Master content directory service server for providing a consolidated network-wide content directory
First Claim
1. A method of providing a master content directory within a network of devices comprising:
- a. querying devices within the network having a content directory service to obtain content listings; and
b. consolidating the content listings from the devices within the network into the master content directory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A master content directory service (CDS) provides a consolidated CDS which includes content listings representing all of the content within the network. A component of the master CDS functioning as a control point application periodically queries each CDS within the network in order to obtain the content listings for processing and inclusion within the master CDS. The component of the master CDS functioning as a control point application preferably also subscribes to each CDS within the network to receive notification of changes in content. Control point applications within the network access the consolidated master CDS to search content listings from all devices within the network. Preferably, the content itself is stored on the original device. When a control point application, accessing the master CDS, selects content for rendering, a communication is sent to the source device for the selected content. The selected content is then transmitted from the source device to the requesting device.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of providing a master content directory within a network of devices comprising:
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a. querying devices within the network having a content directory service to obtain content listings; and
b. consolidating the content listings from the devices within the network into the master content directory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for providing a master content directory within a network of devices comprising:
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a. an interface to the network of devices;
b. a querying application coupled to the interface to query devices within the network having a content directory service to obtain content listings; and
c. a consolidated master content directory including the content listings from the devices within the network, the consolidated master content directory receiving the content listings obtained by the querying application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for providing a master content directory within a network of devices comprising:
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a. means for interfacing to the network of devices;
b. means for querying coupled to the means for interfacing for querying devices within the network having a content directory service to obtain content listings; and
c. means for providing a consolidated master content directory coupled to the means for querying for providing content listings from the devices within the network, the consolidated master content directory receiving the content listings obtained by the querying application. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A host device within a network of devices, the host device comprising:
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a. a client application programming interface to communicate with devices within the network of devices;
b. a querying application coupled to the client application programming interface to query devices within the network having a content directory service to obtain content listings; and
c. a consolidated master content directory including the content listings from the devices within the network, the consolidated master content directory receiving the content listings obtained by the querying application. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A network of devices comprising:
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a. a plurality of content servers each having a content directory service;
b. one or more control point applications; and
c. a host device including;
i. a client application programming interface to communicate with the plurality of content servers;
ii. a querying application coupled to the client application programming interface to query the plurality of content servers to obtain content listings from the content directory services;
iii. a consolidated master content directory including the content listings from the content servers, the consolidated master content directory receiving the content listings obtained by the querying application; and
iv. a server application programming interface coupled to provide access to the consolidated master content directory to the control point applications. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification