Control device, control system, and search method

A control system which searches for a device to which a global identification (ID) including a manufacturer ID and a device ID is assigned in advance, by searching for the global ID, the manufacturer ID being set for each manufacturer using m bits, the device ID being uniquely set by each manufacturer using n bits, m being a natural number greater than or equal to 1, n being a natural number greater than or equal to 1, the control system comprising:

• a control device implemented at least partially by hardware;
• and
• devices connected to the control device,
• wherein the control device includes:
• a storage which stores the manufacturer ID;
• an inquirer which designates a possible range of the global ID at a time when the m bits used by the manufacturer ID stored in the storage are fixed, and makes, to each of the devices connected to the control device, an inquiry about whether the global ID is in the possible range;
• and
• a receiver which receives, from among the connected devices, a response to the inquiry made by the inquirer, the response indicating that the global ID is in the possible range, wherein each of the connected devices makes the response when the global ID is in the possible range, and
• the inquirer further searches for the global ID, by repeating the inquiry while setting a new possible range by narrowing down the possible range according to at least one of the response received by the receiver.

A search method, implemented by a control device, for searching for a device to which a global identification (ID) including a manufacturer ID and a device ID is assigned in advance and which is connected to the control device, by searching for the global ID, the manufacturer ID being set for each manufacturer using m bits, the device ID being uniquely set by each manufacturer using n bits, m being a natural number greater than or equal to 1, n being a natural number greater than or equal to 1, the search method comprising:

• designating a possible range of the global ID at a time when the m bits used by the manufacturer ID stored in a storage included in the control device are fixed;
• making, to each of devices connected to the control device, an inquiry about whether the global ID is in the possible range;
• and
• receiving, from each of the connected devices, a response to the inquiry made by the inquirer, the response indicating that the global ID is in the possible range,
• wherein repeating the inquiry while a new possible range is set by narrowing down the possible range according to at least one of the responses received.