Methods and devices for managing daisy-chained electronic device

Abstract

A method performed by an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: identifying a source MAC (Media Access Control) address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower level of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list; and transmitting the first notification message to a management device for managing a daisy chain including the electronic device. In this case, the electronic device performing the method may refer to a first-level electronic device connected to the management device via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link at each site.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication system, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for managing electronic devices configured in a daisy chain in a communication system. Background Technology

[0002] A daisy chain is a method of connecting multiple electronic devices (or communication devices, base station equipment, or network equipment (NE)) in a line. Each electronic device has a unique MAC address, and since the MAC address is public, it can be identified on the network. The connection order of the connection layer between multiple electronic devices can be determined using the MAC address of each electronic device.

[0003] When electronic devices are configured in a daisy chain, some electronic devices are connected only to the front and rear electronic devices, and multiple electronic devices can share the E1 relay line for connecting to the center or hub, which reduces the amount and complexity of wiring required. Additionally, new electronic devices added to the site can simply be connected sequentially to the existing chain, making system expansion convenient. Furthermore, since the number of backhaul or fronthaul links that each electronic device must support can be reduced, it can be advantageous for cost reduction and long-term value creation.

[0004] However, when multiple electronic devices are configured in a daisy chain, only some of the electronic devices (hereinafter referred to as first-level electronic devices) are connected to a central hub or switch, while the other electronic devices are not connected to the center; thus, it is impossible to verify the connection relationships (e.g., connection order) of the electronic devices and their actual topology. In practice, on the management screen of an operator servicing a communication network using these electronic devices, each electronic device constituting the daisy chain is displayed as being independently connected to the center, which may be depicted in a manner significantly different from reality.

[0005] For example, when configuring a daisy chain, it is impossible to determine how many electronic devices are sharing the total traffic flowing into the daisy chain at which level. Since operators cannot verify the connection relationships of electronic devices from management devices such as a remote management server, unexpected service failures may occur if the daisy chain configuration changes during operation or if software package updates are performed on a per-device basis.

[0007] The topology of multiple electronic devices can provide information on how the nodes constituting the network are connected, thereby enabling the calculation of the traffic capacity required for each node connection. In the event of a service failure where an electronic device is unable to communicate with the management device, the management device cannot obtain the daisy chain topology; consequently, it cannot identify which hierarchy of the electronic device has experienced a service failure and is in an abnormal state. Furthermore, since the operator identifies the multiple electronic devices included in the daisy chain merely as independent devices of the same hierarchy, it cannot determine which sites can be added to the daisy chain configuration. The problem to be solved

[0008] The present disclosure may provide topology information when an electronic device is configured in a daisy chain.

[0009] In addition, according to the present disclosure, even when an electronic device cannot communicate directly with a management device, the management device can identify the hierarchy of the electronic device and identify a higher-level electronic device that affects the electronic device.

[0010] In addition, the present disclosure may provide information on the capacity required for each site and daisy chain and the current actual usage.

[0011] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0012] A method performed by an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: identifying a source MAC (Media Access Control) address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list; and transmitting the first notification message to a management device for managing a daisy chain including the electronic device.

[0013] A method performed by an electronic device according to one embodiment includes: identifying the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower level of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; and generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, wherein the first notification message may be leaked to an electronic device of a higher level through an external port of the electronic device.

[0014] A method performed by a management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices according to one embodiment may include: receiving first notification messages generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device; and determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification messages. The first notification messages may include a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list. The MAC address list may include the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into the electronic device through a chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy to the at least one electronic device.

[0015] A management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices according to one embodiment may include a transceiver; a memory for storing a program; and one or more processors. The program may be executed by the one or more processors to enable the management device to: receive first notification messages generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device, and determine the connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification messages. The first notification message may include the MAC (Media Access Control) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list. The MAC address list may include the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into the electronic device through the chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device at a lower level than the at least one electronic device. Effects of the invention

[0016] The present disclosure may provide topology information for cases where electronic devices are configured as a daisy chain. By utilizing the topology information of the daisy chain, the traffic capacity required for each link can be calculated and operated; thus, the traffic capacity of the links to be actually configured can be calculated based on the traffic capacity required for each electronic device, and electronic devices or sites requiring an increase and / or decrease in traffic capacity can be monitored and managed.

[0017] In addition, the present disclosure allows for the identification of the hierarchy of the electronic device when a service failure occurs because the electronic device is unable to communicate with the management device, thereby enabling the determination that the cause of the service failure originated from an electronic device of a higher hierarchy.

[0018] In addition, since the present disclosure can identify the hierarchy of each electronic device configured in a daisy chain, it can determine that a service failure has occurred in an electronic device due to a software or firmware update originating from an upper-level electronic device.

[0019] In addition, the present disclosure can determine the expansion and reduction of electronic devices to enable efficient operation without exceeding the capacity required for each site and daisy chain.

[0020] The effects obtainable from the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communication environment according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment. Figure 3 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner. FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of a MAC address according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating information included in a notification message to determine the connection relationship of a daisy chain of a single site according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a management device according to one embodiment managing a daisy chain of multiple sites. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating information included in a notification message to determine the connection relationship of a daisy chain of multiple sites according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner according to one embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of an electronic device constituting a daisy chain according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates the operation of an electronic device constituting a daisy chain according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 illustrates the operation of a management device according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 illustrates the functional configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0023] In describing the embodiments, technical details that are well known in the art to which this disclosure belongs and are not directly related to this disclosure are omitted. This is intended to convey the essence of this disclosure more clearly without obscuring it by omitting unnecessary explanations.

[0024] For the same reason, some components in the attached drawings have been exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Additionally, the dimensions of each component do not entirely reflect their actual dimensions. Identical or corresponding components in each drawing have been assigned the same reference numbers.

[0025] The advantages and features of the present disclosure, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components. Furthermore, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related function or configuration might unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description is omitted. Additionally, the terms described below are defined considering their functions in the present disclosure, and these may vary depending on the intentions or conventions of the user or operator. Therefore, their definitions should be based on the content throughout the specification.

[0026] In describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, the focus is primarily on the New Radio (NR), which is a wireless access network, and the Packet Core 5G System, 5G Core Network, or NG Core (Next Generation Core), which is a core network, as specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a mobile communication standardization organization. However, the main point of the present disclosure is that it can be applied to other communication systems having a similar technical background with slight modifications without significantly departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and this will be possible at the judgment of a person with skilled technical knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure.

[0027] For convenience of explanation, some terms and names defined in 3GPP standards (specifications for 5G, NR, LTE, or similar systems) may be used below. However, the present disclosure is not limited by these terms and names and may be applied equally to systems conforming to other standards.

[0028] Terms used in the following description to identify connected nodes, terms referring to network entities, terms referring to messages, terms referring to interfaces between network entities, terms referring to various identification information, etc., are examples provided for the convenience of explanation. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the terms used herein, and other terms referring to objects having equivalent technical meanings may be used.

[0029] Hereinafter, the base station is an entity that performs resource allocation for terminals and may be at least one of gNode B, eNode B, Node B, BS (Base Station), wireless access unit, base station controller, or a node on a network. The terminal may include UE (User Equipment), MS (Mobile Station), cellular phone, smartphone, computer, or a multimedia system capable of performing communication functions. In the present disclosure, the downlink (DL) refers to the wireless transmission path of a signal transmitted by the base station to the terminal, and the uplink (UL) refers to the wireless transmission path of a signal transmitted by the terminal to the base station.

[0030] At this point, it will be understood that each block of the process flow diagrams and combinations of the flow diagrams can be executed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions can be loaded into the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create means to perform the functions described in the flow diagram block(s). Since these computer program instructions can also be stored in computer-available or computer-readable memory that can be directed toward the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement the function in a specific way, the instructions stored in computer-available or computer-readable memory can also produce a manufactured item containing instruction means to perform the function described in the flow diagram block(s). Since computer program instructions can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, instructions that perform a series of operation steps on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a process executed by the computer can also provide steps for executing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

[0031] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or part of code containing one or more executable instructions for executing a specific logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative execution examples, the functions mentioned in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks described in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order according to their corresponding functions.

[0032] In this embodiment, the term "part" refers to a software or hardware component such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and the "part" performs certain roles. However, the meaning of "part" is not limited to software or hardware. The "part" may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the "part" includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided within the components and "parts" may be combined into a smaller number of components and "parts" or further separated into additional components and "parts." In addition, the components and '~parts' may be implemented to utilize one or more CPUs (central processing units) within the device or secure multimedia card. Also, in the embodiments, the '~part' may include one or more processors.

