Communication method of networking system, hybrid networking system, device and equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method of a networking system, a hybrid networking system, a device and equipment, which can be applied to the technical field of computer networks, and the method comprises the following steps: in response to the completion of the construction of the hybrid networking system, sending a detection message to each slave networking equipment in the hybrid networking system, the networking device types of at least two networking devices in the main networking device and the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; in response to receiving a response message for the detection message sent by the slave networking device, determining the networking device type of a sending end of the response message, the response message being generated by using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device; and analyzing the response message by using an analysis strategy matched with the networking device type to obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of computer network technology, and more specifically to a communication method, hybrid networking system, apparatus, and equipment for a networking system. Background Technology

[0002] In scenarios such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and smart security, networking systems can balance communication distance, cost, and power consumption requirements, leading to their increasingly widespread application. Within a networking system, the master device needs to communicate efficiently with a large number of slave devices to achieve collaborative control; therefore, it is essential to ensure that the master device can obtain device information from all devices in the entire networking system.

[0003] When network devices of different types implement the same protocol in a proprietary manner, the differences in their respective device parameters make it difficult for the information to be shared. Therefore, it is common practice to use devices of the same type to build a network system to ensure communication efficiency and quality during the communication process. However, this networking method has poor flexibility. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a communication method for a networking system, a hybrid networking system, an apparatus, and a device.

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure provides a communication method for a networking system, comprising: in response to the completion of a hybrid networking system, sending probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system, wherein the network device types of the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; in response to receiving a response message from a slave networking device in response to the probe messages, determining the network device type of the sender of the response message, wherein the response message is generated using a response message generation code configured on the slave networking device; and parsing the response message using a parsing strategy matching the network device type to obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

[0006] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication method of the networking system further includes: sending device information of the slave networking device and device information of the master networking device to the client, so that the client can determine the networking topology characterizing the hybrid networking system based on the device information of the slave networking device and the device information of the master networking device.

[0007] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a master networking device in a hybrid networking system sends probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system, including: running probe message generation code configured in the master networking device to generate probe messages of the target message type; and broadcasting the probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system.

[0008] According to embodiments of this disclosure, determining the network device type of the sender of a response message includes: determining a target field from the response message for indicating the network device type of the sender; and determining the network device type of the sender based on the target field.

[0009] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the response message is parsed using a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to obtain device information about the network device in the response message, including: determining a target parsing code that matches the network device type from a set of parsing codes; and using the target parsing code to parse the response message to obtain device information in the response message.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication method of the networking system further includes: timing in response to the sending of a probe message; and using a message received within a target time period that matches the type of the probe message as a response message.

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication method of the networking system further includes: performing anomaly location analysis on the hybrid networking system based on device identification information in device information obtained from parsing response messages and a set of reference device identification information stored in the main networking device that represents networking devices in the hybrid networking system, and determining the anomaly location result; and updating the network topology of the hybrid networking system when the anomaly location result indicates that there is a network anomaly in a slave networking device in the hybrid networking system.

[0012] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication method for a networking system, comprising: receiving a probe message sent from a master networking device in a hybrid networking system, wherein the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system have different networking device types; generating a response message for the probe message using response message generation code configured on the slave networking devices; and sending the response message to the master networking device so that the master networking device can determine the networking device type of the sender of the response message, and parsing the response message using a parsing strategy matching the networking device type to obtain device information about the slave networking devices in the response message.

[0013] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a hybrid networking system, comprising: a master networking device, configured to send probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system; receive response messages from slave networking devices in response to the probe messages, and determine the networking device type of the sender of the response messages; parse the response messages using a parsing strategy matching the networking device type to obtain device information about the slave networking devices in the response messages; and at least one slave networking device, configured to receive probe messages from the master networking device, generate response messages in response to the probe messages using response message generation code configured on the slave networking device, and send the response messages to the master networking device; wherein the networking device types of the master networking device and at least two of the at least one slave networking device in the hybrid networking system are different.

[0014] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication apparatus for a networking system, comprising: a first message sending module, configured to send probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system in response to the completion of the hybrid networking system construction, wherein the network device types of the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; a first message receiving module, configured to determine the network device type of the sender of the response message in response to receiving a response message sent by a slave networking device in response to the probe message, wherein the response message is generated using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device; and a message parsing module, configured to parse the response message using a parsing strategy matching the network device type to obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication apparatus for a networking system, comprising: a second message receiving module for receiving probe messages sent from a master networking device in a hybrid networking system, wherein the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system have different networking device types; a message generation module for generating response messages for the probe messages using response message generation codes configured on the slave networking devices; and a second message sending module for sending response messages to the master networking device, so that the master networking device can determine the networking device type of the sender of the response message, and parse the response message using a parsing strategy matching the networking device type to obtain device information about the slave networking devices in the response message.

[0016] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic device, including: one or more processors; and a memory for storing one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to implement the method described above.

[0017] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, are used to implement the methods described above.

[0018] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer program product including computer-executable instructions that, when executed, are used to implement the methods described above.

