Automobile media synchronization

• US 20040139180A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: White, Larry Lee, Lym, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US10/340,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network of devices includes a home media server and a mobile media server. The mobile media server preferably resides within an automobile. A wireless hub couples the home media server to the mobile media server via wireless connections. In operation, when the automobile carrying the mobile media server comes within an operational range of the wireless hub, a first set of media residing on the home media server and a second set of media residing on the mobile media server are synchronized. Preferably, synchronization occurs automatically once the mobile media server is within range of the wireless hub. In this manner, two-way synchronization provides the same media on both the home media server and the mobile media server. Alternatively, media is synchronized one-way.

Claims

1. A network of devices comprising:

a. a first media server including a first set of media; and

b. a second media server including a second set of media, wherein the first media server and the second media server are coupled to synchronize the first set of media and the second set of media.

2. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein the first set of media and the second set of media are automatically synchronized.

3. The network of devices of claim 1 further comprising a hub to couple the first media server to the second media server.

4. The network of devices of claim 3 wherein the hub is a wireless hub.

5. The network of devices of claim 4 wherein the first media server and the second media server are coupled to the wireless hub via wireless connections.

6. The network of devices of claim 4 wherein the first media server is coupled to the wireless hub via a wired connection and the second media server is coupled to the wireless hub via a wireless connection.

7. The network of devices of claim 3 wherein the first media server comprises the hub.

8. The network of devices of claim 3 wherein the first media server comprises a stationary server.

9. The network of devices of claim 8 wherein the second media server comprises a mobile server.

10. The network of devices of claim 9 wherein the mobile server resides within an automobile.

11. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein media includes audio, video, and image data.

12. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein the first media server and the second media server are SyncML enabled devices.

13. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein the first media server and the second media server are UPNP enabled devices.

14. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein synchronization of the first set of media and the second set of media is two-directional.

15. The network of devices of claim 1 wherein synchronization of the first set of media and the second set of media is, one-directional.

16. A method of synchronizing a first media server and a second media server comprising:

a. establishing communications between the first media server and the second media server, wherein the fist media server includes a first set of media and the second media server includes a second set of media; and

b. synchronizing the first set of media and the second set of media.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first set of media and the second set of media are automatically synchronized.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising applying a set of rules that determine specific media to be synchronized.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the rules determine if synchronization is allowed based on an identification of the second media server.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the first media server is coupled to the second media server via a hub.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein communications between the first media server and the second media server are established once the second media server moves within an operational range of the hub.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein synchronizing the first set of media and the second set of media includes determining which media is to be transferred, and transferring the determined media.

23. A network of devices comprising:

a. a home media server including a first set of media;

b. a mobile media server including a second set of media; and

c. a wireless hub coupled to the home media server and the mobile media server, wherein when the mobile media server moves within an operational range of the wireless hub a communication path is established between the home media server and the mobile media server, and the first set of media and the second set of media are synchronized.

24. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein synchronization occurs automatically once the mobile media server is within the operational range of the wireless hub.

25. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein the home media server comprises the hub.

26. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein the mobile server resides within an automobile.

27. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein media includes audio, video, and image data.

28. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein the home media server and the mobile media server are SyncML enabled devices.

29. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein the home media server and the mobile media server are UPnP enabled devices.

30. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein synchronization of the first set of media and the second set of media is two-directional.

31. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein synchronization of the first set of media and the second set of media is one-directional.

32. A first media server configured to be synchronized with a second media server, the first media server comprising:

a. an interface circuit to provide communications between the first media server and the second media server, wherein the first media server includes a first set of media and the second media server includes a second set of media; and

b. a processing circuit coupled to the interface circuit to synchronize the first set of media and the second set of media.

33. The first media server of claim 32 further comprising a transceiver coupled to the interface circuit to send and receive communications between the first media server and the second media server.

34. The first media server of claim 32 wherein the interface circuit is coupled to a hub such that the hub couples the first media server to the second media server.

35. The first media server of claim 33 wherein the first media server is coupled to the hub via a wireless connection.

36. The first media server of claim 33 wherein the first media server is coupled to the hub via a wired connection.

37. The first media server of claim 33 wherein the hub resides within the first media server.

38. The first media server of claim 32 wherein the first media server comprises a stationary server.

39. The first media server of claim 32 wherein the first media server comprises a mobile server.

40. The first media server of claim 39 wherein the mobile server resides within an automobile.

41. The first media server of claim 32 wherein media includes audio, video, and image data.

42. The first media server of claim 32 wherein the first media server is SyncML enabled.

43. The first media server of claim 32 wherein the first media server is UPnP enabled.