such as a television, audio device, and lamp within the Internet 1 and in the control subnet 2. In addition, the home gateway 61 may function as a resource management device on which all devices in the backbone network are registered. Home gateway 61 is responsible for indexing all devices and their services on the backbone network. Network devices, such as a PC device 65, a mobile device 68, in the house can detect a global node, the control device of which is the home gateway 61, by monitoring the message of the global node after entering Ethernet.

Standard home appliances such as a lamp 62, a television 63 and an audio device 64 can be connected to the home gateway 61 through various standard home network interfaces, such as an RS232 interface based on standardized home network protocols such as CEBus. At home gateway 61, the provision and management of the CEBus network service is accomplished by performing the CEBus network proxy service element.

After joining the global node, the PC 65 or the mobile device 68 can detect the corresponding devices in the home network by using the node service and the extraction service provided by the global node control device, i.e. home gateway 61. Moreover, it can create a special node under the control of the global node control device in order to thus manage the corresponding devices. For example, a PC 65 or PDA belonging to a mobile device 68 can be used to control a television 63, an audio device 64, and so on.

Similarly, by using the node generation mechanism according to the present invention, devices outside the home can access the home network via the network access service provided by the Internet and the home gateway 61, and thus connect to the node in the home network so as to remotely control household electrical devices.

Further, a method of organizing a network for implementing a home backbone network (global node) by using the method of the present invention will be further described using a combination with embodiments. The home backbone network forms an information / multimedia network for the family, and provides a dynamic network interconnection between information devices, communication devices, entertainment devices and so on. The data transmitted in the home backbone network mainly includes information such as text, images, audio and video, etc.

Subsequently, the respective members, including information devices, communication devices, entertainment devices, etc., of the home backbone network can interact with the Internet and some household devices, such as a refrigerator, washing machine, television, audio device, and so on through the protocol gateway. Therefore, these devices are carriers for providing services and receiving services. Each of the devices supporting the trunk protocol has a unique identifier called a device identifier. A deployable protocol gateway provides a service for converting various protocols. Resource Management Device, i.e. a global node control device corresponds to a device that can provide a function for registering and indexing services for devices on a network. A service providing device corresponds to a device designed to provide services to other devices on a network. The service mentioned corresponds to a functional element running on the devices and compatible with the standard interface defined by the protocol of the backbone network, and each service has an identification number called the service identification code, which can be a 32-bit unsigned integer. The service identification code is assigned by the device providing the service. Said service providing device corresponds to a device designed to provide services to other devices on the network. Said services-using device corresponds to a device using services provided by other devices on the network. Said unidirectional transmission corresponds to the fact that the sending device sends information to the designated receiving device. Mentioned multicast corresponds to the fact that the sending device sends information to a set of designated receiving devices. In a virtual home network, a device can serve as a service device to provide services to other devices, and at the same time as a service device, to use services provided by other devices.

Figure 7 shows the topological structure of the home backbone network established in the Master / Slave connection mode. This network has a centralized control device, i.e. resource management device 71. Other devices in this network include a service providing device 72 and / or a service using device 73 that accesses the backbone network wirelessly and a service providing device 74 and / or using a service device 75 that accesses the backbone network in wired mode . Service-providing devices 72, 74 and / or service-using devices 73, 75 are registered with the resource management device 71, and this registration must be successful when they join the home backbone network. The actions of other devices connected to the home backbone network are controlled by the centralized management device, that is, the service function is indexed from the resource management device. The protocol gateway 76 communicates between the home backbone network and another network 77, such as an external Internet.

A home backbone network device can be not only a service providing device, but also a service using device. The resource management device may serve as a service providing device or a service using device in addition to the resource management task.

In general, a home backbone network is implemented through a wired Ethernet network, or through a wireless Ethernet network, or through a combination of a wired and wireless Ethernet network, the characteristics of which are a wide frequency band and a high data transfer rate.

Fig. 8 shows a topological structure of a home backbone network established in peer-to-peer mode. This home backbone network includes a service providing device 82 and / or a service using device 83 that accesses the backbone network using a wireless mode and a service providing device 84 and / or using a services device 85 that accesses the backbone network using a wired mode. The protocol gateway 86 communicates between the home backbone network and another network 87, such as an external Internet.