[0019] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a process is implemented whereby the master networking device sends probe messages to different types of slave networking devices, determines the networking device type based on the returned response messages, and matches a resolution strategy based on the networking device type. This process achieves communication compatibility across different networking device types in a hybrid networking system. By dynamically selecting the resolution method for different slave networking device types, the communication method of the networking system can adapt to networking devices of different types, ensuring that the master networking device can accurately obtain information from each slave networking device, thereby improving the communication reliability and flexibility of the hybrid networking system. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 The illustrations illustrate exemplary system architectures of communication methods, hybrid networking systems, apparatuses, and devices applicable to networking systems according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0023] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a network topology constructed using a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 4A The diagram illustrates the network topology updated by the communication method of the networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 4B The diagram illustrates an updated network topology based on a communication method of a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a communication method of a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 6A The illustration schematically shows a timing diagram of the interaction process for constructing a network topology in a communication method of a hybrid networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 6B The diagram illustrates a timing sequence of the interaction process for updating the network topology in a communication method of a hybrid networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 7 A block diagram of a communication apparatus for a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0030] Figure 8 A block diagram of a communication apparatus for a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0031] Figure 9 A block diagram of an electronic device suitable for implementing a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure for ease of explanation. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0033] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used herein indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0034] All terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein are to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the context of this specification, and not in an idealized or overly rigid way.

[0035] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B and C", they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B and C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having A alone, a system having B alone, a system having C alone, a system having A and B, a system having A and C, a system having B and C, and / or a system having A, B and C, etc.).

[0036] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the collection, updating, analysis, processing, use, transmission, provision, disclosure, and storage of data (e.g., including but not limited to user personal information) comply with relevant laws and regulations, are used for legitimate purposes, and do not violate public order and good morals. In particular, necessary measures have been taken to prevent unauthorized access to user personal information data and to safeguard user personal information security, network security, and national security.

[0037] In practical applications, network systems need to provide network services to a large number of terminal devices, which typically have diverse communication requirements. Therefore, simply using a single type of network device to build the network system is insufficient to meet these communication needs. However, flexibly selecting different types of network devices according to communication requirements can negatively impact the performance of the network system due to difficulties in information exchange between different types of network devices.

[0038] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method for a networking system, comprising: in response to the completion of a hybrid networking system, sending probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system, wherein the network device types of the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; in response to receiving a response message from a slave networking device in response to the probe message, determining the network device type of the sender of the response message, wherein the response message is generated using a response message generation code configured on the slave networking device; and parsing the response message using a parsing strategy matching the network device type to obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

[0039] Figure 1 The illustrations illustrate exemplary system architectures of communication methods, hybrid networking systems, apparatuses, and devices applicable to networking systems according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] It is important to note that Figure 1 The examples shown are merely examples of system architectures that can be applied to the embodiments of this disclosure, in order to help those skilled in the art understand the technical content of this disclosure, but do not mean that the embodiments of this disclosure cannot be used in other devices, systems, environments or scenarios.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the system architecture 100 of the hybrid networking system may include a master networking device 101 and at least one slave networking device. Figure 1The diagram shows three slave networking devices: a first slave networking device 102, a second slave networking device 103, and a third slave networking device 104. The master networking device 101 and at least two of the slave networking devices (i.e., the first slave networking device 102, the second slave networking device 103, and the third slave networking device 104) in the hybrid networking system 100 have different networking device types.

[0042] The master networking device 101 is used to send probe messages to each slave networking device (first slave networking device 102, second slave networking device 103, and third slave networking device 104) in the hybrid networking system 100, and to receive response messages from the slave networking devices (first slave networking device 102, second slave networking device 103, and third slave networking device 104) in response to the probe messages, thereby determining the networking device type of the sender of the response message. The response message is then parsed using a parsing strategy matching the networking device type to obtain device information about the slave networking devices from the response message.

[0043] The slave networking devices (first slave networking device 102, second slave networking device 103, and third slave networking device 104) are respectively used to receive probe packets sent from the master networking device 101, generate response packets for the probe packets using response packet generation codes configured in the slave networking devices (first slave networking device 102, second slave networking device 103, and third slave networking device 104), and send the response packets to the master networking device 101. Each slave networking device is directly or indirectly connected to the master networking device 101 via wired or wireless connection.

[0044] The main network device 101, the first slave network device 102, the second slave network device 103, and the third slave network device 104 are each capable of providing network services to external terminal devices. Specifically, the main network device 101 provides network services to the first terminal device 1011, the first slave network device 102 provides network services to the second terminal device 1021, the second slave network device 103 provides network services to the third terminal device 1031, and the third slave network device 104 provides network services to the fourth terminal device 1041.

[0045] The hybrid networking system 110 also includes a client 105, which is connected to the main networking system 101. The client 105 can obtain the device information of each slave networking device collected by the main networking device 101, and determine the network topology of each networking device in the hybrid networking system 110 based on the device information.

[0046] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0047] like Figure 2As shown, the method includes operations S210~S230, and the method can be applied to the main networking device in a hybrid networking system.

[0048] In operation S210, in response to the completion of the hybrid networking system, probe messages are sent to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system.

[0049] A network system is a system formed by connecting multiple independent devices through communication links and network equipment, enabling data transmission, resource sharing, and collaborative operation. A hybrid network system refers to a network system in which the devices are not entirely of the same type.

[0050] After the hybrid networking system is built, one of the multiple devices can be designated as the master networking device, and at least one other device can be designated as a slave networking device. The master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices are of different networking device types.

[0051] The master network device generates a probe message and sends the probe message to each slave network device to probe the device information of each slave network device.

[0052] In operation S220, in response to receiving a response message from a network device for a probe message, the type of network device that sent the response message is determined.

[0053] After receiving a probe message from the master network device, each slave network device can generate a response message using the response message generation code configured on the slave network device, and then send the response message to the master network device. The message generation code configured on the slave network device is used to encapsulate the device information of the slave network device into a response message that matches the network device type of the slave network device.

[0054] The aforementioned device information may include the device identification information, product model, physical address, Internet Protocol address (IP address), network type, number of online terminals, signal strength, etc., of the network type, which may include wired networking that communicates via wired signals and wireless networking that communicates via wireless signals. The number of online terminals indicates the number of terminals connected to the network device. The signal strength can be determined by the signal attenuation, which can be set to a value range of [-100, 0], in decibels per milliwatt (dBm). The higher the signal strength, the lower the attenuation. In the case of a wired network, the signal strength is set to 0.

[0055] After receiving the response message, the main network device can determine the type of network device that sent the response message based on the message's format, specific fields, and other information.

[0056] When operating S230, the response message is parsed using a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to obtain device information about the network device in the response message.

[0057] When parsing messages generated by network devices of different types, different parsing strategies are used. The main network device stores parsing strategies that match the various network device types. Therefore, by using the parsing strategy that matches the network device type, the response message can be parsed and the device information of the secondary network device can be obtained.

[0058] According to embodiments of this disclosure, for a hybrid networking system, a process is implemented where the master networking device sends probe messages to different types of slave networking devices, determines the networking device type based on the returned response messages, and matches a resolution strategy based on the networking device type. This process achieves communication compatibility across different networking device types in the hybrid networking system. Dynamically selecting the resolution method for different slave networking device types allows the communication method of the networking system to adapt to networking devices of different types, ensuring that the master networking device can accurately obtain information from each slave networking device, thereby improving the communication reliability and flexibility of the hybrid networking system.

[0059] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication method of the networking system further includes: sending device information of the slave networking device and device information of the master networking device to the client, so that the client can determine the networking topology characterizing the hybrid networking system based on the device information of the slave networking device and the device information of the master networking device.

[0060] The master network device can obtain the device information of each slave network device by parsing the response messages of each slave network device. The master network device sends the device information of the slave network devices together with the device information of the master network device to the client. The device information of the master network device may include the operating mode, product model, physical address, IP address, number of online terminals, etc. The operating mode may include wireless access point mode and routing mode.

[0061] Since the device information includes parameters related to the hybrid networking system, such as network type and device address information, a network topology representing the hybrid networking system can be constructed based on the device information of the master network device and the slave network device. In this topology, nodes represent master or slave network devices, edges between nodes indicate communication relationships between the network devices corresponding to the connected nodes, and other device information can be represented in node information or edge weights.

[0062] After the network topology is constructed, it can be displayed on the client's display device so that the administrator of the hybrid network system can view the content displayed on the device and monitor and manage the overall topology and working status of the hybrid network system.

[0063] According to embodiments of this disclosure, information about the primary and secondary network devices is sent to the client to generate a network topology, enabling a visual representation of the hybrid network status. Administrators can intuitively grasp the structure of the network system through the client and achieve efficient management of the hybrid network system, facilitating quick location of network devices and the connection status between them, thus improving the operational efficiency of the network system.

[0064] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a network topology constructed using a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, the network topology 300 includes a first node 301 for indicating the master network device, a second node 302 for indicating the first slave network device, a third node 303 for indicating the second slave network device, and a fourth node 304 for indicating the third slave network device.

[0066] Based on the device information of the main network device and the device information of each slave network device, the connection relationship between multiple network devices can be determined. By using edges to connect the nodes corresponding to the network devices with connection relationships, the network topology of the hybrid network system can be obtained.

[0067] For the first node 301, since it corresponds to the main network device, its device information includes operating mode, product model, physical address, IP address, and number of online terminals. This information can be stored and represented as node attributes. The routing mode is a Boolean value; 0 indicates wireless access point mode, and 1 indicates routing mode. This is because... Figure 1 It can be determined that there is currently one terminal device accessing the network through the main networking device, therefore the number of online terminals is 1.

[0068] For the slave networking devices, taking the third node 303 used to indicate the second slave networking device as an example, the identification method of other nodes is the same as that of the third node 303, and will not be repeated here. For the second slave networking device, its device information includes device identification information, product model, physical address, IP address, number of online terminals, signal strength, and network type.

[0069] The network type represents the communication method between the second slave network device and the master network device. Since the communication method is a wired backhaul link, the network type can be represented in the edge attribute of the edge between the first node 301 and the third node 303. Other device attributes besides the network type are attributes of the second slave network device itself, and therefore can be represented as node attributes of the third node 303.

[0070] It should be noted that since the second slave networking device is connected to the master networking device via a wired backhaul link, the value representing the signal strength in the node attributes of the third node 303 is 0.

[0071] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a master networking device in a hybrid networking system sends probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system, including: running probe message generation code configured in the master networking device to generate probe messages of the target message type; and broadcasting the probe messages to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system.

[0072] The probe message generation code can be used to generate a probe message of the target message type corresponding to the network device type of the master network device. This probe message is used to instruct the slave network device that receives the probe message to generate a response message.

[0073] Since the hybrid networking system is in a state of being newly built or potentially being updated when the probe message is sent, the master networking device has difficulty accurately knowing the address information of each slave networking device. Therefore, the probe message can be sent by broadcasting within the hybrid networking system.

[0074] According to embodiments of this disclosure, probe messages are generated and broadcast by the master network device using predictive message generation code, ensuring the standardization and comprehensive coverage of the probe messages. The unified message generation logic avoids abnormal responses from slave network devices due to inconsistent probe formats, while the broadcast method ensures that probe messages efficiently reach all slave network devices, reducing the number of communication interactions and improving the efficiency of the probe process.

[0075] According to embodiments of this disclosure, determining the network device type of the sender of a response message includes: determining a target field from the response message for indicating the network device type of the sender; and determining the network device type of the sender based on the target field.

[0076] The response message includes multiple fields, each encapsulating a sub-information of the device information. These fields are arranged in a preset order. Therefore, the target field indicating the network device type of the sending end can be determined within these fields. After receiving the response message, the field at the selected target location is the target field. Parsing the target field determines the network device type of the sending end.

[0077] According to embodiments of this disclosure, target fields are extracted from response messages to determine the network device type, enabling rapid identification of network device types. The explicit targeting of the target fields avoids complex type judgment logic, solves the problem of high time consumption or misjudgment in network device type identification when multiple types of network devices are used together, and provides an accurate basis for subsequent matching and parsing strategies.

[0078] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the response message is parsed using a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to obtain device information about the network device in the response message, including: determining a target parsing code that matches the network device type from a set of parsing codes; and using the target parsing code to parse the response message to obtain device information in the response message.

[0079] The primary network device stores a set of parsing codes. This set includes multiple parsing codes, each used to parse response messages for a specific network device type. After determining the network device type of the sender of the response message, the target parsing code that matches that network device type can be determined from the set of parsing codes.

[0080] The target parsing code can be used to parse other fields in the response message, except for the target field which indicates the network device type of the sender, to obtain other device information carried in the response message.

[0081] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the target parsing code is invoked from the parsing code set based on the device type, achieving dynamic adaptation of the parsing logic. Different types of network devices correspond to exclusive parsing rules, eliminating the need to set up additional communication channels. Communication between mixed network devices can be achieved through software, ensuring the accuracy of parsing information from network devices and reducing information loss or errors caused by format differences.

[0082] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication method of the networking system further includes: timing in response to the sending of a probe message; and using a message received within a target time period that matches the type of the probe message as a response message.

[0083] Since probe messages are broadcast, it is difficult to receive responses using the request-response mechanism in point-to-point communication. In this case, a target time period can be set. The timer starts after the main network device sends a probe message and stops when the target time period is reached. The number of response messages received within the target time period is then counted. Preferably, the target time period can be set to 60 seconds.

[0084] During the target time period, the primary network device can continuously communicate with its online terminals and secondary network devices. Therefore, the primary network device can receive a large number of messages during this time period. Since the response message is sent by the network device in response to the received probe message, the response message type matches the probe message type. Messages received during the target time period that match the probe message type can be used as response messages.

[0085] According to embodiments of this disclosure, matching messages within a target time period are selected as response messages by timing, effectively filtering out interference from timed-out or irrelevant messages. This avoids misjudging invalid responses caused by network latency or irrelevant signals, ensuring the timeliness and relevance of response messages, and improving the anti-interference capability of communication interactions.

[0086] After determining the network topology representing the hybrid networking system, the client can synchronize the network topology with the master networking device. The master networking device can determine the slave networking devices in the current hybrid networking system based on the nodes in the network topology, and use the device identification information of each of the slave networking devices as reference device identification information to construct a reference device identification information set.

[0087] During the operation of a hybrid networking system, situations may arise such as network failures in slave devices, reduced network speeds, and the addition or removal of slave devices. Therefore, the master network device can periodically send probe messages and, based on the received response messages, verify and update the network topology to promptly synchronize changes in the hybrid networking system to the network topology.

[0088] Specifically, the communication method of the networking system also includes: performing anomaly location analysis on the hybrid networking system based on the device identification information in the device information obtained from parsing the response message and the reference device identification information set representing the networking devices in the hybrid networking system stored in the main networking device, and determining the anomaly location result; and updating the network topology of the hybrid networking system when the anomaly location result indicates that there are network anomalies in the slave networking devices of the hybrid networking system.

[0089] The main network device parses the device identification information from at least one received response message, and compares the at least one device identification information with the reference device identification information stored in the reference device identification information set. It determines whether there is missing device identification information in the reference device identification information set but which was not obtained by parsing, or whether there is new device identification information in the reference device identification information set but which was obtained by parsing. Based on the missing device identification information and / or the new device identification information, it determines the abnormal location result.

