Power supply controller, relay node device, wired ad-hoc network system, and power supply control method

A relay node device comprising:

• a first port that is connected to, via a wired path, a power supply controller connected to a power supply device or an adjacent relay node device which is adjacent to the relay node device and which is receiving power supply from the power supply device;
• a second port that is connected to an another adjacent relay node device which is adjacent to the relay node device and which is different from the adjacent relay node device;
• and
• a controller that
• transmits a start notification frame for reporting a start of the relay node device from the first port to the power supply controller, when the relay node device is started by receiving, from the first port, power supply from the power supply controller or the adjacent relay node device, and
• starts power supply from the second port to the another adjacent relay node device, when the controller receives, from the power supply controller, a power-on instruction frame for instructing a start of power supply from a port included in the relay node device to the adjacent relay node device connected to the relay node device via a wired path.

A wired ad-hoc network system comprising:

• a gateway device that is connected to a power supply device;
• a first relay node device including a first port connected to the gateway device via a wired path;
• a second relay node device including a second port connected to the first relay node device via a wired path;
• and
• a started relay node device which is started by the power supply from the second relay node device, wherein
• the gateway device supplies power received from the power supply device to the first relay node, and generates and transmits a power-on instruction frame for instructing the first relay node device which started by receiving power supply to start power supply from the first port to the second relay node device,
• the started relay node device which started by the power supply from the second relay device, which received the power supply from the first relay node device, transmits a start notification frame, the start notification frame including
• pieces of data that respectively indicate a transmission port number and a reception port number,
• data indicating a number of hops to the gateway device, and
• a power supply line flag indicating whether an adjacent relay node device connected to the started relay node device via a wired path has been started by the power supply from a port of the started relay node device,
• the gateway device generates first network identification data indicating a transmission route of a frame from the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame, to the gateway device in accordance with the data indicating the transmission port number included in the received start notification frame,
• the gateway device generates second network identification data indicating a transmission route from the gateway device to the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame in accordance with the data indicating the reception port number included in the received start notification frame,
• the gateway device stores the generated second network identification data, and the data indicating the number of hops and the power supply line flag which are included in the received start notification frame, in a routing management table for managing a route to the started relay node device transmitted the start notification frame,
• the gateway device transmits a start notification response frame including the generated first network identification data to the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame in accordance with the second network identification data, and
• the started relay node device stores the first network identification data and the data indicating the number of hops which are included in the received start notification response frame, in a gateway routing management table for managing a route to the power supply controller.

A power supply control method for supplying power from a power supply controller connected to a power supply device to a plurality of relay node devices that include a first relay node device including a first port connected to the power supply controller via a wired path, a second relay node device including a second port connected to the first relay node device via a wired path and a started relay node device which is started by the power supply from the second relay node device, the power supply control method comprising:

• supplying power received from the power supply device to the first relay node by the power supply controller, and generating and transmitting, by the power supply controller, a power-on instruction frame for instructing the first relay node device which started by receiving power supply to start the power supply from the first port to the second relay node device;
• transmitting a start notification frame by the started relay node device which started by the power supply from the second relay device which received the power supply from the first relay node device, the start notification frame including
• pieces of data that respectively indicate a transmission port number and a reception port number,
• data indicating a number of hops to the power supply controller, and
• a power supply line flag indicating whether an adjacent relay node device connected to the started relay node device via a wired path has been started by the power supply from a port of the started relay node device;
• generating, by the power supply controller, first network identification data indicating a transmission route of a frame from the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame, to the power supply controller, in accordance with the data indicating the transmission port number included in the received start notification frame;
• generating, by the power supply controller, second network identification data indicating a transmission route from the power supply controller to the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame, in accordance with the data indicating the reception port number included in the received start notification frame;
• storing, by the power supply controller, the generated second network identification data, and the data indicating the number of hops and the power supply line flag which are included in the received start notification frame, in a routing management table for managing a route to the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame;
• transmitting, by the power supply controller, a start notification response frame including the generated first network identification data to the started relay node device which transmitted the start notification frame, in accordance with the second network identification data;
• and
• storing, by the started relay node device, the first network identification data and the data indicating the number of hops which are included in the received start notification response frame, in a gateway routing management table for managing a route to the power supply controller.