3com Corporation

Sorenson Communications, Inc.

Allen E Shupe

Carl Ketcham

Nathan M Whitney

James L Sorenson

Joseph N Romriell

Matthew D Cupal

A method, system and device for visually spatial caller identification includes a caller identification visual alerting device configured to capture current caller identification information from an incoming call. A stored caller identification list stores a plurality of entries of reference caller identification information and a corresponding respective plurality of entries of spatial visual indicator patterns. The reference caller identification information is matched with the current caller identification information. The caller identification visual alerting device further includes a spatial visual indicator configured to activate a plurality of illuminatable elements according to one of the plurality of spatial visual indicator patterns.

Method and system for visual spatial caller identification

New network elements that are installed in a network are automatically configured using an imprinting process. In this process, when they are first installed and turned on they start listening for packets on the network. When a packet is received, the new network element &ldquo;imprints&rdquo; to this packet by adopting configuration information, such as site ID and subnet ID values, that are contained in one or more fields in the first packet. The site ID and subnet ID values allow the new network element to intelligently communicate with other network elements. If the new network element does not receive a packet in a given amount of time, e.g., 30 or 60 minutes, the new network element assumes that it is the first element of the network. It therefore adopts site ID and subnet ID values from another source, such as deriving them from a pre-installed, 48-bit Medium Access Control address that is assigned to the network element.

Imprinting method for automated registration and configuration of network devices

A plurality of wireless nodes in a network, such as elements of a residential or office home computer system, security system, HVAC or sprinkler system, or the like, communicate with each other over a radio frequency channel. A node generates a packet and transmits it to all the other nodes within range. All the receiving nodes in turn retransmit the packet to all the nodes within range of them. This process floods the network with packets, insuring that all of the nodes at the site receive the packet. The packet contains a de-looping code that is processed by all the nodes that receive the packet. The de-looping code insures that the packet is broadcast by any given node only once. Collisions resulting from multiple nodes simultaneously trying to gain access to the RF medium is avoided by implementing an exponential backoff algorithm, by which all the nodes wait for a random period of time before attempting transmission on the medium. The nodes may communicate with higher level logical domains by virtue of selected nodes functioning as bridges to higher domains. The higher level domains can include neighborhood, regional, or global networks, including global IP-based cabled networks.

Simple wireless network with store and forward methods incorporating anti-looping codes

The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting combination electronic apparatus, which comprise a plurality of internal electronic devices, to networks or other devices. The connector of the present invention comprises a novel switching mechanism which selects between the plurality of internal electronic devices based on the attributes of the mating connector received by the connector. Device selection may be controlled by the physical characteristics of the mating connector, the electrical characteristics of the device or network attached to the mating connector or some other distinct attribute.

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Sandy, UT, United States of America

Allen E Shupe