[0033] 5G mobile communication technology defines a wide frequency band to enable fast transmission speeds and new services, and can be implemented not only in frequency bands below 6 GHz ('Sub 6 GHz'), such as 3.5 gigahertz (3.5 GHz), but also in ultra-high frequency bands called millimeter waves (mmWave), such as 28 GHz and 39 GHz ('Above 6 GHz'). In addition, for 6G mobile communication technology, which is referred to as a system beyond 5G, implementation in the terahertz band (e.g., the 3 terahertz (3 THz) band at 95 GHz) is being considered to achieve transmission speeds 50 times faster and ultra-low latency reduced to one-tenth compared to 5G mobile communication technology.

[0034] In the early stages of 5G mobile communication technology, aiming to satisfy service support and performance requirements for enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC), technologies such as beamforming and Massive MIMO to mitigate path loss and increase transmission distance in ultra-high frequency bands, support for various numerologies (such as operating multiple subcarrier spacings) and dynamic operation of slot formats for the efficient utilization of ultra-high frequency resources, initial access techniques to support multi-beam transmission and broadband, definition and operation of Band-Width Parts (BWP), Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes for high-volume data transmission, new channel coding methods such as Polar Codes for reliable transmission of control information, and L2 pre-processing (L2 Standardization has been carried out for pre-processing, network slicing which provides a dedicated network specialized for specific services, and other methods.

[0035] Currently, discussions are underway to improve and enhance the performance of the initial 5G mobile communication technology, taking into account the services that the 5G mobile communication technology was intended to support. Additionally, standardization of the physical layer is in progress for technologies such as V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything), which helps autonomous vehicles make driving decisions and enhance user convenience based on their own location and status information transmitted by the vehicle; NR-U (New Radio Unlicensed), which aims for system operation in unlicensed bands to comply with various regulatory requirements; NR terminal low power consumption technology (UE Power Saving); Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), which is direct terminal-satellite communication for securing coverage in areas where communication with the terrestrial network is impossible; and positioning.

[0036] In addition, standardization is underway in the field of wireless interface architecture / protocols for technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to support new services through linkage and convergence with other industries, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) which provides nodes to expand network service areas by integrating wireless backhaul links and access links, Mobility Enhancement including Conditional Handover and Dual Active Protocol Stack (DAPS) Handover, and 2-step Random Access (2-step RACH for NR) which simplifies random access procedures. Standardization is also underway in the field of system architecture / services for 5G baseline architectures (e.g., Service based Architecture, Service based Interface) to incorporate Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), which provides services based on the location of the terminal.

[0037] When such 5G mobile communication systems are commercialized, connected devices, which are increasing explosively, will be connected to communication networks. Accordingly, it is expected that there will be a need to enhance the functionality and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and to integrate the operation of connected devices. To this end, new research is planned to be conducted on 5G performance improvement and complexity reduction, support for AI services, support for metaverse services, and drone communication using eXtended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) to efficiently support Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR).

[0038] Furthermore, the advancement of these 5G mobile communication systems encompasses multi-antenna transmission technologies such as new waveforms to guarantee coverage in the terahertz band of 6G mobile communication technology, Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and large-scale antennas; metamaterial-based lenses and antennas to improve terahertz band signal coverage; high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technology using OAM (Orbital Angular Momentum); and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) technology; as well as Full Duplex technology for enhancing frequency efficiency and system networks in 6G mobile communication technology; AI-based communication technologies that realize system optimization by utilizing satellites and AI from the design stage and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions; and the realization of services of complexity exceeding the limits of terminal computing capabilities by utilizing ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources. It could serve as a foundation for the development of next-generation distributed computing technologies.

[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communication environment according to one embodiment.

[0041] In the present disclosure, a wireless communication device may refer to nodes utilizing a wireless channel in a wireless communication system. Referring to FIG. 1, a base station (110) and a terminal (120) are exemplified as some of the nodes. The terminal (120) may also be connected to a plurality of base stations. Although not shown in FIG. 1, base stations may be connected to the terminal (120) through multiple connectivity (e.g., dual connectivity, DC).

[0042] A base station (110) is a network infrastructure that provides wireless access to a terminal (120). The base station (110) has coverage defined as a specific geographical area based on the distance at which it can transmit signals. The term 'coverage' used below may refer to a service coverage area available at the base station (110). The base station (110) may cover one cell or multiple cells. Here, the multiple cells may be distinguished by the supported frequency and the area of ​​the sector covered.

[0043] In addition to being a base station, the base station (110) may be referred to as an 'access point (AP)', 'eNodeB (eNB)', '5G node (5th generation node)', '5G NodeB (NB)', 'gNB (next generation node B)', 'wireless point', 'transmission / reception point (TRP)', 'distributed unit (DU)', 'radio unit (RU)', 'remote radio head (RRH)', or other terms having an equivalent technical meaning. According to various embodiments, the base station (110) may be connected to one or more 'transmission / reception points (TRPs)'. The base station (110) may transmit a downlink signal to a terminal (120) or receive an uplink signal through one or more TRPs.

[0044] A terminal (120) is a device used by a user and performs communication with a base station (110) via a wireless channel. In some cases, the terminal (120) may be operated without user involvement. That is, at least one of the terminals (120) may be a device that performs machine type communication (MTC) and may not be carried by a user. The terminal (120) may be referred to as 'user equipment (UE)', 'mobile station', 'subscriber station', 'customer premises equipment (CPE)', 'remote terminal', 'wireless terminal', 'electronic device', or 'vehicle terminal', 'user device', or other terms having an equivalent technical meaning.

[0046] FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, a wireless access network of a wireless communication system (hereinafter NR or 5G) may include a next-generation base station (new radio node B) (hereinafter NR gNB, gNB or base station) (220) and an NR CN (new radio core network) (210). A user terminal (e.g., new radio user equipment) (hereinafter NR UE or terminal) (250) may connect to an external network through the NR gNB (220) and the NR CN (210).

[0048] In FIG. 1, the NR gNB (220) can correspond to the eNB (140) of an LTE system. The NR gNB (220) is connected to the NR UE (250) via a wireless channel and can provide superior service compared to the eNB (140). In next-generation mobile communication systems, since all user traffic is serviced through a shared channel, a device is required to collect status information such as the buffer status, available transmission power status, and channel status of the UEs and perform scheduling, and the NR gNB (220) can handle this. A single NR gNB (220) can typically control multiple cells. To achieve ultra-high-speed data transmission compared to LTE, a bandwidth greater than the maximum bandwidth of LTE can be utilized, and beamforming technology can be additionally incorporated by using OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) as the wireless access technology. In addition, an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) method can be applied to determine the modulation scheme and channel coding rate according to the channel status of the terminal. The NR CN (210) can perform functions such as mobility support and QoS setting. The NR CN (210) is a device responsible for various control functions as well as mobility management functions for the terminal, and can be connected to multiple base stations. In addition, the next-generation mobile communication system can be interoperable with the LTE system, and the NR CN (210) can be connected to the MME (230) via a network interface. The MME (230) can be connected to the eNB (140).

[0050] In the present disclosure, electronic devices Is, Communication device using MAC address It can mean that. Electronic devices use MAC addresses Other communication devices (e.g., management devices, routers, switches, electronic devices)Data can be transmitted and received. Data transmitted and received using a MAC address may include the MAC address of an electronic device as the source MAC address and the MAC address of another communication device as the destination MAC address.

[0051] Communication device using MAC address It communicates with the base station using MAC addresses and is connected to other terminals in a daisy-chain manner terminal Communicates with the upper base station using MAC addresses and is connected to other CUs (Central Units), DUs (Distributed Units), RUs (Radio Units), or AUs (Access Units) in a daisy-chain manner. CU, DU, RU, AU It may include. In addition, the communication device may be referred to as NE (Network Equipment) and may include all equipment constituting the network infrastructure, such as BBU (Baseband Unit), RU (Radio Unit), base stations, as well as routers, switches, and servers.

[0052] For example, if multiple DUs are connected in a daisy-chain manner, communicate with the CU (the upper base station of the DU) using MAC addresses, and are managed by the CU's management server, the DU may be referred to as an electronic device and the CU's management server as a management device. As another example, if multiple RUs are connected in a daisy-chain manner, communicate with the DU (the upper base station of the RU) using MAC addresses, and are managed by the DU's management server, the RU may be referred to as an electronic device and the DU's management server as a management device.

[0053] In the present disclosure, the management device may include a USM (Unified Service Management) and an EMS (Element Management System) server.

[0055] Figure 3 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 3, N electronic devices are connected in a daisy-chain manner. A first stage electronic device (310) may refer to a communication device located at the starting point of the daisy chain. The first stage electronic device (310) may communicate via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. For example, the external port (311) of the first stage electronic device may be connected to a switch (390) via a transmission medium. The first stage electronic device (310) may communicate with a management device (300) via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. The management device (300) may remotely manage a plurality of electronic devices (310, 320, 330, 340) connected to the first stage electronic device via a daisy-chain manner while communicating with the first stage electronic device (310).