The difference from the Master / Slave mode, as shown in FIG. 7, is that there is no centralized management device, i.e., a resource management device, in the network. In ad hoc mode, the relationship between the service providing device, the service using device, and the protocol gateway is equivalent. In a peer-to-peer network, a single device can be either a service providing device or a service using device.

The procedure for establishing a peer-to-peer connection is implemented by sending a request to establish a peer-to-peer connection from a source device to a destination device and sending back a response to a request to establish a peer-to-peer connection from a destination device to a source device. The source device and the destination device can either be a service-using device or a service-providing device that is interchangeable.

The method of establishing a home backbone network in accordance with the present invention can establish a basic structure of a home backbone network, and based on this basic structure, dynamic networking between respective devices in a home network can be flexibly and conveniently achieved, and thus resource sharing can be realized .

Then, a method for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing between devices in a home backbone network by using the method in accordance with the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments and drawings. Support for dynamic networking in a home backbone network means that devices in a home backbone network can dynamically select the appropriate devices from the network to form a home network, in order to implement a function that cannot be achieved by a single device, or to improve the performance of the original function of any single devices without manually configuring network parameters in advance. Resource sharing means that devices in the home backbone network can announce the resource provided by themselves, and at the same time can conveniently extract and use resources provided by other devices; as well as the function of a single device can be expanded through direct communication and sharing of resources between any two devices.

Existing TCP / IP provides a basic way to communicate and address network devices. In a home backbone network based on the specific requirements of a home network, in order to realize dynamic networking and resource sharing in expanding a home more efficiently, the home backbone network protocol is developed based on the TCP / IP protocol in the present invention. In a home backbone network, dynamic networking and resource sharing between devices in a home backbone network include device discovery, service discovery, device registration, device connection, service registration, service access, service call, and so on, which are processed in compliance with relevant sub-protocols.

Device manufacturers and service providers provide information about devices and services. This information about the devices and information about their services are encapsulated in accordance with the protocol for the backbone network. Encapsulated information is delivered to the network through the use of the device discovery procedure and the service discovery procedure. A home backbone network is dynamically installed among multiple devices through device registration, service registration, and device connection procedures. A home backbone network may have one home resource management device that functions as a centralized indexing and authorization (authorization) access to services (Master / Slave connection mode), and there may not be a home resource management device (peer-to-peer mode). In the latter case, all devices in the network are connected to each other in the form of a fully peer-to-peer connection. Services on devices are shared as well as resources through the use of a service call procedure.

Figure 9 shows the structure of the protocol stack for the backbone network used by the method in accordance with the described invention. Logically, the protocol stack is divided into three levels, including the application support level, the intermediate protocol level and the transmission control level, while the levels are listed from top to bottom.

The transmission control layer is the basis for the intermediate protocol layer and serves to exchange data, and is used to exchange data between devices and services. All data exchanges are based on the TCP / IP protocol. The transmission control layer is based on the TCP / IP and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocols and its structure is shown in FIG. 10 and includes the HTTP protocol (HTTP, HTTPMU, HTTPU), secure transmission protocol, TCP (UDP) and IP, with the protocols listed from top to bottom. When the transmission is based on TCP, the secure transmission protocol is responsible for protecting the transmission channel.

The intermediate protocol layer is used to implement interconnection and resource sharing between network devices. The intermediate protocol layer consists of several sub-protocols, including a device discovery protocol, a device registration protocol, a device connection protocol, a service registration protocol, a service discovery protocol, a service lease protocol, a service authorization protocol, a service call protocol, device authentication protocols and a secure transmission. The logical relationships between the respective sub-protocols of the intermediate protocol layer are shown in FIG. 11. The sub-protocols that are located at the higher level are the service discovery protocol, the service registration protocol, the service lease protocol, the service call protocol and the service authorization protocol, with the protocols listed from top to bottom. The sub-protocols that are located at the lower level are the device discovery protocol, device connection protocol, and device registration protocol, with the protocols listed from top to bottom.

The device discovery protocol, the device registration protocol and the device connection protocol are the basis for the implementation of other sub-protocols at the intermediate protocol level. Based on their implementation, services can be operated through the use of a service registration protocol, a service discovery protocol, a service lease protocol, a service call protocol and a service authorization protocol, etc.

The application support layer provides a software access API for upstream applications. Based on the fact that the intermediate protocol layer provides basic protocols for interconnecting and sharing resources, the application support layer protocol provides an appropriate programming interface for a particular application development. Also, interoperability between devices of the same type from different manufacturers can be achieved by designing a uniform protocol for the application support layer.

Devices in the home backbone network connect through a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The initial step for implementing dynamic networking and resource sharing is device discovery. Each of the devices compatible with the method in accordance with the invention periodically announces the relevant information of this device to the network in the form of multicast. Announcement messages include device description information, device identification information in the form of a network address, service information provided by devices. The device may receive a message about the existence of other devices by monitoring the announcement messages of the device of other devices, and may also send request information to search for devices via multicast, which contains the search criteria. If these search criteria in the request information are satisfied, the device receiving the search request information will return its own device announcement information in the form of a unidirectional transmission.

When there is a home resource management device, generally designated by users, the home backbone network consists of one home resource management device and devices registering on it. The procedure for forming such a home backbone network is as follows.

If the resource management device is assigned to devices that use the service or devices that provide the services, and when the resource management device exists on the network, the devices that use the services or the devices that provide the service initiate the registration procedure on the resource management device.

If the resource management device is not assigned in the devices using the services or in the devices providing the services, and when the resource management device exists on the network, the devices using the service or providing the service devices initiate the registration procedure on the resource management device. If there are two or more resource management devices in the network at the same time, then in accordance with the program execution sequence, the resource management device, which first initiates the device registration procedure for the devices, will be used as a resource management device to form a home network.

A service-using device or a service-providing device can only register with one resource management device at a time.

After the service providing device has successfully registered with the resource management device, it will also register its own services with the resource management device. The resource management device will store all device information and relevant service information registered on it. At any time, the device using the services or the device providing the services can exit the home network by sending a request to revoke the device to the resource management device. In the meantime, the resource management device will delete the registration information of this device and registered service information stored on it.

When there is no home resource management device, all home devices communicate, dynamically organize and share resources in ad-hoc mode, and thus create a home backbone network. The procedure for forming such a home backbone network is as follows:

the home device can receive information from other devices by monitoring the announcement of multicast broadcast messages of other devices, so as to fulfill the corresponding request for the services of other devices. A service-using device or a service-providing device may unexpectedly fall out of the home network, for example due to a power outage. And also, a service-using device can initiate an announcement request to release a connection to a service-providing device, and then exit the home network.

The home network completes the dynamic network resource sharing as follows.

For home networks with home resource management devices, a service-using device connecting to one home network can obtain service information of other devices within the home network by initiating a service search request to the home network resource management device, it can be granted the right to use the service by initiating a service rental request to the provider services to the device providing the corresponding service and can use this service by initiating Nia service call request service, the provision of relevant services provided by the device.

For home networks without home resource management devices, after a service-using device establishes a peer-to-peer connection with a service-providing device, a service-using device can obtain service information of a service-providing device by initiating a service search request to a service-providing device, may be granted the right to use the service by initiating a service rental request to a service providing device, and may use the service provided by the service providing device by initiating a service call request to the service providing device.

12 shows a complete dynamic networking procedure for a home backbone network. This procedure includes device announcement, device registration, service registration, service search, service rental, service call and device removal.

12, device 1, device 2, device 3, and device 4 are connected to a LAN or WLAN. It is assumed that device 1 is a home network resource management device, device 2 is a service using device, device 3 and device 4 are service providing devices, and each of devices 1, 2, 3, 4 has its own corresponding service modules.

The steps in FIG. 12 are as follows:

Step 1, the resource management device 1 sends an announcement message to the device;

Steps 2, 3, and 4, device 2, device 3, and device 4 as using service devices or providing device services, in accordance with the announcement message of the resource management device 1, perform device registration. Devices 2, 3 and 4, which have passed the registration of devices, additionally register their service elements that were locally registered on the resource management device 1;

Step 5, the service on the device 2 requests (searches) for other service information in the network on the resource management device 1;

Step 6, the resource management device 1 returns relevant service information to a service on the device 2, which initiates a search;

Step 7, the service on device 2 initiates the sending of rental request information to the service on device 3;

Step 8, the service on device 3 returns the response information to the rental request to the service on device 2, which initiates the rental request;

Step 9, the service on device 2 sends call information to the service on device 3, which is successfully rented; and

Step 10, the device 4 sends the removal of the device to the resource management device 1 and then leaves the network.

In order to implement the method in accordance with the present invention, a security mechanism for interaction between devices in a home network must be installed, which includes installing a security mechanism when there is a home resource management device, and installing this security mechanism when there is no home resource management device.

When there is a home network resource management device, if the device intends to join the home network, it must register with the resource management device. During registration, the resource management device initiates authentication for the device, and if authentication succeeds, then registering the device is successful. A specialized key configuration management program requests an authentication key, and this program can be provided on a resource management device or on any other device with the possibility of interaction between a person and a computer. The key configuration management program is responsible not only for configuring the authentication key between the device and the resource management device, but also for configuring the authentication key of the connection between the devices. The secret key of the connection between devices is based on a personal key, that is, between the two specific devices, the authentication key of the connection between the devices is negotiated. Another use of the authentication key of the connection between devices is to establish a transfer key between two devices based on this key in such a way as to perform secure transmission.

When there is no home network resource management device, if the device intends to join the home network, the security mechanism is similar to the security mechanism when the home network resource management device exists, except that the authentication procedure between the device and the resource management device is replaced by the authentication procedure of the connection between the devices . An authentication key for the connection between devices is issued by the key configuration management program and stored locally for the device.

A dedicated configuration management program is responsible for configuring keys. Configuration is performed manually by the user. A key configuration management program needs support for a human-computer interface. If the device cannot provide an interface between a person and a computer, then the configuration program cannot be executed. Then, the device can only remotely configure its device connection authentication key using other devices that are capable of running the key configuration management program. The key configuration management program can be configured on any device that has the ability to interact between a person and a computer. For example, when there is a resource management device in the home network, a key configuration management program may be configured on the resource management device; and when there is no resource management device in the home network, the key configuration management program may be configured on a device having the ability to interact between a person and a computer.

A method for configuring an authentication key of a device is that the key configuration management program sends out authentication configuration information in the form of a multicast. If the device, after receiving this message, concludes that it is in a state in which no key is installed, then this device sends a key configuration request in response to this message. The configuration management program sets the appropriate key in response to this request. One example is that the default key is installed when the device is manufactured by the manufacturer, and when the key configuration management program configures the key, you need to know the default key.

The method in accordance with the present invention supports dynamic networking and resource sharing among devices via the home backbone network in expanding the home network so that interoperability and ease of use among home appliances are improved. Any device in the home network that is compatible with the protocol for the backbone network can announce its own resource information in the network and find the resource information provided by other devices. Thus, resources are shared between devices in accordance with the protocol for the backbone network.

Claims (43)

1. A method for dynamically organizing a network and sharing resources among devices connected to a network, comprising the steps of A1) creating a node that is designed to support sharing and integration of services distributed across a plurality of devices by designating a node control device among said devices , B1) at least one device is connected to the node by registering its service information that can be provided on the control device node of the node, C1) the at least one device that has joined the node finds the device that provides the desired service by searching the service information previously registered on the node control device by other devices of the node and receives the desired service by sending a message calling a service to said device providing the desired service. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which each of the mentioned devices has a set of modules for dynamic network organization and resource sharing, which includes a network transmission layer module for transmitting and receiving data, a device control layer module for monitoring and managing the connection between devices, a module of the service management level for performing service management for the device itself and the node. 3. The method according to claim 1, in which the node refers to one of the following types: a global node and a node that is different from the global node, while the service elements on all of the mentioned devices by default belong to the same global node, and the service element on any of the mentioned devices can create a node that is different from the global node. 4. The method according to claim 1, in which each of the above devices is configured to periodically broadcast the device announcing message of the device, which at least includes device identification data in the form of a network address, device description information and service information available on the device . 5. The method according to claim 3, in which, after the node control device is assigned among the devices, the node control device in step A1 performs a multicast broadcast of the node announcement message, which at least includes the identification data of the node control device in the form of a network address, node type , the node identifier, and said at least one device, before registering its service information with the node control device, in step B1 monitors the node's announcement message by tracking the assigned multicast address. 6. The method according to claim 1, in which the host control device, before the at least one device registers its service information on the host control device, configures the at least one device in such a way as to instruct this device to register its service information , which can be provided, on the host control device. 7. The method according to claim 1, in which the assignment of the node control device in step B1 can be performed by the user or dynamically. 8. The method according to claim 1, in which the node control device is configured to delete the created node by sending a notification of exit from the node to all devices in this node. 9. The method according to claim 1, in which step C1 further comprises a step in which a device that leaves the node deletes previously registered service information that can be provided by this device from the node control device of this node. 10. The method according to claim 1, in which before joining the node, said at least one device searches for nodes existing in the network by broadcasting a message to search for the node in the network, and the node control device that meets the search criteria performs unidirectional transmission of the announcement messages to the at least one device. 11. A home backbone network comprising at least one service providing device for providing services to other devices in a home backbone network, at least one service using device for utilizing services provided by other devices in a home backbone network, at least one protocol gateway for connecting a home backbone network to an external network, wherein said service providing device using a service device and a protocol gateway with dineny by using a protocol of broadband and high-speed home network backbone. 12. The home backbone network of claim 11, wherein the service providing device and the service using device can exist on the same physical device. 13. The home backbone network of claim 11, wherein the wired transmission mode or the wireless transmission mode is adopted, or both of them. 14. The home backbone network of claim 11, wherein said service providing device is assigned, or said service-using device is assigned, or said protocol gateway is designated as a resource management device of the home backbone network so as to form a topological structure of the backbone network of the connection mode / Slave between the resource management device and other devices, and the resource management device performs centralized control over the other devices. 15. The home backbone network of claim 14, wherein said centralized management includes that the service providing device and / or the service using device, after successfully registering with the resource management device, is connected to the home backbone network, as well as the device using the services that joined the home backbone network indexes services from the resource management device. 16. The home backbone network of claim 11, wherein said service providing device, the service using device, and the protocol gateway form a topological structure of a peer-to-peer backbone network. 17. The home backbone network of claim 16, wherein said peer-to-peer connection is such that the source device requesting the connection sends a peer creation request to the destination device, and this destination device sends a response to the peer creation request to the source device. 18. The home backbone network of claim 17, wherein the destination device and the source device can be a service providing device or a service using device for each other. 19. The home backbone network of claim 11, wherein said service providing device and the device using the services are interchangeable, and the home backbone network can be either a service providing device or a service using device. 20. The home backbone network of claim 11, which is implemented through a wired Ethernet network or a wireless Ethernet network, or through a combination of a wired and wireless Ethernet network. 21. A method for dynamically organizing a network and sharing resources among devices in a home backbone network, comprising the steps of A3) forming a home backbone network from a service using device and providing a service device, together with a resource management device, by registering said service using the device and a service providing device on a resource management device, B3) a service using device receives service information provided services-governing unit within the home backbone network service by sending a search request management unit, and C3) using the service device receives the right to use the service provided by the device providing the services, and the use of this service by sending a request rental service or request a call service. 22. The method according to item 21, in which each of the device providing services and using the services of the device in the home backbone network can be one of: an information device, a communication device and an entertainment device, wherein information about this device and its services is encapsulated in messages and issue in accordance with the protocol stack of the backbone network. 23. The method according to item 22, in which the protocol stack of the backbone network includes a transmission control layer for data interaction between devices and services, an intermediate protocol layer for interconnecting and sharing resources between devices in a home network, and an application support level for providing Access Application Programming Interface (API) for the upstream application. 24. The method according to item 21, in which each of the mentioned devices in the formation of a home backbone network broadcasts a device announcement message, which at least includes device identification data in the form of a network address, device description information and service information available on device, and determines the existence of other devices by monitoring or searching for announcement messages of the device of these other devices, while the search includes a group broadcasting the search message to search for other devices and unidirectional transmission by the device that received the search message of its own device announcement message in the opposite direction when the conditions of the device that received the search message are compatible with the search conditions contained in the search message. 25. The method according to item 21, in which step A3 further comprises the step of designating a resource management device in a service-using or service-providing device and initiating said registration on the designated resource-management device by using a service or service-providing device. 26. The method of claim 21, wherein in step A3, the service-using device or the service-providing device is simultaneously registered to only one resource management device. 27. The method according to item 21, in which the aforementioned step A3 further comprises the steps according to which the service providing device, which has successfully registered with the resource management device, registers its own service on the resource management device, and the resource management device supports all devices registered on it and their service information. 28. The method according to item 21, in which step A3 further comprises a procedure for establishing a security mechanism, including a step according to which the resource management device sends authentication information to devices connected to the home network, and the key configuration management program is responsible for its authentication key, and if authentication is successful, then registration is successful. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the private key is negotiated between devices in the home backbone network, wherein the key configuration management program is responsible for configuring the connection authentication key, and the transfer key between the two devices is set based on said connection authentication key so that perform secure transmission. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein configuring the key with the key configuration management program comprises the steps of keying out the authentication configuration message if the device decides after receiving the message that it is in a state in which there is no key not installed, then the device sends a key configuration request in response to the message, and the configuration management program sets the corresponding key to Vet on the configuration request. 31. The method according to p. 28, in which the key configuration management program is provided on a resource management device or a device that allows interaction between a person and a computer in a home backbone network. 32. The method according to item 21, in which the device that uses the services or the service provider leaves the home network by sending a request for canceling the device to the resource management device, the resource management device deleting the registration information of this device and registered corresponding service information stored on it. 33. A method for dynamically organizing a network and sharing resources among devices in a home backbone network, comprising the steps of A3) forming a home backbone network from more than one device using services and more than one device providing services by using a peer-to-peer connection mode, B3) establish a peer-to-peer connection between the device using the services and the service providing device in the home backbone network and C3) using rvisy device obtains the service information providing devices and services right to use the service provided by the device providing the services, and the use of this service by sending a service search request, the rental service request and request a call service provided by the service device. 34. The method according to claim 33, wherein each of the device providing services and using the services of the device in the home backbone network can be one of: an information device, a communication device, and an entertainment device, wherein information about this device and its services is encapsulated in messages and issue in accordance with the protocol stack of the backbone network. 35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the protocol stack of the backbone network includes a transmission control layer for data interaction between devices and services, an intermediate protocol layer for interconnecting and sharing resources between devices in a home network, and an application support level for providing Access Application Programming Interface (API) for the upstream application. 36. The method according to claim 33, wherein each of said devices, when forming a home backbone network, broadcasts a device announcement message at least that includes device identification information in the form of a network address, device description information and service information available on device, and determines the existence of other devices by monitoring or searching for announcement messages of the device of these other devices, while the said search includes a group broadcasting the search message to search for other devices and unidirectionally transmitting by the device that received the search message its own device announcement message in the opposite direction when the conditions of the device that received the search message are compatible with the search conditions contained in the search message. 37. The method according to clause 33, in which step A3 further comprises a procedure for establishing a security mechanism, which includes the step of authenticating the connection between two peer-to-peer devices, the authentication key of the connection being issued by the key configuration management program and supported locally by these two peer-to-peer devices connected devices. 38. The method according to clause 37, in which the negotiation of a private key between devices in the home backbone network, and the key configuration management program is responsible for configuring the authentication connection key, and the transfer key between the two devices is set based on the authentication connection key so that perform secure transmission. 39. The method according to clause 37, in which the key configuration program key management contains the steps according to which the key configuration management program broadcasts the authentication configuration message if the device after receiving this message decides that it is in a state in which there is no key not installed, then the device sends a key configuration request in response to the message, and the configuration management program sets the corresponding key to Vet on the configuration request. 40. The method of claim 33, wherein the service-using device initiates an announcement request to release a peer-to-peer connection with the service-providing device, and then leaves the home network. Priority on points: 05/17/2002 according to claims 1-10; September 6, 2002 according to claims 11-20; 09/10/2002 according to claims 21-40.

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