Abstract:
Which device in a first home network is a master device is dynamically established based on the device reporting successful communication with a master device in a second home network, to ensure that the networks have master devices that can “se” each other for, e.g., managing bandwidth.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/701,651, filed Jul. 21, 2005. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to home network systems. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Home network systems have been provided that can include a set-top box media server that communicates with various components in the home, e.g., TVs, laptop computers, and custom display devices. To establish network communication paths, power line communication (PLC) networks have been introduced and have gained in popularity owing to the fact that the home&#39;s existing AC power grid is used to also carry entertainment data between various components in the home network system which are plugged into AC wall sockets. In this way, no new wiring is required, rendering most home power grids into effective network backbones. 
   Further, home network systems can share PLC networks with other dwellings, e.g. a neighbor&#39;s home. Usually, each home establishes a logical network. Each logical network then has a master component, which is responsible for mediating bandwidth allocations to each of the other client components communicating in the home network. When a component wants to perform a contention-free communication with another component in the same home or another home, the component asks the master to give some bandwidth (time or frequency allocation) for the communication. The master then finds some available bandwidth and lets the neighbor&#39;s master component know the first master will use some available bandwidth on the PLC network shared by both houses. If no other master in the PLC network is using the desired bandwidth, the first master receives a confirmation from each neighbor&#39;s master component and proceeds with utilization of the desired bandwidth. If the desired bandwidth is already in use, the first master component typically receives a rejection and tries to find another bandwidth. 
   One problem encountered during this process is the existence of a “hidden” master component in one dwelling that may not be detected by a neighbor&#39;s master device. More particularly, the present invention understands that in some cases not all components in the home network operated by the first master can “see” each other. As critically recognized herein, if the master component happens to be at a particular hidden position and does not “see” a neighboring master component, a fatal problem can occur in that bandwidth management may not be possible. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A system includes a first home network in a first dwelling. The first home network has plural components, one of which is a first master, and the components in the first home network communicate with each other over a power line communication network, a Wi-Fi network, or an 802.11 network. A second home network is in a second dwelling and has plural components, one of which is a second master. The components in the second home network also communicate with each other over a PLC network or other network that shares bandwidth with the first network. A logic device executes in the first home network to transfer a master function away from the first master if the first master cannot detect the second master. 
   In non-limiting implementations the first and second masters communicate with each other for bandwidth management. The first master can transmit a query signal, and if the first master does not detect a response from the second master and a detecting component in the first home network detects a response from the second master, the master function is transferred to the detecting component. The logic device may be a processor in the first master. 
   In another aspect, a method is executable in a system that has a first home network with plural devices and a second home network with plural devices. The method dynamically establishes which device in the first home network is a master device based on the device reporting successful communication with a master device in the second home network. 
   In non-limiting implementations a master in the first home network transmits queries to non-master devices in the first home network, and each non-master device in the first home network that receives a query reports to the master including informing the master if the non-master device has received signals from a master other than the master in the first home network. Accordingly, if the master in the first home network receives a response from a first non-master device indicating that the first non-master device communicates with more masters than the master in the first home network, the master transfers master functionality to the first non-master device, which becomes the new master of the first home network. 
   In another aspect, a logic device has means for determining whether a master device in a first network adequately receives signals from a master device in a second network that shares bandwidth with the first network. The logic device also has means, responsive to a determination that the master device in the first network does not adequately receive signals from the master device in the second network, for transferring at least one master device function to a component in the first network other than the master device in the first network. 
   The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing two home networks in a power line communication (PLC) system; 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart of exemplary logic in accordance with present principles; and 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of three home networks to illustrate the logic of  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , two home networks operating within a network  10  requiring bandwidth management are shown. The home networks overlap, because they share portions of the network  10 , i.e., they share bandwidth with each other. The network  10  maybe, for example, a Wi-Fi network, an 802.11 network, or other wired or wireless network. In the example shown the network  10  is a power-line communication (referred to as PLC herein) network, and so will be referred as such for convenience without limiting the scope of the invention. 
   The network  10  contains plural individual home networks.  FIG. 1  indicates the presence of only two home networks, a first home network  12  and a second home network  14 , but it is to be understood that more home networks can be present. The first home network  12  has at least two components (home devices or appliances such as a television, DVD player, personal computer, etc.)  16  and  18  communicating over the home network  12 , typically located in a first dwelling. The second home network  14  has at least one component  20 , and typically has plural components located in a second dwelling. Component  16  in the first home network  12  is the initial designated master component for the home network  12 . Component  20  in the second home network  14  is the initial designated master component for the home network  14 . The master component  16  in the first home network may have a logic device  16   a  such as a processor that can execute the logic below, it being understood that the other components may also have respective processors executing logic that can be embodied as lines of software stored in logic storage  16   b  (in the case of the master  16 ), which may include solid state memories, disk storage, and the like. 
   Assuming that the component  18  in the first home network  12  possesses an ability to communicate with more components within the PLC network  10  than the initial master  16 , master function capability can be transferred to the component  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the component  18  possesses better “visibility” over the entire PLC network and can easily communicate with both the component  16  within its own home network  12  and also the master component  20  of the second home network  14 . 
   As set forth further below, a master component can transmit a query signal over the PLC network  10  that essentially requests reports from each receiver thereof at least as to the function (master or non-master) of the receiver, and how many masters have queried it. Responses to the query signal are also sent over the PLC network and hence are received by as many receivers that can “see” the transmitting component, with each receiver duly reporting back to the masters, based on the responses that the receiver intercepted, how many other receivers (and their reported functions) the receiver detected. 
   As an example, assume hypothetically that the master component  16  (the initial master on the first home network  12 ) itself receives query response reports from no other master component on the PLC network  10  because, e.g., the master component  16  is located in a “hidden” position on first home network  12  thus is not visible to the master component  20  of the second home network  14 . Assume further that the non-master component  18  detects, over time, two query signals, one received from the master component  16  and the other from the master component  20 . This means that the non-master component  18  has better overall visibility than the master component  16 , and consequently, as set forth further below, the master function of the first home network can be transferred from the component  16  to the component  18 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 2 , the logic for determining the appropriate master component (also referred to simply as “master”) for each home network on the PLC network  10  is shown. Beginning at state  21 , the logic flows to block  22  wherein the master  16  requests permission to conduct potential master transfer testing. At decision diamond  24 , it is determined whether there is any rejection of permission. In essence, decision diamond  24  determines if there are other neighboring masters currently performing a master transfer test, in which case the other master would deny the requesting master permission. Thus, decision diamond  24  ensures that only one master transfer can take place on the PLC network  10  over a specific time interval. If the logic determines that another master transfer is occurring, the logic waits for a specified amount of time (e.g. five minutes) at block  26  and then reverts back to box  22 , where the logic begins again. 
   If permission is granted (no rejection is determined) at decision diamond  24 , the logic moves to block  28  where the master  16  asks, via query signals, each component of the same home network how many other masters it can see on the PLC network  10 . Moving to block  30 , the master  16  receives replies from all the components on the PLC network  10 . Each component on the PLC network  10  thus in essence exchanges data regarding the number of master components it can communicate with, or “see” on the PLC network  10 . 
   At decision diamond  32 , the logic determines whether any other component on the same home network can see (i.e., has communication with) more neighboring masters than the original master  16 . If no other component is able to see more neighboring masters than the original master, the logic ends at state  33  with master capability staying with the original master  16 . 
   In contrast, if one component (e.g., the component  18 ) on the first home network detects more masters (e.g., the second master  20 ) than the original master  16  detects, the master  16  selects the “best” component to which master capability should be transferred at block  34 , i.e., the master  16  selects as prospective new master the component  18 . Moving to block  36 , the master  16  then transfers master capability to the component  18 . The final block  38  communicates to the neighboring masters so that they know that master capability on that particular home network has been transferred to the new master  18 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 3 , an example is shown to further illustrate the process of  FIG. 2  of selecting the most capable component in a home network that possesses optimum capabilities as a master. Three home networks located within a PLC network are shown, generally designated  40 ,  42 , and  44 . It is to be understood that more or less home networks can function within the PLC network, but only three are shown in the current figure. 
   Component  46  is the designated master for the first home network  40 , component  48  is the designated master for the second home network  42 , and component  50  is the designated master for the third home network  44 . Each master is bold-circled on  FIG. 3  for clarification. 
   For the first home network  40 , the master  46  is accompanied by a non-limiting number of plural components operating from within the first home network, designated components  52  and  54  in  FIG. 3 . In the second home network  42 , the master  48  is accompanied by at least one other component  56  operating from within the home network  42 . Lastly, the third home network  44  has at least one more component  58  operating under the same home network as the master  50 . Each component operating from its own home network can also communicate, or “see”, the components of another home network that overlap the first home network&#39;s circle in  FIG. 3 . 
   In this particular instance, master  46  of home network  40  not only sees other local components  52  and  54 , but also master  48  and component  56  of home network  42 . Master  48  of home network  42  can see remote components  52  and  58 , as well as local component  56 , but can see no other masters. Master  50  of home network  44  sees remote components  52 ,  54 ,  56  as well as the local component  58 , but no other masters. 
   Beginning with home network  40 , each of components  46  (master),  52 , and  54  of the home network  40  decide (and report) the number of neighboring masters each can see. Accordingly, master  46  sees only one other master,  48 , because only master  48  is in master  46 &#39;s visible circle, whereas master  50  is outside the viewing range for master  46 . Component  52  can see both master  48  and master  50  because component  52  is in the overlapped area of the three circles. Component  54  can see master  50 , but cannot see master  48 . 
   Under these circumstances, component  52  has the best visibility in the first network  40  in terms of being able to see the other masters on the PLC network. As a result, component  52  becomes the new master of home network  40 . In the case of the home network  42 , master  48  sees only master  46 , but component  56  sees both master  46  and master  50 . Therefore, component  56  becomes the new master of home network  42 . The same logic can be used for the final home network  44  where master  50  sees no neighbor master, but component  58  sees master  48  and hence becomes the new master of home network  44 . In short, a component with the most overlapping area is picked first, second most overlapping area is picked second, etc. 
   Preferably, two or more master transfers are not performed simultaneously, but rather sequentially, because a first master transfer might render a second master transfer unnecessary. As an example, if components  52  and  56  in  FIG. 3  become new masters, no further transfer of a master function away from component  50  would be necessary, since component  50  can see components  52  and  56 . 
   While the particular SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING MASTER COMPONENT IN MULTIPLE HOME NETWORKS is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.