[0057] The management device (300) of the present disclosure can remotely monitor and manage a plurality of electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner.

[0058] According to one embodiment, a management device (300) may receive a notification message generated by an electronic device from a first-level electronic device (311). For example, the notification message may include changes in the state of each electronic device, performance indicators, errors, traffic data, etc. The notification message may include alarms and warnings regarding important events such as exceeding a threshold or the occurrence of a failure. The notification message may include information that the settings of the electronic device have been changed. The notification message may include performance data or logs collected periodically.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the management device (300) may transmit a message to change the settings of the electronic device, request information of the electronic device, or control the electronic device. For example, the message may include a command to change the settings of the electronic device or to enable a new function. The message may include a message requesting specific data or status information to monitor the electronic device. The message may include a command to control the operation of the electronic device (e.g., reboot, start / stop service). The message may include a command related to a firmware or software update file.

[0061] FIG. 3 illustrates a daisy chain in which a second-level electronic device is connected to a first-level electronic device via a link, a third-level electronic device is connected to the second-level electronic device via a link, and an N-level electronic device is connected to a (N-1)-level electronic device. The daisy chain of FIG. 3 can be further expanded by additionally connecting a new electronic device to the chain port of the N-level electronic device.

[0062] Multiple electronic devices connected in a daisy chain can share an E1 relay line connecting the first-level electronic device and the switch (390). For example, if the traffic capacity supported by the E1 relay line is about 90 channels and the traffic capacity required for each electronic device to support is about 20 channels, the E1 relay line can support up to 4 electronic devices in a daisy chain manner. In this way, the daisy chain can be further expanded by considering the traffic capacity of the relay line shared by multiple electronic devices connected in a daisy chain and the traffic capacity required for each electronic device.

[0063] Unlike the first level electronic device (310), the second to Nth level electronic devices (320, 330, 340) are not directly connected to a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. The second to Nth level electronic devices (320, 330, 340) do not communicate directly with the management device (350). For example, the second level electronic device (320) can exchange messages with the management device (300) through the first level electronic device (310).

[0064] Each of the multiple electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner can transmit data packets generated by itself to an electronic device of a higher level. For example, a data packet generated by a first-level electronic device (310) can be discharged to the first-level electronic device (310) through an external port (311) and not to the second-level electronic device (320) through a chain port (312). A data packet generated by a second-level electronic device (320) can be discharged to the first-level electronic device (310) through an external port (321) and not to the third-level electronic device (330). A data packet generated by a third-level electronic device (330) can be discharged to the second-level electronic device (310) through an external port (331) and not to the third-level electronic device (330). Data packets generated in the Nth level electronic device (340) can be leaked to the (N-1)th level electronic device through an external port (341).

[0065] Each of the multiple electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner processes only the message for which it is the final recipient and does not transmit the message further, while transmitting the remaining packets to other electronic devices of a lower level. For example, the first level electronic device (310) can process only the message packets for which it is the final recipient among the message packets flowing in through the external port (311), and the remaining packets can be discharged through the chain port (312). The second level electronic device (320) can process the message for which the final recipient is the second level electronic device among the messages flowing in through the external port (331), and the remaining messages can be discharged to the third level electronic device (330) through the chain port (322).

[0066] Each of the multiple electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner outputs a message from a lower-level electronic device that is fed in through a chain port via an external port. For example, a message generated by an electronic device of the Nth level (340) may be fed in through the chain port of an electronic device of the (N-1)th level and may be output to an electronic device of the (N-2)th level through the external port of the electronic device of the (N-1)th level. An electronic device of the second level (320) may transmit messages from lower-level electronic devices (e.g., 330, ..., 340) that are fed in through the chain port (322) to an electronic device of the first level through an external port (321), along with messages generated by itself. The first level electronic device (310) can transmit messages from lower level electronic devices (e.g., 320, 330, ..., 340) that have entered through the chain port (312) to a backhaul or fronthaul link through the external port (311) along with messages it has generated.

[0067] An electronic device according to one embodiment may further perform the operation of storing the source MAC address of a message even when the destination MAC address of a message entering through an external port or a chain port is not the same as its own MAC address, and may bypass it through the chain port or an external port.

[0069] In the daisy chain method, instead of connecting additional cables for backhaul or fronthaul to a new electronic device added to the chain (e.g., an electronic device of the (N+1) level in Fig. 3), the added electronic device is connected to another electronic device already included in the daisy chain (e.g., an electronic device of the Nth level in Fig. 3) and shares trunk lines and ports of switches or hubs. Therefore, using the daisy chain method can reduce the number of trunk lines (number of links) and the number of ports required for switches or hubs. However, when using the daisy chain method, if an error occurs in one of the electronic devices in the chain, an error may also occur in other electronic devices connected to the chain.

[0070] In order for the daisy chain to be expanded, it is sufficient for a new electronic device to be additionally connected to the chain port of the last lower-level electronic device, and there is no need to register the new electronic device added to the management device (300). Therefore, using the daisy chain method, chain expansion is possible with only simple cable connections. In the daisy chain method according to one embodiment, even if information to expand the daisy chain is not provided to the management device (300) when each electronic device is connected, the management device (200) can obtain information about the MAC addresses recorded by the electronic devices in real time and manage even the newly added electronic devices. It is impossible to verify the connection relationship (e.g., connection order) of the electronic devices and the actual topology thereof.

[0071] Referring to the management screen (305) of FIG. 3, the management device (300) can know the names of the electronic devices located at cell site 136, but cannot know the connection relationships between the electronic devices. Since the management device (300) cannot know whether the electronic devices form a daisy chain or the connection relationships of the electronic devices within the daisy chain, the management screen (305) only displays that each electronic device forming the daisy chain is independently connected to the center.

[0072] The management device (300) is unable to determine the number of electronic devices in the lower tier of the first tier of electronic devices (the number of electronic devices sharing the total traffic flowing into the daisy chain) and the tier to which each electronic device belongs. Since the operator cannot check the connection relationships of the electronic devices in the management device (300), unexpected service failures may occur if the configuration of the daisy chain is changed during operation or if software package updates are performed for each electronic device.

[0073] In contrast, the present disclosure allows the management device to determine the connection relationship of the daisy chain by receiving information about MAC addresses from each electronic device and synthesizing the information obtained from multiple electronic devices, even if the management device is not provided with information about the connection of the daisy chain.

[0075] FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of a MAC address according to one embodiment.

[0076] A MAC (Medium Access Control) address is a unique physical address of a network device; each communication device has a different MAC address and is used in conjunction with an IP (Internet Protocol) address to enable the transmission and reception of data packets.

[0077] A MAC address consists of 48 bits (6 bytes), and the first 24 bits of the MAC address (e.g., OO-OF-66 in FIG. 4) contain a Vendor Code or Organizational Unique Identifier (OUI) that identifies the manufacturer, and the last 24 bits (e.g., DO-69-13 in FIG. 4) may contain a unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer.

[0079] In the daisy-chain method, each electronic device can select and receive only data packets that have its own MAC address as the destination address. The electronic device can determine whether the MAC address of a data packet matches its own MAC address by checking the destination MAC address of a data packet input through a port and comparing the destination MAC address of the input packet with a MAC address table it maintains. The electronic device can process data packets where the destination MAC address matches its own MAC address and forward (or bypass) data packets that do not match to other connected electronic devices.

[0080] When a data packet is input through an external port, each electronic device processes data packets where the destination MAC address of the data packet matches its own MAC address, and forwards (or bypasses) data packets that do not match to a lower-level electronic device. At this time, the electronic device can record the source MAC address of the input packet (e.g., the MAC address of the management device (300)) in a MAC address table to use for future packet delivery.

[0081] When a data packet is input through a chain port, since the destination MAC address of the data packet received from a lower-level electronic device will not match its own MAC address, each electronic device can forward (or bypass) the received data packet to an upper-level electronic device. The electronic device in the daisy chain can forward the data packet received from the lower-level electronic device to the upper-level electronic device so that the data packet is eventually forwarded from the first-level electronic device to the management device (300).

[0082] An electronic device according to one embodiment is, Your MAC address It can store. When an electronic device generates a data packet, it can use its own MAC address as the source MAC address.

[0083] An electronic device according to one embodiment receives a data packet sent to it (i.e., a data packet in which the destination MAC address matches its own MAC address) and can store the source MAC address of the data packet in a MAC address table.

[0084] An electronic device according to one embodiment is, Through the chain port If the destination MAC address of an incoming data packet (i.e., a data packet generated by a lower-level electronic device) does not match its own MAC address, the source MAC address of that data packet It can be recorded or stored in the MAC address list. The data Since the destination MAC address of the packet is not itself, the electronic device can forward (or bypass) the data packet to another electronic device.

[0085] An electronic device according to one embodiment periodically By recording the source MAC address of data packets entering through the chain port, the MAC address list UpdateIt is possible. New electronic devices can be added to the daisy chain, or the connection of existing electronic devices can be removed. Each electronic device can modify the MAC address list and transmit the modified MAC address list to the management device.

[0086] For example, an electronic device may periodically identify the source MAC address of a data packet that flows in through a chain port for a certain period of time and whose destination MAC address does not match its own MAC address, compare the identified source MAC address with a previously stored list of MAC addresses, and if the identified address is not in the list, include the identified address in the list.

[0087] For example, the electronic device may periodically initialize an already created MAC address list and generate a new MAC address list using the source MAC addresses of data packets flowing in through the chain port for a certain period of time. To generate the new MAC address list, the electronic device may identify the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through the chain port whose destination MAC address does not match its own MAC address, compare the identified source MAC address with a previously stored MAC address list, and if the identified address is not in the list, include the identified address in the list.

[0088] For example, an electronic device can periodically delete some MAC addresses from a list of MAC addresses. A MAC address already stored in the list may be deleted from the list of MAC addresses if it is not received as a source MAC address for a certain period of time.

[0089] According to one embodiment, each electronic device transmits its own MAC address list or MAC addresses included in the list to a management device (e.g., management device (500)), and the management device can identify lower-level electronic devices of each electronic device based on the MAC address list or MAC addresses included in the list of multiple electronic devices, and can identify the connection relationships of multiple electronic devices by synthesizing the acquired information.

[0090] An electronic device according to one embodiment periodically transmits a notification message to a management device, and the notification message may include a list of MAC addresses. By including a list of MAC addresses that is periodically updated in the notification message, the management device can determine the real-time connection relationship of the daisy chain. For example, in FIG. 3, when a new electronic device (e.g., a (N+1) level electronic device) is added to the daisy chain, if a data packet generated by the new electronic device flows into a connected upper-level electronic device (e.g., the first to Nth level electronic devices in FIG. 3), some of the upper-level electronic devices may add the MAC address of the new electronic device, which is the source MAC address of the data packet, to the MAC address list of the upper-level electronic devices and include this list in the notification message and transmit it to the management device. The management device can determine that the new electronic device has been added to the daisy chain as the (N+1) level electronic device based on the MAC address list included in the notification message generated by some of the upper-level electronic devices.

[0092] FIG. 5 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner according to one embodiment.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 5, four electronic devices are connected in a daisy-chain manner. A first-level electronic device (510) can communicate with a management device (500) via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. By connecting a second-level electronic device (520) to the first-level electronic device, the second-level electronic device becomes a lower-level electronic device of the first-level electronic device, and by connecting a third-level electronic device (530) to the second-level electronic device, the third-level electronic device becomes a lower-level electronic device of the first and second-level electronic devices. A fourth-level electronic device (540) can also be connected to the daisy chain in the same way. In this way, since the daisy chain is expanded simply by connecting a new electronic device to a lower-level electronic device, the management device (300) cannot know whether the new electronic device is connected to another electronic device in a daisy-chain manner, and therefore cannot know which level it is in the daisy chain.

[0094] According to the daisy chain method of the present disclosure, each electronic device constituting the daisy chain provides information related to its own MAC address and that of its subordinate electronic device to a management device (300), and the management device can determine the connection relationship between the electronic devices constituting the daisy chain based on the information related to the provided MAC address.

[0095] In one embodiment, the electronic device, Notification messageIt can generate a notification message. The notification message may include at least one of alarms and warnings regarding important events such as changes in the state of the electronic device, performance indicators, errors, traffic data, threshold exceedance, or failure occurrence, information that the settings of the electronic device have been changed, or periodically collected performance data or logs. The notification message generated by the electronic device may be transmitted to a higher-level electronic device via an external port (e.g., 521, 531, 541) and to a management device (500) via a backhaul or fronthaul link. The source MAC address of the notification message generated by the electronic device includes the MAC address of the electronic device, and the destination MAC address includes the MAC address of the management device (500), so that the management device (500) can change the settings of the electronic device, request information about the electronic device, or transmit a message to control the electronic device based on the notification message.

[0096] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating information included in a notification message to determine the connection relationship of a daisy chain of a single site according to one embodiment.

[0097] According to one embodiment The notification messages (615, 625, 645) further include information about the MAC address of the electronic device. It is possible. For example, each electronic device may further include an indexing in the notification message indicating that the source MAC address of the notification message is its own MAC address. The management device (500) can obtain information about the MAC address of the electronic device that generated the notification message based on the notification message and identify the electronic device that generated the notification message.

[0098] According to one embodiment, when a data packet is transmitted from a lower-level electronic device to an upper-level electronic device, the upper-level electronic device can identify the source MAC address of the data packet and compare the identified source MAC address with a previously stored MAC address table. If the identified source MAC address is not included in the MAC address table, the electronic device can include the identified source MAC address in the MAC address table. The data packet can be transmitted to the management device (500) by the first-level electronic device (510). That is, each electronic device can obtain the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device based on the data packet received from the lower-level electronic device. At this time, the data packet may include a notification message, but is not limited thereto.

[0099] An electronic device according to one embodiment identifies the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in from a lower-level electronic device, and the identified source MAC address Stored in the MAC address tableIt is possible. For example, in the case of the fourth-level electronic device (540) placed at the end of the daisy chain of FIG. 5, since there are no data packets flowing in through the chain port, the MAC address table (545) of the fourth-level electronic device (540) may not store the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device. For example, in the case of the second-level electronic device (520), a data packet generated by at least one of the third-level electronic device or the fourth-level electronic device may flow in through the chain port. The second-level electronic device (520) may identify the source MAC address of the data packet and add the MAC address of at least one of the third-level electronic device or the fourth-level electronic device to the MAC address table (525) of the second-level electronic device. The first-level electronic device (510) may include the MAC address of at least one of the second-level electronic device, the third-level electronic device, or the fourth-level electronic device in the MAC address table (515) of the first-level electronic device.

[0100] An electronic device according to one embodiment may add a source MAC address to a MAC address table if the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in from a lower-level electronic device is not included in the MAC address table. For example, when a new electronic device is connected to a chain port of a fourth-level electronic device (410), and the new electronic device generates a data packet message, and a data packet containing the MAC address of the new electronic device flows into the fourth-level electronic device, the fourth-level electronic device may determine that the MAC address of the new electronic device included in the data packet does not match the MAC address table of the fourth-level electronic device and may add the MAC address of the new electronic device to the MAC address table.

[0101] An electronic device may forward (or bypass) a data packet to an upper-level electronic device if the destination MAC address of the data packet flowing in from a lower-level electronic device does not match its own MAC address included in the MAC address table. The first-level electronic device of the daisy chain may forward the data packet to a management device (500) via a backhaul or fronthaul link.

[0103] An electronic device according to one embodiment may further include in a notification message at least one of the MAC address of a lower-level electronic device included in its own MAC address table or the number of MAC addresses of a lower-level electronic device.

[0104] According to the daisy chain method, the management device is not provided with information regarding the connection order of electronic devices within the daisy chain, nor whether multiple electronic devices are connected by the daisy chain method. For example, in FIG. 5, an electronic device using MAC address (20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8) is a first-level electronic device, an electronic device using MAC address (20:db:ab:d7:40:9c) is connected to the first-level electronic device as a second-level electronic device, and an electronic device using MAC address (00:30:88:35:ce:fa) is connected to the second-level electronic device as a third-level electronic device, but information regarding these connections is not directly provided to the management device. Each electronic device constituting the daisy chain according to one embodiment identifies the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into it to create a MAC address list, includes MAC address-related information containing the MAC address list in a notification message, and transmits it to the management device, and the management device can determine the connection relationship of multiple electronic devices by synthesizing the MAC address-related information received from each electronic device.

[0106] A management device (500) according to one embodiment, based on MAC address-related information of each of the electronic devices constituting a daisy chain, at least one ( single The connection relationship of a daisy chain of sites (or multiple sites) can be determined. Although the electronic device and the management device do not exchange separate information regarding the connection relationship of the daisy chain, the electronic device includes information related to MAC addresses in a notification message, and the management device can infer and determine the connection relationship of the daisy chain by synthesizing information related to MAC addresses received from multiple electronic devices. The information regarding the MAC address of the electronic device may include at least one of the electronic device's MAC address, a list of the electronic device's MAC addresses, or the number of addresses included in the MAC address list. For example, the number of addresses included in the MAC address list of electronic devices connected in a daisy chain manner may have a value that increases with higher hierarchy electronic devices. Therefore, the management device can determine the connection order of the daisy chain based on the number of addresses included in the MAC address list.

[0107] For example, in Fig. 5, The notification message (645) generated by the fourth level electronic device is , including the MAC address (20:db:ab:ac:48:2d) of the fourth-level electronic device, and included in the MAC address table of the fourth-level electronic device Number of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices (0) It may include. In FIG. 5, since the fourth-level electronic device is placed at the end of the daisy chain, there is no lower-level electronic device, and there are no data packets flowing in from the lower-level electronic device. Therefore, the fourth-level electronic device has no opportunity to learn MAC addresses, and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices recorded in the MAC address table of the fourth-level electronic device is 0.

[0108] likewise, The notification message (625) generated by the second level electronic device is,It may include the MAC address of the second-tier electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c) and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-tier electronic devices stored in the MAC address table of the second-tier electronic device (i.e., 2). In FIG. 5, the second-tier electronic device (520) may store the MAC addresses of the third and fourth-tier electronic devices in the MAC address table (525) of the second-tier electronic device based on the data packet generated by the third-tier electronic device and the data packet generated by the fourth-tier electronic device. The second-tier electronic device may include the number of MAC addresses of the lower-tier electronic devices (i.e., 2) stored in the MAC address table (525) of the second-tier electronic device in the notification message (625). Likewise, The notification message (615) generated by the first level electronic device is , may include the MAC address of the first-level electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8) and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices stored in the MAC address table of the first-level electronic device (i.e., 3).

[0109] In Fig. 5 The management device (500) Notification messages generated by multiple electronic devices can be received from the first level electronic device (510). Since the first level electronic device at the top of the daisy chain is connected to the most lower level electronic devices, the number of lower level electronic devices of the first level electronic device can have a maximum value at the site.

[0110] The management device (500) is of the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device among the received notification messages. The largest numberThe notification message (615) can be identified, and the source MAC address of the notification message (615) (i.e., 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8) can be determined as the MAC address of the highest level electronic device (i.e., the first level electronic device) in the daisy chain. The management device (500) can determine, based on the number of MAC addresses of the lower level electronic devices in the notification message (625) (i.e., 2), that the electronic device with a MAC address of 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c is a second level electronic device connected to the first level electronic device. The management device (500) can determine, based on the number of MAC addresses of the lower level electronic devices in the notification message (645) (i.e., 0), that the electronic device with a MAC address of 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d included in the notification message (645) is a fourth level electronic device in a 2-hop relationship with the first level electronic device.

[0112] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a management device according to one embodiment managing a daisy chain of multiple sites.

[0113] A management device (500) according to one embodiment can determine the connection relationship of a daisy chain of multiple sites based on the number of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices of each electronic device included in the daisy chain. The management device (500) can manage multiple sites and manage daisy chains formed at each site.

[0114] The management device (700) can remotely monitor and manage a plurality of electronic devices forming a daisy chain at a first site, a plurality of electronic devices forming a daisy chain at a second site, and a plurality of electronic devices forming a daisy chain at a third site.

[0115] The management device (700) can communicate with the first-level electronic device constituting each daisy chain via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. For example, the management device can form a backhaul or fronthaul link with the first-level electronic device of the first site (hereinafter referred to as the first electronic device), the first-level electronic device of the second site (hereinafter referred to as the second electronic device), and the first-level electronic device of the third site (hereinafter referred to as the third electronic device).

[0116] At this time, each electronic device of each site can record the source MAC address of packet data flowing in from a lower-level electronic device in a MAC address table, update the MAC address table, and include the MAC address information contained in the MAC address table in a notification message and transmit it to the management device (700).

[0117] The MAC address information received by the management device (700) from the electronic devices of multiple sites may be partially duplicated. For example, the number of lower-level electronic devices transmitted from the electronic devices of the first site to the management device (700) may include at least one of 3, 2, 1, and 0, the number of lower-level electronic devices transmitted from the electronic devices of the second site to the management device (700) may include at least one of 1 and 0, and the number of lower-level electronic devices transmitted from the electronic devices of the third site to the management device (700) may include at least one of N-1, ..., 3, 2, 1, and 0. Accordingly, the management device (700) can determine the connection relationship of the daisy chain of multiple sites by using the MAC address list (i.e., MAC address of the lower-level electronic device) together with information regarding the MAC address of each electronic device and the number of addresses included in the MAC address list (i.e., the number of lower-level electronic devices of each electronic device).

[0119] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating information included in notification messages (815, 825, 845) to determine the connection relationship of a daisy chain of multiple sites according to one embodiment.

[0120] FIG. 8 illustrates notification messages (815, 825, 845) provided from the daisy chain of FIG. 5 and the daisy chain of the first site shown in FIG. 7.

[0121] For example, in Fig. 8, The notification message (845) generated by the fourth level electronic device (540) is , including the MAC address of the fourth-level electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d), and included in the MAC address table of the fourth-level electronic device Number of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices (i.e., 0) may be included. In FIG. 5, since the fourth-level electronic device is placed at the end of the daisy chain, there is no lower-level electronic device, and there are no data packets flowing in from the lower-level electronic device. Therefore, the fourth-level electronic device has no opportunity to learn MAC addresses, and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices recorded in the MAC address table of the fourth-level electronic device is 0.

[0122] likewise, The notification message (825) generated by the second level electronic device (520) is,It may include the MAC address of the second-level electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c) and the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device (i.e., 00:30:88:35:ce:fa, 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d) and its number (i.e., 2) stored in the MAC address table of the second-level electronic device. In FIG. 5, the second-level electronic device (520) may store the MAC addresses of the third and fourth-level electronic devices in the MAC address table (525) of the second-level electronic device based on the data packet generated by the third-level electronic device (530) and the data packet generated by the fourth-level electronic device (540). The second-level electronic device can generate a notification message (825) including the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device (i.e., 00:30:88:35:ce:fa, 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d) and the number thereof (i.e., 2) stored in the MAC address table (525) of the second-level electronic device. Likewise, The notification message (815) generated by the first level electronic device is It may include the MAC address of the first-level electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8), and the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device (i.e., 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c, 00:30:88:35:ce:fa, 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d) stored in the MAC address table (515) of the first-level electronic device, and the number thereof (i.e., 3).

[0123] In Fig. 8 The management device (800) is Notification messages generated by multiple electronic devices can be received from the first level electronic device (510). Since the first level electronic device at the top of the daisy chain is connected to the most lower level electronic devices, the number of lower level electronic devices of the first level electronic device may have a maximum value at the site to which the first level electronic device belongs.

[0124] The management device (800) is of the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device among the received notification messages. The largest numberThe notification message (815) can be identified, and the source MAC address of the notification message (815) (i.e., 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8) can be determined as the MAC address of the highest level electronic device (i.e., the first level electronic device) in the daisy chain. When the management device (800) manages a daisy chain of multiple sites, the management device receives notification messages with varying maximum count values.

[0125] Based on the MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices included in the notification message (815) (i.e., 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c, 00:30:88:35:ce:fa, 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d), the management device (800) can determine that the electronic device that generated the notification message (815) (i.e., the electronic device whose MAC address is 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8), the electronic device that generated the notification message (825) (i.e., the electronic device with a MAC address of 20:db:ab:d7:40:9c), the electronic device that generated the notification message (845) (i.e., the electronic device with a MAC address of 20:db:ab:ac:48:2d), and the electronic device with a MAC address of 00:30:88:35:ce:fa are connected in a daisy-chain manner.

[0126] The management device (800) can determine the connection relationship and hierarchy of the lower-level electronic devices of the first-level electronic device (510) whose MAC address is 20:db:ab:0d:5e:c8 based on the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices included in the notification message (815) (i.e., 3), the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices included in the notification message (825) (i.e., 2), and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices included in the notification message (845) (i.e., 0).

[0127] Specifically, the management device (800) can determine that the electronic device that generated the notification message (815), the electronic device that generated the notification message (825), the electronic device with a MAC address of 00:30:88:35:ce:fa, and the electronic device that generated the notification message (845) are connected in a daisy-chain manner.

[0129] The third-level electronic device (530) may also transmit a notification message (835) to the management device (800). However, the third-level electronic device (530) may not be configured to record the source MAC address of the data packet flowing in from the lower-level electronic device (i.e., the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device). The third-level electronic device may not be configured to provide information regarding MAC addresses (its own MAC address, the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device, the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic device) to the management device (800), and the notification message transmitted by the third-level electronic device may not include MAC address-related information.

[0130] Even if an electronic device that does not provide MAC address-related information (e.g., a third-level electronic device (530)) is included among the multiple electronic devices constituting the daisy chain, the management device (800) can determine the overall connection relationship of the multiple electronic devices constituting the daisy chain by combining MAC address-related information provided from other electronic devices.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 5, the daisy chain structure may further include an L2 switch (590) that forms a backhaul link or a fronthaul link with a first-level electronic device (510). The L2 switch (590) can perform the transmission of data packets between the management device (500) and the first-level electronic device (510). The L2 switch (590) can transmit data packets to a destination based on a MAC address. The L2 switch (590) may include an Ethernet switch operating at the data link layer (L2).

[0133] Referring to FIG. 5, the daisy chain structure may further include an L3 router (593) that handles and routes backhaul traffic or fronthaul traffic. The L3 router (593) may also be referred to as a cell site router.

[0136] FIG. 9 illustrates electronic devices connected in a daisy-chain manner according to one embodiment.

[0137] The management device (500, 900) can determine which manufacturer's equipment each electronic device is equipment of by referring to the manufacturer's OUI information. For example, the management device can provide that the first, second, and fourth level electronic devices are equipment of the first manufacturer by referring to OUI information including OUI (20:db:ab). Or, the management device can provide that the third level electronic device is equipment of the second manufacturer by referring to OUI information including OUI (00:30:88). The electronic device can identify the first, second, and fourth level electronic devices having the same OUI (20:db:ab) as equipment manufactured by the same manufacturer, and identify the third level electronic device having a different OUI (00:30:88) as equipment manufactured by a different manufacturer.

[0138] Electronic devices manufactured by different manufacturers may have different settings. Therefore, each electronic device can identify the number of other electronic devices having the same OUI and different serial numbers, and transmit the serial number corresponding to the identified OUI to the management device. The management device can identify the manufacturer based on the OUI.

[0139] According to one embodiment, an electronic device can periodically check the number of serial numbers for an OUI. For example, if the number of MAC addresses with the same OUI but different serial numbers is periodically observed, the number of serial numbers may increase or decrease when electronic devices, such as base station equipment, are added or removed from a daisy chain. If the number of serial numbers checked during a time period (e.g., T to 2T) is different from the number of serial numbers checked during a time period (e.g., 0 to T), the electronic device updates the number of serial numbers and transmits it to a management device, and the management device can modify the existing connection configuration diagram using the information of the received serial numbers.

[0141] FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of an electronic device constituting a daisy chain according to one embodiment.

[0142] The electronic device performing the operation of FIG. 10 may correspond to the base station (110) of FIG. 1, the terminal (120) of FIG. 1, the electronic devices (210 to 220, 240, 250) of FIG. 2, the electronic devices (310, 320, 330, 340) of FIG. 3, and the electronic devices (510, 520, 530, 540) of FIG. 5.

[0143] Performing the operation of Fig. 10 electronic devices Is, Connect with other electronic devices in a daisy-chain manner It can be. For example, a daisy-chain connection between multiple electronic devices may mean forming a link between the chain port of an electronic device and the external port of a lower-level electronic device.

[0144] Operation 1010 In this electronic device, the MAC address of a data packet from another electronic device of a lower level that flows in through the chain port can be read or identified.

[0145] According to one embodiment, each electronic device can learn the MAC addresses of other electronic devices. For example, a first-level electronic device can learn the MAC addresses of electronic devices in a lower level of the electronic device (i.e., second to fourth-level electronic devices). For example, a second-level electronic device can learn the MAC addresses of electronic devices in a lower level of the electronic device (i.e., third to fourth-level electronic devices), and a fourth-level electronic device can learn the MAC addresses of electronic devices in a lower level of the electronic device (i.e., fourth-level electronic device). Since there are no other electronic devices connected in a lower level, the fourth-level electronic device does not learn the MAC addresses of other electronic devices.

[0146] For example, in FIG. 5, the first-level electronic device is daisy-chained with the second-level electronic devices through the fourth-level electronic devices, and the first-level electronic device [represents] the MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices daisy-chained with itself Learned MAC Address List It can be stored in. Similarly, the second-level electronic device can store the MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic devices connected to it in a daisy-chain manner. Learned MAC Address List It can be saved in.

[0147] According to one embodiment, each electronic device may count and store the total number of MAC addresses (or learned MAC addresses) included in a list of learned MAC addresses. Based on the total number of learned MAC addresses, each electronic device may determine the number of other electronic devices connected to each electronic device. For example, in FIG. 5, the first level electronic device may count 3, the second level electronic device may count 2, and the fourth level electronic device may count 0.

[0149] Operation 1020 In this disclosure, if the MAC address of a data packet received from another electronic device is new and not found in a previously stored and learned MAC address list, the electronic device may store the MAC address in the list and update the number of addresses included in the MAC address list (or the number of lower-level electronic devices) by increasing it by 1. In this disclosure, the number of MAC addresses learned or included in the MAC address list by each electronic device may be referred to as the Count value.

[0150] For example, in FIG. 5, by connecting a new fifth-level electronic device to a port of a fourth-level electronic device (540), the total number of electronic devices connected to the electronic device in a daisy-chain manner can be increased by 1. When a data packet generated by the fifth-level electronic device flows into the first-level electronic device via the daisy-chain link through the fourth-level electronic device, ..., and the second-level electronic device, the first-level electronic device can read the source MAC address of the incoming data packet (i.e., the MAC address of the fifth-level device) and determine whether it is included in the Learned MAC address list stored in the first-level electronic device. If it is determined that the MAC address of the fifth-level electronic device is not included in the Learned MAC address list, the first-level electronic device can include the MAC address of the fifth-level device in the Learned MAC address list and increase the number of stored lower-level electronic devices from 3 to 4.

[0152] Operation 1030 In this electronic device, a notification message may be generated that includes the MAC address of the electronic device, an address included in the list of MAC addresses of the electronic device (i.e., the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device of the electronic device), and the number thereof (i.e., the count value).

[0153] An electronic device may periodically send a notification message to a management device that controls and manages the electronic device regarding at least one of alarms and warnings regarding important events such as changes in the state of the electronic device, performance indicators, errors, traffic data, threshold exceedance, or occurrence of failures, information that the settings of the electronic device have been changed, or periodically collected performance data or logs. According to one embodiment, this periodic notification message may further include at least one of the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address of a lower-level electronic device learned by the electronic device, and the number thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the periodic notification message may further include the MAC address of the electronic device and the number of MAC addresses of the lower-level electronic device learned by the electronic device. As another example, as shown in FIG. 8, the periodic notification message may further include the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device learned by the electronic device, and the number thereof.

[0154] In operation 1040 The electronic device can transmit a notification message to a management device through a higher-level electronic device. The notification message generated by the electronic device can be leaked to a higher-level electronic device through the external port of the electronic device. The notification message can travel through multiple electronic devices forming a daisy chain and eventually be delivered to the management device specified in the destination MAC address of the message.

[0156] FIG. 11 illustrates the operation of an electronic device constituting a daisy chain according to one embodiment.

[0157] The electronic device performing the operation of Fig. 11 may mean a first-level electronic device that forms a daisy chain.

[0158] In operation 1110, when a data packet is received from lower-level electronic devices connected to the electronic device in a daisy-chain manner through a chain port, the electronic device can identify the source MAC address of the data packet and determine whether the source MAC address is included in its own MAC address list.

[0159] In operation 1120, if the source MAC address of a data packet is a new MAC address not in its MAC address list, the electronic device may store it in a MAC address list. The electronic device may store it by increasing the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list by 1.

[0160] In operation 1130, the electronic device may generate a notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address of the lower-level electronic device, and the number of MAC addresses included in the list.

[0161] In operation 1140, the electronic device may transmit notification messages generated by itself and notification messages received from lower-level electronic devices to the management device via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link. The electronic device may transmit notification messages of that electronic device and notification messages of at least one other electronic device to the management device.

[0162] Operations 1110 to 1140 may be repeated periodically.

[0164] FIG. 12 illustrates the operation of a management device according to one embodiment.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the management device can manage at least one daisy chain configured at least one site. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the management device can monitor, control, and manage a plurality of electronic devices connected in a daisy chain manner configured at a first site, a plurality of electronic devices connected in a daisy chain manner configured at a second site, and a plurality of electronic devices connected in a daisy chain manner configured at a third site.

[0166] In operation 1210, the management device, At least one Notification messages generated by multiple electronic devices can be received from an electronic device. The multiple electronic devices generating the notification messages are, At least one It may refer to equipment connected to one another in a daisy-chain manner at the site. At least one electronic device that transmits notification messages may refer to a first-level electronic device of the daisy chain. For example, in FIG. 7, the management device (700) may receive notification messages generated from each of the plurality of electronic devices constituting the daisy chain of the first site through the first electronic device, which is the first-level electronic device of the first site. At the same time, the management device (700) may receive notification messages of the second site from the second electronic device and notification messages of the third site from the third electronic device.

[0168] In operation 1220, the management device can determine the connection relationship or connection order between electronic devices within a single site based on at least one of the MAC address of an electronic device included in a notification message, a list of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices, and the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list.

[0169] The notification message may include at least one of alarms and warnings regarding important events such as changes in the state of the electronic device, performance indicators, errors, traffic data, exceeding thresholds, or failures, information that the settings of the electronic device have been changed, or periodically collected performance data or logs.

[0170] According to one embodiment, the notification message includes the MAC address of an electronic device and a list of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices. or It may include at least one additional MAC address among the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list.

[0171] For example, the notification message may further include the MAC address of the electronic device and a list of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices. For example, in FIG. 5, the management device (500) can determine the order in which the second-level electronic device (520) is connected to the first-level electronic device (510) by comparing the list of MAC addresses generated by the first-level electronic device (510) with the MAC address of the second-level electronic device (520).

[0172] For example, the notification message may further include the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list of the electronic device. For instance, if the management device manages only a daisy chain of a single site, the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list of each electronic device does not overlap with other electronic devices. Therefore, if the management device manages only a daisy chain of a single site, the electronic device can determine the connection order of the electronic devices constituting the daisy chain based on the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list. In this case, it is sufficient for the notification message to further include the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list.

[0173] For example, the notification message includes the MAC address of the electronic device and a list of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices. andThe number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list may be further included. When a management device manages multiple sites, the management device can quickly determine the connection order of electronic devices at each site by combining the MAC addresses of electronic devices, the MAC address list of lower-level electronic devices, and the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list.

[0174] In operation 1230, the management device can store the connection relationships between multiple electronic devices and display them on a management screen. For example, the management device can generate a daisy chain topology that includes the connection relationships between multiple electronic devices forming a daisy chain. The management device can display MAC addresses along with the connection relationships between the electronic devices on the management screen.

[0176] The management device may perform operations 1210 to 1230 again after period T. For example, the management device may determine whether a change has occurred in the connection relationship or topology of a plurality of electronic devices based on at least one of the MAC address of an electronic device included in a notification message, a list of MAC addresses of lower-level electronic devices, and the number of MAC addresses included in the MAC address list, and may update the change in the connection relationship or topology database.

[0178] FIG. 13 illustrates the functional configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0179] Terms such as '...part', '...unit' used below refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0180] Referring to FIG. 13, the electronic device includes a communication unit (1301), a storage unit (1303), and a control unit (1305). The electronic device of FIG. 13 may correspond to the electronic devices (310 to 340, 510 to 540) of FIG. 3 to 12. The electronic device may include, for example, the base station (110) and terminal (120) of FIG. 1, the base station (210, 220, 240) and terminal (250) of FIG. 2.

[0181] The communication unit (1301) performs functions for transmitting and receiving signals through wired channels and wireless channels. For example, the communication unit (1301) may include a wired / wireless interface. In one embodiment, the communication unit (1301) may further include a wired backhaul interface to communicate through a wired link established between it and another electronic device.

[0182] The communication unit (1301) can transmit and receive data with other devices (e.g., management device, router, switch, electronic device) using a MAC address. For example, the communication unit (1301) can transmit data including the MAC address of an electronic device as the source MAC address and the MAC address of another device as the destination MAC address. Alternatively, the communication unit (1301) can receive data including the MAC address of an electronic device as the destination MAC address.

[0183] In one embodiment, the communication unit (1301) may be directly connected to an upper-level electronic device and / or a lower-level electronic device via a wired link. The communication unit (1301) may transmit data packets (e.g., notification messages) to a central or management device via a chain with the upper-level electronic device, or receive data packets from the central or management device.

[0184] In one embodiment, for a first-level electronic device (e.g., the first electronic device, the second electronic device, or the third electronic device of FIG. 7), the communication unit (1301) may be connected to a central or management device via a backhaul or fronthaul link. The communication unit (1301) may receive data packets from the central or management device via the backhaul or fronthaul link and transmit the remaining packets that are not selected as packets for the first-level electronic device to the lower-level electronic device. The communication unit (1301) may transmit its own data packets and the data packets of the lower-level electronic devices to the central or management device via the backhaul or fronthaul link.

[0185] For example, the communication unit (1301) performs a conversion function between a baseband signal and a bit sequence according to the physical layer specifications of the system. For example, when transmitting data, the communication unit (1301) generates complex symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit sequence. Also, when receiving data, the communication unit (1301) restores the received bit sequence by demodulating and decoding the baseband signal. The communication unit (1301) may be configured to perform at least one of the operations of the transmitting end or the receiving end of the electronic device described through FIGS. 3 to 12.

[0186] The communication unit (1301) upconverts a baseband signal into an RF (radio frequency) band signal and transmits it through an antenna, and downconverts the RF band signal received through the antenna into a baseband signal. To this end, the communication unit (1301) may include a transmission filter, a reception filter, an amplifier, a mixer, an oscillator, a DAC (digital to analog converter), an ADC (analog to digital converter), etc. Additionally, the communication unit (1301) may include a plurality of transmission and reception paths. Furthermore, the communication unit (1301) may include at least one antenna array composed of a plurality of antenna elements. In terms of hardware, the communication unit (1301) may be composed of a digital unit and an analog unit, and the analog unit may be composed of a plurality of sub-units depending on operating power, operating frequency, etc. According to one embodiment, the communication unit (1301) may include a beam-forming unit, i.e., a beamforming unit. For example, (in the case of a base station) the communication unit (1301) may include a massive MIMO unit (MMU) for beamforming.

[0187] The communication unit (1301) can transmit and receive signals. To this end, the communication unit (1301) may include at least one transceiver. For example, the communication unit (1301) can transmit a synchronization signal, a reference signal, system information, a message, control information, or data. Additionally, the communication unit (1301) can perform beamforming. The communication unit (1301) can apply beamforming weights to the signal to give directionality according to the settings of the control unit (1305) to the signal to be transmitted or received. According to one embodiment, the communication unit (1301) can generate a baseband signal based on the scheduling result and the transmission power calculation result. Additionally, the RF unit within the communication unit (1301) can transmit the generated signal through an antenna.

[0188] The communication unit (1301) transmits and receives signals as described above. Accordingly, all or part of the communication unit (1301) may be referred to as a 'transmitter', a 'receiver', or a 'transmitter / receiver'. Furthermore, in the following description, transmission and reception performed via a wireless channel are used to mean that processing as described above is performed by the communication unit (1301).

[0189] The communication unit (1301) further includes a backhaul communication unit that provides an interface for communicating with other nodes within the network. That is, the backhaul communication unit converts a bit sequence transmitted from an electronic device to another node, e.g., another connection node, another base station, an upper node, a core network, etc., into a physical signal, and converts a physical signal received from another node into a bit sequence.

[0190] The storage unit (1303) stores data such as basic programs, application programs, and setting information for the operation of the electronic device. The storage unit (1303) may include memory. The storage unit (1303) may be composed of volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. Additionally, the storage unit (1303) provides the stored data upon the request of the control unit (1305).

[0191] The control unit (1305) controls the overall operations of the electronic device. For example, the control unit (1305) transmits and receives signals through the communication unit (1301) or through the backhaul communication unit (in the case of a base station). Additionally, the control unit (1305) writes and reads data to and from the storage unit (1303). Furthermore, the control unit (1305) can perform the functions of a protocol stack required by the communication standard. To this end, the control unit (1305) may include at least one processor. According to various embodiments, the control unit (1305) can control the electronic device to perform operations according to the various embodiments described above.

[0192] The configuration of the electronic device illustrated in FIG. 13 is merely an example of an electronic device, and the examples of electronic devices for performing various embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 13. That is, depending on the various embodiments, some configurations may be added, deleted, or changed.

[0193] Although the electronic device in FIG. 13 is described as a single entity, as previously stated, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Specifically, the electronic device may be implemented to form an access network having a distributed deployment as well as an integrated deployment (e.g., an eNB of LTE).

[0195] A method performed by an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: identifying a source MAC (Media Access Control) address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower level of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list; and transmitting the first notification message to a management device for managing a daisy chain including the electronic device. In this case, the electronic device performing the method may refer to a first-level electronic device connected to the management device via a backhaul link or a fronthaul link at each site.

[0196] A method according to one embodiment may further include: identifying a first MAC address which is the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through the chain port from the lower-level electronic device; adding the first MAC address to the MAC address list if the first MAC address is not included in the MAC address list; increasing the number of elements in the MAC address list by the number of the added first MAC addresses; generating a second notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements in the MAC address list; and transmitting the second notification message to the management device.

[0197] A method according to one embodiment may further include: an operation of updating the MAC address list based on the source MAC addresses of data packets flowing in through the chain port for a predetermined period of time; an operation of generating a third notification message including the MAC address of an electronic device, the updated MAC address list, and the number of elements of the updated MAC address list; and an operation of transmitting the third notification message to the management device.

[0198] A method according to one embodiment may further include the operation of transmitting the data packet to the management device when the destination MAC address of the data packet does not match the MAC address of the electronic device.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the first notification message may further include at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device.

[0201] A method performed by an electronic device according to one embodiment includes: identifying the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower level of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; and generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements in the MAC address list, wherein the first notification message may be leaked to an electronic device of a higher level through an external port of the electronic device. At this time, the electronic device performing the method may include a lower-level electronic device of the first-level electronic device (i.e., a second-level electronic device, a third-level electronic device, ...) in a daisy chain of each site.

