Apparatus for and method of seamless wireless multimedia download path to peer networked appliances
First Claim
1. A network appliance comprising:
- a memory dedicated to and storing an application-specific routine;
a data interface to a local area network; and
a controller dedicated to execute said application-specific routine to process data in said memory, execute a network interface routine to interface with said local area network using said data interface and identify a type and address of a dedicated data device resident on said local area network, and exchange data between said memory and said dedicated data device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention encompasses a system and method in which networked appliances communicate with each other over a local area network as equals without the requirement of a supervising personal computer. The invention incorporates communication capabilities within each of the networked appliances and unique identifiers and enables the appliances themselves to communicate and exchange data, and access a wide area network such as the Internet. The networked appliances communicate with each others as peers rather than through a personal computer or central server. A network appliance of the present invention includes a memory, a data interface to a local area network and a controller. The included controller is dedicated to execute an application specific routine that processes data located in the memory, execute a network interface routine to interface to the local area network and identify a type and an address of at least one dedicated data device and exchange data between the memory of the network appliance and the dedicated data device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A network appliance comprising:
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a memory dedicated to and storing an application-specific routine;
a data interface to a local area network; and
a controller dedicated to execute said application-specific routine to process data in said memory, execute a network interface routine to interface with said local area network using said data interface and identify a type and address of a dedicated data device resident on said local area network, and exchange data between said memory and said dedicated data device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system of network appliances, comprising:
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a communications network; and
a plurality of network appliances, each including;
a data interface with a local area network;
a memory dedicated to and storing an application-specific routine; and
a controller dedicated to;
execute an application-specific routine to process data, execute a network interface routine to interface with said local area network using said data interface and identify a type and address of at least another one of said network appliances on said communications network, and exchange said data with said other network appliance over said communications network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of transferring data between first and second network appliances, comprising the steps of:
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establishing communications with a local area network;
registering with said local area network;
identifying resources available on said local area network;
identifying ones of said resources satisfying predetermined compatibility criteria;
establishing communications with a selected one of said resources satisfying said predetermined compatibility criteria; and
exchanging data with said selected resource. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification