Patent ID: 6934269

Claim:
A method of implementing a network of devices connected to a shared media, the devices being a part of a consumer electronic appliance, the method comprising: forming a logical network on the shared media, the logical network including an address space arbiter (ASA) coupled to the shared media; discovering a device coupled to the shared medium by communication between the ASA and the device; acquiring the discovered device, the acquired device being a member of the logical network; receiving a message from the device over the shared media; comparing information associated with the device included in the message to information associated with devices in an acquired device table, the acquired device table being arranged to include information associated with devices that are members of the logical network; adding information associated with the device to an announced device table if the information is not stored in the acquired device table and the device is unacquired, wherein the announced device table includes information associated with discovered but unacquired devices; comparing elapsed time since the device last transmitted a message over the shared media to a predetermined inactive time limit; sending a message to the device; monitoring the shared media for a valid message from the device that is responsive to the message; removing the device from the logical network if the elapsed time exceeds the maximum inactive time limit; and resetting the elapsed time if the device provides a valid responsive message within a predetermined time period.