Hardware module for extending terminals to form units with ad-hoc network capability

• US 20030035273A1
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Frank, Michael, Rieken, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 6,941,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/737
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc network has a unit to operate a Java virtual machine which supports Java RMI and Jini. The hardware module has at least one interface to a communications interface on the electronic unit. Jini services are generated with interface stubs for the hardware of the electronic unit. The hardware module has at least one interface to a local area network.

Claims

1. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having hardware and a communications interface, comprising:

a Java virtual machine which supports Java RMI and Jini;

at least one interface module to connect to the communications interface on the electronic unit;

interface stubs to interface with the hardware of the electronic unit;

a service generator to generate Jini services for the hardware of the electronic unit using the interface stubs; and

at least one interface to the local area network.

2. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lookup service is provided which can be activated using a switch on the hardware module in order to set up the connection to the local area network.

3. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a USB interface.

4. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least an HAVi interface.

5. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least an Instabus interface.

6. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a tele-communicating terminal interface which supports the AT command.

7. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a PCMCIA interface.

8. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a SIM card interface.

9. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a wireless interface.

10. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a DC coupling interface.

11. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is an IrDa interface.

12. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a Bluetooth interface.

13. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is an IEEE 802.11 WLAN interface.

14. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having a communications interface, comprising:

a plurality of different interfaces to connect with the communications interface of the electronic unit;

a Java virtual machine adapted to support Java RMI and Jini;

interface stubs;

an interface adapter to connect one of the interfaces to the Java virtual machine such that Jini services are provided to the electronic unit through the interface stubs; and

a plurality of different interfaces to the local area network provided such that one of the interfaces can be connected to the Java virtual machine.

15. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having hardware and a communications interface, comprising:

means for operating a Java virtual machine which supports Java RMI and Jini;

at least one interface module to connect to the communications interface on the electronic unit;

means for generating Jini services with interface stubs for the hardware of the electronic unit; and

at least one interface to the local area network.