[0202] A method according to one embodiment further comprises: identifying a first MAC address which is the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in from the lower-level electronic device through the chain port; adding the first MAC address to the MAC address list if the first MAC address is not included in the MAC address list; increasing the number of elements in the MAC address list by the number of the added first MAC addresses; and generating a second notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements in the MAC address list, wherein the second notification message may be leaked to an upper-level electronic device through the external port.

[0203] A method according to one embodiment further comprises: an operation of updating the MAC address list based on the source MAC addresses of data packets flowing in through the chain port for a predetermined period of time; and an operation of generating a third notification message including the MAC address of an electronic device, the updated MAC address list, and the number of elements of the updated MAC address list, wherein the third notification message may be leaked to an electronic device of a higher level through the external port.

[0204] According to one embodiment, if the destination MAC address of the data packet does not match the MAC address of the electronic device, the data packet may be leaked through an external port of the electronic device.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the first notification message may further include at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device.

[0207] A method performed by a management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices according to one embodiment may include: receiving first notification messages generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device; and determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification messages. The first notification message may include a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, and the MAC address list may include the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into the electronic device through a chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy to the at least one electronic device.

[0208] A method according to one embodiment may further include: receiving a second notification message from the electronic device; determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the second notification message; and updating the determined connection relationship.

[0209] A method according to one embodiment may further include the operation of receiving a third notification message from the electronic device for a predetermined period of time; and the operation of determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the third notification message. The third notification message may include the MAC address of the electronic device, a list of MAC addresses updated during the predetermined period of time, and the number of elements in the list of updated MAC addresses.

[0210] A method according to one embodiment may include the operation of receiving a data packet from the electronic device, wherein the destination MAC address matches the MAC address of the management device.

[0211] According to one embodiment, the first notification message may further include at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device.

[0213] A management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices according to one embodiment may include a transceiver; a memory for storing a program; and one or more processors. The program may be executed by the one or more processors to enable the management device to: receive first notification messages generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device, and determine a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification messages. The first notification message may include the MAC (Media Access Control) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, and the MAC address list may include the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into the electronic device through the chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device at a lower level than the at least one electronic device.

[0214] According to one embodiment, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device may: receive a second notification message from the electronic device, determine a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the second notification message, and update the determined connection relationship.

[0215] According to one embodiment, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device may: receive a third notification message from the electronic device for a predetermined time, and determine the connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the third notification message. The third notification message may include the MAC address of the electronic device, a list of MAC addresses updated during the predetermined time, and the number of elements in the list of MAC addresses updated.

[0216] According to one embodiment, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device can receive a data packet from the electronic device in which the destination MAC address matches the MAC address of the management device.

[0217] According to one embodiment, the first notification message may further include at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device.

[0219] Methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present invention may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0220] When implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium may be provided for storing one or more programs (software modules). One or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium are configured for execution by one or more processors within an electronic device. One or more programs include instructions that cause the electronic device to execute methods according to embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present invention.

[0221] Such programs (software modules, software) may be stored in random access memory, non-volatile memory including flash memory, ROM (Read Only Memory), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), magnetic disc storage devices, Compact Disc-ROM (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), or other forms of optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes. Alternatively, they may be stored in memory composed of some or all of these. Additionally, each constituent memory may include multiple units.

[0222] In addition, the above program may be stored on an attachable storage device that can be accessed via a communication network such as the Internet, Intranet, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide LAN (WLAN), or Storage Area Network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such a storage device may be connected to a device performing an embodiment of the present invention through an external port. Additionally, a separate storage device on a communication network may be connected to a device performing an embodiment of the present invention.

[0223] In the specific embodiments of the present invention described above, the components included in the invention are expressed in a singular or plural form according to the specific embodiments presented. However, the singular or plural expression is selected to suit the situation presented for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not limited to singular or plural components; even if a component is expressed in the plural form, it may be composed in the singular form, or even if a component is expressed in the singular form, it may be composed in the plural form.

[0224] Meanwhile, although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of the present invention, it is understood that various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined by the claims set forth below as well as equivalents thereof.

Claims

Claim 1 A method performed by an electronic device comprising: identifying a source MAC (Media Access Control) address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy to the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list; and transmitting the first notification message to a management device for managing a daisy chain including the electronic device. Claim 2 A method according to claim 1, comprising: identifying a first MAC address which is the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through the chain port from the lower-level electronic device; adding the first MAC address to the MAC address list if the first MAC address is not included in the MAC address list; increasing the number of elements in the MAC address list by the number of the added first MAC addresses; generating a second notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements in the MAC address list; and transmitting the second notification message to the management device. Claim 3 A method according to claim 1, comprising: an operation of updating the MAC address list based on the source MAC addresses of data packets flowing in through the chain port for a predetermined period of time; an operation of generating a third notification message including the MAC address of an electronic device, the updated MAC address list, and the number of elements of the updated MAC address list; and an operation of transmitting the third notification message to the management device. Claim 4 A method according to claim 1, comprising the operation of transmitting the data packet to the management device when the destination MAC address of the data packet does not match the MAC address of the electronic device. Claim 5 A method according to claim 1, wherein the first notification message further comprises at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device. Claim 6 A method performed by an electronic device, comprising: identifying the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in through a chain port from an electronic device of a lower level of the electronic device; storing the identified source MAC address in a MAC address list of the electronic device; and generating a first notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, wherein the first notification message is leaked to an electronic device of a higher level through an external port of the electronic device. Claim 7 A method according to claim 6, comprising: identifying a first MAC address which is the source MAC address of a data packet flowing in from the lower-level electronic device through the chain port; adding the first MAC address to the MAC address list if the first MAC address is not included in the MAC address list; increasing the number of elements in the MAC address list by the number of the added first MAC addresses; and generating a second notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the MAC address list, and the number of elements in the MAC address list, wherein the second notification message is leaked to an upper-level electronic device through the external port. Claim 8 In claim 6, the method comprises: an operation of updating the MAC address list based on the source MAC addresses of data packets flowing in through the chain port for a predetermined period of time; and an operation of generating a third notification message including the MAC address of the electronic device, the updated MAC address list, and the number of elements of the updated MAC address list, wherein the third notification message is leaked to an electronic device of a higher level through the external port. Claim 9 In claim 6, a method in which the data packet is leaked through an external port of the electronic device when the destination MAC address of the data packet does not match the MAC address of the electronic device. Claim 10 In claim 6, the first notification message further comprises at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device. Claim 11 A method performed by a management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices, comprising: receiving a first notification message generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device; and determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification message, wherein the first notification message comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, and the MAC address list comprises a source MAC address of a data packet that is introduced into the electronic device through a chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy to the at least one electronic device. Claim 12 A method according to claim 11, comprising: receiving a second notification message from the electronic device; determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the second notification message; and updating the determined connection relationship. Claim 13 A method according to claim 11, comprising: receiving a third notification message from the electronic device for a predetermined period of time; and determining a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the third notification message, wherein the third notification message comprises the MAC address of the electronic device, a list of MAC addresses updated during the predetermined period of time, and the number of elements of the list of MAC addresses updated. Claim 14 A method according to claim 11, comprising the operation of receiving a data packet from the electronic device in which the destination MAC address matches the MAC address of the management device. Claim 15 In claim 11, the first notification message further comprises at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device. Claim 16 A management device for managing a daisy chain comprising a plurality of electronic devices, comprising: a transmitting and receiving unit; a memory for storing a program; and one or more processors, wherein the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device: receives a first notification message generated by the plurality of electronic devices from at least one electronic device, and determines a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the first notification message, wherein the first notification message includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the plurality of electronic devices, a list of MAC addresses generated by the at least one electronic device, and the number of elements of the MAC address list, and wherein the MAC address list includes the source MAC address of a data packet flowing into the electronic device through a chain port of the electronic device from an electronic device of a lower hierarchy to the at least one electronic device. Claim 17 In paragraph 16, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device: receives a second notification message from the electronic device, determines a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the second notification message, and updates the determined connection relationship. Claim 18 In paragraph 16, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device: receives a third notification message from the electronic device for a predetermined time, and determines a connection relationship between the plurality of electronic devices based on the third notification message, wherein the third notification message includes the MAC address of the electronic device, a list of MAC addresses updated during the predetermined time, and the number of elements of the list of MAC addresses updated. Claim 19 In paragraph 16, the program is executed by the one or more processors, and the management device receives: a data packet from the electronic device in which the destination MAC address matches the MAC address of the management device. Claim 20 In paragraph 16, the above-mentioned first notification message is a management device further comprising at least one of the status, event, setting, and performance data of the electronic device.

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