[0090] If the abnormal location result is an empty set, it means that the device identification information obtained by parsing is completely consistent with the reference device identification information in the reference device identification information set and corresponds one-to-one. In this case, it can be determined that the abnormal location result represents a slave network device in the hybrid network that does not have network abnormalities.

[0091] If the anomaly location result is an empty set, it indicates a difference between the parsed device identification information and the reference device identification information in the reference device identification information set. This means the anomaly location result indicates a network anomaly in a slave device within the hybrid network system. Based on the missing and / or newly added device identification information, the network topology of the hybrid network system is updated.

[0092] Specifically, for missing device identification information, the node corresponding to the missing device identification information and the edges associated with that node can be deleted from the network topology. For newly added device identification information, a node corresponding to the newly added device identification information can be added to the network topology, and the edges associated with that node can be determined based on the device information of each slave network device, thus completing the network topology update. Through the above updates, administrators of the hybrid network system can promptly obtain information about changes in the hybrid network system through client display devices, and respond promptly to unexpected changes, maintaining the stability of the hybrid network system.

[0093] According to embodiments of this disclosure, by comparing device identifiers, offline or newly added abnormal slave devices can be detected in a timely manner, and the network topology can be updated based on the abnormal slave devices, realizing dynamic fault detection of hybrid networking. This enables timely troubleshooting of abnormal slave devices, ensuring the real-time nature of the network topology, and thus guaranteeing the stability and continuity of the networking system.

[0094] Figure 4A The diagram illustrates the network topology updated by the communication method of the networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0095] like Figure 4AAs shown, if the wireless backhaul link between the third slave network device and the first slave network device is disconnected, a fourth slave network device is added to the hybrid network system. The fourth slave network device communicates with the main network device via a wired backhaul link. Then, the fourth node 304 representing the third slave network device, and the edges associated with the fourth node 304, can be deleted from the network topology. Based on the device information of the fourth slave network device, a fifth node 305 representing the fourth slave network device, and the edges associated with the fifth node 305, are added to the network topology. The device information is then represented in the node attributes of the fifth node 305 or the edge attributes of the edges associated with the fifth node 305.

[0096] In addition to adding or deleting sub-networking devices as mentioned above, if the sub-networking devices themselves remain unchanged, but the signal strength of the sub-networking devices changes significantly, this can also be reflected in the hybrid networking system.

[0097] Specifically, based on the signal strength information in the device information obtained from parsing the response message, and the reference signal strength information set representing the network devices in the hybrid network system stored in the main network device, signal anomaly analysis is performed on the hybrid network system to determine the signal anomaly analysis results; if the signal anomaly analysis results indicate that there are slave network devices with signal anomalies in the hybrid network system, the network topology of the hybrid network system is updated.

[0098] The detection and analysis process for signal strength information is similar to that for device identification information. When it is determined that the difference between the signal strength information of a slave device and the reference signal strength information set indicates that the difference is greater than a signal difference threshold, the signal anomaly analysis result can be used to characterize the signal anomaly of the slave device.

[0099] In this case, since the slave network device still exists in the hybrid network system and only the signal strength has changed, it is not necessary to update the nodes and edges in the network topology. Instead, the nodes representing the slave network device in the network topology can be highlighted, for example, by thickening the edges or adding fill colors, to prompt the administrator to pay attention to and detect the signal anomalies of the slave network device in a timely manner.

[0100] Figure 4B The diagram illustrates an updated network topology based on a communication method of a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] like Figure 4B As shown, the second slave network device represented by the third node 303 switches from a wired backhaul link to a wireless backhaul link. Since the second slave network device and the master network device still have a communication relationship at this time, the edge between the third node 303 and the first node 301 remains unchanged.

[0102] In this case, the third node 303 can be marked as a solid node, and the information that has changed can be highlighted. Figure 4B The underlined markers indicate changes to nodes and related network devices, allowing administrators to promptly identify such changes based on the network topology.

[0103] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a communication method of a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0104] like Figure 5 As shown, the method includes operations S510~S530, and the method can be applied to slave networking devices in a hybrid networking system.

[0105] When operating the S510, it receives probe messages sent from the main networking device in the hybrid networking system.

[0106] In the hybrid networking system, the main networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices have different networking device types.

[0107] The probe message is sent to the hybrid network system by the primary network device via broadcast. The probe message encapsulates the address information of the primary network device. Therefore, after receiving the probe message, the secondary network device can parse the probe message to obtain the address information of the primary network device.

[0108] When operating the S520, a response message for the probe message is generated using the response message generation code configured from the network device.

[0109] In response to probe messages, network devices can use response message generation code to generate a response message that includes their device information in response to the probe messages.

[0110] When operating S530, a response message is sent to the master network device so that the master network device can determine the network device type of the sender of the response message, and use a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to parse the response message and obtain the device information about the slave network device in the response message.

[0111] Since the address information of the main network device has been obtained after parsing the probe message, the response message can be transmitted point-to-point to the above address information for more efficient and secure transmission of the response message.

[0112] After sending a response message to the primary network device, the primary network device can parse the response message based on the communication method of the network system applied to the primary network device, and obtain the device information about the secondary network device in the response message.

[0113] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the slave network device generates a response message through a response message generation code and feeds it back to the master network device, ensuring the standardization and compatibility of the response signal. The unified response generation logic allows the master network device to recognize the message formats of different types of slave network devices, solving the problem of format chaos when multiple types of network devices respond autonomously. Combined with the master network device's adaptation and parsing, this achieves smooth bidirectional communication in the hybrid network system.

[0114] Figure 6A The illustration schematically shows a timing diagram of the interaction process for constructing a network topology in a communication method of a hybrid networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] like Figure 6A As shown, the interaction process includes operations S601 to S611.

[0116] When operating S601, the master networking device generates a probe message and sends probe messages to the slave networking devices, and the timer starts.

[0117] When operating S602, a response message is generated from the network device in response to the probe message.

[0118] When operating S603, the network device sends a response message to the main network device.

[0119] When operating S604, the main network device receives and temporarily stores the received messages.

[0120] When operating S605, after the target time period is reached, a message for the probe message is determined from the currently received messages and used as a response message.

[0121] When operating S606, the network device type of the sender of the response message is determined based on the response message.

[0122] When operating S607, determine the parsing strategy for response messages based on the type of network devices.

[0123] When operating S608, the response message is parsed based on the parsing policy to obtain the device information from the network devices.

[0124] When operating S609, the primary network device sends device information of the primary network device and device information of the secondary network device to the client.

[0125] When operating the S610, the client generates the network topology of the hybrid networking system based on the received device information.

[0126] When operating S611, the client sends the network topology to the main network device.

[0127] Figure 6BThe diagram illustrates a timing sequence of the interaction process for updating the network topology in a communication method of a hybrid networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0128] like Figure 6B As shown, the interaction process includes operations S612 to S623, which are executed after S611 ends.

[0129] When operating S612, the main network device constructs a reference device identification information set based on the network topology.

[0130] Operations S613 to S620 are similar to operations S601 to S608, and will not be described in detail here.

[0131] When operating S621, anomaly location analysis is performed based on the device information and reference device identification information set obtained from the parsed network devices.

[0132] When operating S622, if the anomaly analysis results indicate that there is a network anomaly in the network system, the device information of the network devices will be sent to the client.

[0133] When operating S623, the client updates the network topology based on the device information from the network devices.

[0134] Figure 7 A block diagram of a communication apparatus for a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0135] like Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 700 of the networking system in the embodiment of this disclosure includes a first message sending module 710, a first message receiving module 720, and a message parsing module 730.

[0136] The first message sending module 710 is configured to send probe messages to each slave network device in the hybrid network system in response to the completion of the hybrid network system construction. The master network device and at least two of the slave network devices in the hybrid network system have different network device types. In one embodiment, the first message sending module 710 can be used to perform the operation S210 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0137] The first message receiving module 720 is configured to, in response to receiving a response message from a slave network device in response to a probe message, determine the type of the network device sending the response message, wherein the response message is generated using response message generation code configured on the slave network device. In one embodiment, the first message receiving module 720 may be used to perform the operation S220 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0138] The message parsing module 730 is used to parse the response message using a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to obtain device information about the network device in the response message. In one embodiment, the message parsing module 730 can be used to perform the operation S230 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0139] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication device 700 of the networking system further includes an information transmission module.

[0140] The information sending module is used to send the device information of the slave networking devices and the main networking devices to the client, so that the client can determine the network topology representing the hybrid networking system based on the device information of the slave networking devices and the main networking devices.

[0141] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message sending module 710 includes a code execution submodule and a message sending submodule.

[0142] The code execution submodule is used to run the probe packet generation code configured in the main network device to generate probe packets of the target packet type.

[0143] The message sending submodule is used to send probe messages to each slave network device in the hybrid network system via broadcast.

[0144] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message receiving module 720 includes a field determination submodule and a type determination submodule.

[0145] The field determination submodule is used to determine the target field from the response message that indicates the type of network device sent by the sender.

[0146] The type determination submodule is used to determine the network device type of the sending end based on the target field.

[0147] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the message parsing module 730 includes a code determination submodule and a message parsing submodule.

[0148] The code determination submodule is used to determine the target parsing code that matches the network device type from the parsing code set.

[0149] The message parsing submodule is used to parse the response message using the target parsing code to obtain the device information in the response message.

[0150] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication device 700 of the networking system further includes a timing module and a message determination module.

[0151] The timing module is used to time the event in response to the sending of a probe message.

[0152] The message determination module is used to select messages received within the target time period that match the type of the probe message as response messages.

[0153] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communication device 700 of the networking system further includes a system analysis module and a topology update module.

[0154] The system analysis module is used to perform anomaly location analysis on the hybrid networking system based on the device identification information in the device information obtained from the parsing of the response message and the reference device identification information set representing the networking devices in the hybrid networking system stored in the main networking device, and to determine the anomaly location result.

[0155] The topology update module is used to update the network topology of the hybrid networking system when the abnormal location results indicate that there are network anomalies in the slave networking devices of the hybrid networking system.

[0156] Figure 8 A block diagram of a communication apparatus for a networking system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0157] like Figure 8 As shown, the communication device 800 of the networking system in the embodiment of this disclosure includes a second message receiving module 810, a message generating module 820, and a second message sending module 830.

[0158] The second message receiving module 810 is used to receive probe messages sent from the master networking device in a hybrid networking system, wherein the master networking device and at least two of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system have different networking device types. In one embodiment, the second message receiving module 810 can be used to perform the operation S510 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0159] The message generation module 820 is used to generate a response message for the probe message using the response message generation code configured in the network device. In one embodiment, the message generation module 820 can be used to perform the operation S520 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0160] The second message sending module 830 is used to send a response message to the primary network device so that the primary network device can determine the network device type of the sender of the response message, and parse the response message using a parsing strategy that matches the network device type to obtain the device information about the slave network device in the response message. In one embodiment, the second message sending module 830 can be used to perform the operation S530 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0161] Any one or more of the modules, submodules, units, and subunits according to embodiments of the present disclosure, or at least part of the functions of any one or more of them, can be implemented in one module. Any one or more of the modules, submodules, units, and subunits according to embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by dividing them into multiple modules. Any one or more of the modules, submodules, units, and subunits according to embodiments of the present disclosure can be at least partially implemented as hardware circuitry, such as a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable Logic Array (PLA), a System-on-Chip, a System-on-a-Substrate, a System-on-Package, an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or implemented in hardware or firmware by any other reasonable means of integrating or packaging circuitry, or implemented in software, hardware, or firmware, or in any suitable combination of any of these three implementation methods. Alternatively, one or more of the modules, submodules, units, and subunits according to embodiments of the present disclosure can be at least partially implemented as computer program modules, which, when run, can perform corresponding functions.

[0162] For example, any and more of the first message sending module 710, the first message receiving module 720, the message parsing module 730, the second message receiving module 810, the message generation module 820, and the second message sending module 830 can be combined into one module / unit / subunit, or any one of these modules / units / subunits can be split into multiple modules / units / subunits. Alternatively, at least some of the functions of one or more of these modules / units / subunits can be combined with at least some of the functions of other modules / units / subunits and implemented in one module / unit / subunit. According to embodiments of this disclosure, at least one of the first message sending module 710, the first message receiving module 720, the message parsing module 730, the second message receiving module 810, the message generating module 820, and the second message sending module 830 can be at least partially implemented as hardware circuits, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), systems-on-a-chip, systems-on-a-substrate, systems-on-package, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other reasonable means of integrating or packaging circuits, or implemented in hardware or firmware, or in any one of software, hardware, and firmware implementations, or in a suitable combination of any of these. Alternatively, at least one of the first message sending module 710, the first message receiving module 720, the message parsing module 730, the second message receiving module 810, the message generating module 820, and the second message sending module 830 can be at least partially implemented as a computer program module, which can perform corresponding functions when the computer program module is run.

[0163] It should be noted that the communication device part of the networking system in the embodiments of this disclosure corresponds to the communication method part of the networking system in the embodiments of this disclosure. For a detailed description of the communication device part of the networking system, please refer to the communication method part of the networking system, which will not be repeated here.

[0164] Figure 9 A block diagram of an electronic device suitable for implementing a communication method of a networking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0165] Figure 9 The electronic device shown is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0166] like Figure 9 As shown, an electronic device 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a processor 901, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 902 or a program loaded from a storage portion 908 into a random access memory (RAM) 903. The processor 901 may include, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor (e.g., a CPU), an instruction set processor and / or an associated chipset and / or a special-purpose microprocessor (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), etc. The processor 901 may also include onboard memory for caching purposes. The processor 901 may include a single processing unit or multiple processing units for performing different actions of the method flow according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0167] RAM 903 stores various programs and data required for the operation of electronic device 900. Processor 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903 are interconnected via bus 904. Processor 901 performs various operations of the method flow according to embodiments of the present disclosure by executing programs in ROM 902 and / or RAM 903. It should be noted that programs may also be stored in one or more memories other than ROM 902 and RAM 903. Processor 901 may also perform various operations of the method flow according to embodiments of the present disclosure by executing programs stored in one or more memories.

[0168] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electronic device 900 may further include an input / output (I / O) interface 905, which is also connected to a bus 904. The system 900 may also include one or more of the following components connected to the input / output (I / O) interface 905: an input section 906 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output section 907 including a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and a speaker, etc.; a storage section 908 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 909 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, modem, etc. The communication section 909 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 910 is also connected to the input / output (I / O) interface 905 as needed. A removable medium 911, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., is installed on the drive 910 as needed so that computer programs read from it can be installed into the storage section 908 as needed.

[0169] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method flow according to embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowchart. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 909, and / or installed from removable medium 911. When the computer program is executed by processor 901, it performs the functions defined in the system of embodiments of this disclosure. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the systems, devices, apparatuses, modules, units, etc., described above can be implemented by computer program modules.

[0170] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which may be included in the device / apparatus / system described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the device / apparatus / system. The computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs that, when executed, implement the method according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0171] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the computer-readable storage medium can be a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. Examples include, but are not limited to: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this disclosure, the computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0172] For example, according to embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may include the ROM 902 and / or RAM 903 described above and / or one or more memories other than ROM 902 and RAM 903.

