# US 2018/0024843 A1 · Method and associated apparatus for performing wake-up management on network devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024843 A1 - Document ID: US20180024843A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/458,987 - Filed: 2017-03-15 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: Synology Incorporated - Applicants: Synology Incorporated - Inventors: Kan-Yueh Chen; Ping-Che Hsiao; Jia-Yu Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024843A1 ## CPC - G06F 9/4416: {Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]} - G06F 9/4418: {Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake} - H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof - H04L 43/0805: by checking availability - H04W 52/0216: {using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame} - H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method for performing wake-up management and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method is applied to at least one portion of a network system, and the network system includes a local area network (LAN). The method includes: utilizing a wake-on-LAN (WOL) agent device to receive device information of a network device, where the WOL agent device and the network device are positioned in the LAN, and the network device broadcasts the device information according to a predetermined communications protocol; utilizing the WOL agent device to update a wake-up management list in the WOL agent device according to the device information, where the wake-up management list includes the device information; and utilizing the WOL agent device to perform a WOL operation on the network device according to the wake-up management list. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing wake-up management, the method being applied to at least one portion of a network system, the network system comprising a local area network (LAN), the method comprising: utilizing a wake-on-LAN (WOL) agent device to receive device information of a network device, wherein the WOL agent device and the network device are positioned in the LAN, and the network device broadcasts the device information of the network device according to a predetermined communications protocol; utilizing the WOL agent device to refer to the device information of the network device to update a wake-up management list in the WOL agent device, wherein the wake-up management list comprises the device information of the network device; and utilizing the WOL agent device to perform a WOL operation regarding the network device according to the wake-up management list. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to perform at least one broadcast operation, to allow the WOL agent device to determine a state transition of the network device; and the method further comprises: in response to the broadcast operation, utilizing the WOL agent device to determine the state transition of the network device to automatically perform a WOL configuration regarding the network device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein before the network device enters a non-operating state, the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to broadcast the device information of the network device in order to inform the WOL agent device of the non-operating state of the network device; and when the non-operating state of the network device is informed, the WOL agent device records the non-operating state of the network device in the wake-up management list. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein when the network device enters an operating state from the non-operating state, the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to broadcast the device information of the network device, in order to inform the WOL agent device of the operating state of the network device; and after the operating state of the network device is informed, the WOL agent device records the operating state of the network device in the wake-up management list. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device information of the network device comprises at least one of a media access control (MAC) address of the network device, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the network device, and a unique identifier (UID) of the network device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the device information of the network device further comprises a latest state of the network device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: utilizing the WOL agent device to send the device information of the network device to a keeper device, wherein the device information of the network device comprises at least one state of the network device; and when the keeper device receives a request from a client device, utilizing the keeper device to refer to the state of the network device to decide whether to assign a WOL task to the WOL agent device, wherein the client device is positioned external to the LAN, and the WOL task comprises waking up the network device; wherein the client device sends the request to the keeper device, in order to access the network device through the keeper device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the network system comprises another LAN, and another WOL agent device in the network system is positioned in the other LAN; and the method further comprises: utilizing the other WOL agent device to send device information of another network device to the keeper device, wherein the device information of the other network device comprises at least one state of the other network device; and when the keeper device receives another request from the client device, utilizing the keeper device to refer to the state of the other network device to decide whether to assign another WOL task to the other WOL agent device, wherein the other WOL task comprises waking up the other network device; wherein the client device sends the other request to the keeper device, in order to access the other network device through the keeper device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network system comprises a plurality of network devices, wherein the network devices are positioned in the LAN, and the network device is one of the network devices; and the method further comprises: before the WOL agent device enters a non-operating state, utilizing the WOL agent device to broadcast device information of the WOL agent device in order to inform at least one other device in the LAN of the non-operating state of the WOL agent device; wherein another of the network devices is selected as another WOL agent device in the LAN according to a predetermined rule; and the other WOL agent device is a backup device of the WOL agent device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the WOL agent device sends the wake-up management list to the other WOL agent device, to allow the other WOL agent device to utilize the wake-up management list. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for performing wake-up management, the apparatus comprising at least one portion of a network system, the network system comprising a local area network (LAN), the apparatus comprising: a wake-on-LAN (WOL) agent device, positioned in the LAN, the WOL agent device arranged to perform wake-up control, wherein the WOL agent device receives device information of a network device, the network device is positioned in the LAN, and the network device refers to a predetermined communications protocol to broadcast the device information of the network device; wherein the WOL agent device refers to the device information of the network device to update a wake-up management list in the WOL agent device, wherein the wake-up management list comprises the device information of the network device; and the WOL agent device refers to the wake-up management list to perform a WOL operation regarding the network device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to perform at least one broadcast operation, to allow the WOL agent device to determine a state transition of the network device; and the WOL agent device determines the state transition of the network device in response to the broadcast operation, to automatically perform WOL configuration regarding the network device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein before the network device enters a non-operating state, the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to broadcast the device information of the network device, in order to inform the WOL agent device of the non-operating state of the network device; and when the non-operating state of the network device is informed, the WOL agent device records the non-operating state of the network device in the wake-up management list. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the network device enters an operating state from the non-operating state, the network device refers to the predetermined communications protocol to broadcast the device information of the network device, in order to inform the WOL agent device of the operating state of the network device; and after the operating state of the network device is informed, the WOL agent device records the operating state of the network device in the wake-up management list. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the device information of the network device comprises at least one of a media access control (MAC) address of the network device, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the network device, and a unique identifier (UID) of the network device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the device information of the network device further comprises a latest state of the network device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the WOL agent device sends the device information of the network device to a keeper device, wherein the device information of the network device comprises at least one state of the network device; when the keeper device receives a request from a client device, the keeper device refers to the state of the network device to decide whether to assign a WOL task to the WOL agent device, wherein the client device is positioned external to the LAN, and the WOL task comprises waking up the network device; and the client device sends the request to the keeper device, in order to access the network device through the keeper device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the network system comprises another LAN, and another WOL agent device in the network system is positioned in the other LAN; the other WOL agent device sends device information of another network device to the keeper device, wherein the device information of the other network device comprises at least one state of the other network device; when the keeper device receives another request from the client device, the keeper device refers to the state of the other network device to decide whether to assign another WOL task to the other WOL agent device, wherein the other WOL task comprises waking-up the other network device; and the client device sends the other request to the keeper device in order to access the other network device through the keeper device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the network system comprises a plurality of network devices, wherein the network devices are positioned in the LAN, and the network device is one of the network devices; before the WOL agent device enters a non-operating state, the WOL agent device broadcasts device information of the WOL agent device in order to inform at least one other device in the LAN of the non-operating state of the WOL agent device; another of the network devices is selected as another WOL agent device in the LAN according to a predetermined rule; and the other WOL agent device is a backup device of the WOL agent device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the WOL agent device sends the wake-up management list to the other WOL agent device, to allow the other WOL agent device to utilize the wake-up management list.