Network establishment and management protocol

A method of operation of a networked device, including:

• receiving a simple device description query message from one of one or more other devices requesting a simple device description;
• sending to one of the one or more the other devices a simple device description message of defined length including a device type value representing the type of the networked device;
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• receiving an extended device description query message from the one of the one or more the other devices requesting an extended device description from the networked device when said simple device description message indicates that the extended device description is available;
• and
• sending to the one of the one or more the other devices the extended device description of variable length.

A networked device, including:

• a transceiver for sending and receiving messages:
• and a message handler arranged to carry out the steps of:
• on receiving a simple device description query message from one of the other devices, sending to the other device a simple device description message of defined length including a device type value representing the type of the networked device;
• and
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• on receiving an extended device description query message from another device when said simple device description message indicates that the extended device description is available, sending to the other device the extended device description of variable length.

A networked device, including:

• a transceiver for sending and receiving messages:
• a message handler arranged to carry out the steps of:
• sending a simple device description query message to another device requesting a simple device description;
• receiving from the other device a simple device description message of fixed length including a device type value representing the type of the other device and a field indicating whether an extended device description is available;
• and further arranged to carry out the steps of:
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• sending an extended device description query message to the other device requesting an extended device description from the other device when testing of said simple device description message indicates that the extended device description is available;
• and
• receiving from the other device an extended device description of variable length.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of networked devices each having a transceiver for sending and receiving network messages;
• at least one networked device arranged to send a simple device query message to other devices and to receive and interpret simple device description messages subsequently received from the other devices;
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• at least one networked device arranged to send an extended device query message to other devices when said simple device description message indicates that the extended device description is available and to receive and interpret extended device description messages subsequently received from the other devices;
• each of the networked devices being arranged to respond to an incoming simple device query message from another of the devices by sending a simple device description message of defined length including a device type value representing the type of the device;
• and
• at least one of the networked devices is arranged to respond to an incoming extended device query message from another of the devices by sending an extended device description message.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to control a networked device in a network having at least one other device by carrying out a method, the method comprising:

• sending a simple device description query message to at least one other device requesting a simple device description;
• receiving from the other device a simple device description message of defined length including a device type value representing the type of the other device;
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• sending an extended device description query message to the other device requesting an extended device description from the other device when said simple device description message indicates that the extended device description is available;
• and
• receiving from the other device the extended device description of variable length.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to control a networked device having a transport stack and an application by carrying out a method, the method comprising:

• providing a code-implemented transport adaption layer for interfacing with the transport stack;
• providing a code-implemented application programming interface for interfacing with the application;
• and
• providing a code-implemented messaging layer including the capabilities of sending and receiving messages in a token-encoded human readable messaging format, the networked device:
• recognizing incoming device query messages requiring a simple device description response and sending a simple device description response including a device type;
• testing the simple device description message to determine whether an extended device description is available;
• and
• recognizing incoming device query messages requiring an extended device description when said simple device description response indicates that the extended device description is available and responding with the extended device description.