[0173] Embodiments of this disclosure also include a computer program product comprising a computer program containing program code for performing the methods provided in the embodiments of this disclosure. When the computer program product is run on an electronic device, the program code is used to enable the electronic device to implement the methods provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0174] When the computer program is executed by the processor 901, it performs the functions defined in the system / apparatus of this disclosure embodiments. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the systems, apparatuses, modules, units, etc., described above can be implemented by computer program modules.

[0175] In one embodiment, the computer program may rely on a tangible storage medium such as an optical storage device or a magnetic storage device. In another embodiment, the computer program may also be transmitted and distributed in the form of signals over a network medium, and downloaded and installed via the communication section 909, and / or installed from a removable medium 911. The program code contained in the computer program can be transmitted using any suitable network medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wired, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0176] According to embodiments of this disclosure, program code for executing the computer programs provided in embodiments of this disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. Specifically, these computational programs can be implemented using high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. Programming languages ​​include, but are not limited to, languages ​​such as Java, C++, Python, "C", or similar programming languages. The program code can execute entirely on a user's computing device, partially on a user's device, partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0177] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. Those skilled in the art will understand that the features recited in the various embodiments and / or claims of this disclosure can be combined and / or combined in various ways, even if such combinations or combinations are not expressly described in this disclosure. In particular, the features described in the various embodiments and / or claims of this disclosure may be combined and / or combined in various ways without departing from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure. All such combinations and / or combinations fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0178] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Although various embodiments have been described above, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used advantageously in combination. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for communication of a networking system, comprising: sending a probe packet to each slave networking device in a hybrid networking system in response to the hybrid networking system being built up, wherein a master networking device in the hybrid networking system and at least two networking devices of each of the slave networking devices are of different networking device types; determining a networking device type of a sending end of a response packet to the probe packet in response to receiving the response packet sent by the slave networking device, wherein the response packet is generated by a response packet generation code configured to the slave networking device; and analyzing the response packet by using an analysis strategy matching the networking device type to obtain device information of the slave networking device in the response packet. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending the device information of the slave networking device and device information of the master networking device to a client, so that the client determines a networking topology of the hybrid networking system based on the device information of the slave networking device and the device information of the master networking device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The sending of the probe packet to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system comprises: running a probe packet generation code configured to the master networking device to generate the probe packet of a target packet type; and sending the probe packet to each of the slave networking devices in the hybrid networking system by broadcasting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The determination of the networking device type of the sending end of the response packet comprises: determining a target field indicating the networking device type of the sending end from the response packet; and determining the networking device type of the sending end based on the target field.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The analyzing of the response packet by using the analysis strategy matching the networking device type to obtain the device information of the slave networking device in the response packet comprises: determining a target analysis code matching the networking device type from a set of analysis codes; and analyzing the response packet by using the target analysis code to obtain the device information in the response packet. 6.The method of claim 1, further comprising: timing in response to the probe packet being sent; and receiving a packet matching the probe packet type within a target time period as the response packet. 7.The method of claim 6, further comprising: performing an abnormal positioning analysis on the hybrid networking system based on the device identification information in the device information obtained from the response packet and a set of reference device identification information stored in the master networking device and representing the networking devices in the hybrid networking system to determine an abnormal positioning result; and updating a networking topology of the hybrid networking system in a case where the abnormal positioning result represents a slave networking device with network abnormality in the hybrid networking system. 8.A method for communication of a networking system, comprising: ​ ​ receive a probe message sent by a master networking device in a hybrid networking system, wherein networking device types of at least two networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; generate a response message for the probe message by using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device; and send the response message to the master networking device, so that the master networking device determines a networking device type of a sending end of the response message, analyzes the response message by using an analysis strategy matched with the networking device type, and obtains device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

9. A hybrid networking system, comprising: a master networking device configured to send a probe message to each slave networking device in the hybrid networking system; receive a response message for the probe message sent by the slave networking device, and determine a networking device type of a sending end of the response message; analyze the response message by using an analysis strategy matched with the networking device type, and obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message; at least one slave networking device configured to receive the probe message sent by the master networking device, generate the response message for the probe message by using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device, and send the response message to the master networking device; wherein networking device types of at least two networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different.

10. A communication apparatus of a networking system, comprising: a first message sending module configured to send a probe message to each slave networking device in a hybrid networking system in response to that the hybrid networking system has been constructed, wherein networking device types of at least two networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; a first message receiving module configured to determine a networking device type of a sending end of a response message for the probe message in response to receiving the response message sent by the slave networking device, wherein the response message is generated by using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device; and a message analyzing module configured to analyze the response message by using an analysis strategy matched with the networking device type, and obtain device information about the slave networking device in the response message.

11. A communication apparatus of a networking system, comprising: a second message receiving module configured to receive a probe message sent by a master networking device in a hybrid networking system, wherein networking device types of at least two networking devices in the hybrid networking system are different; a message generating module configured to generate a response message for the probe message by using a response message generation code configured in the slave networking device; and A second packet sending module is configured to send the response packet to the master networking device, so that the master networking device determines the type of the sending end of the response packet, and uses a resolution strategy matched with the type of the networking device to resolve the response packet to obtain the device information about the slave networking device in the response packet. 12.An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; memory storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 8. 13.A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 8. 14.A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.

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