Method and apparatus of data transfer controlling data transfer among a plurality of equipments connected to a network and medium recording the program thereof

• US 20060075096A1
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satoshi Terada, Toru Ueda
• Original Assignee: Satoshi Terada, Toru Ueda
• Inventors: Terada, Satoshi, Ueda, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40052 High-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus bus transfer protocol on a daisy chain bus using an embedded synchronisation G06F13/426
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052

Abstract

A data transfer apparatus includes an attribute collecting unit collecting attribute of data managed by an equipment connected to a network, a transfer control unit selecting a method of data transfer based on the attribute information of data collected by the attribute collecting unit, a data receiving unit receiving data by the method of transfer selected by the transfer control unit, and a data transmitting unit transmitting data by the method of transfer selected by the transfer control unit. As the transfer control unit selects the method of data transfer based on the data attribute information collected by the attribute collecting unit, it becomes possible for a user or an application program to receive data by the same operation.

Claims

1. A data receiving apparatus, comprising:

an equipment attribute information acquiring unit acquiring equipment attribute information of an equipment connected to a network;

a data attribute information acquiring unit acquiring data attribute information of each data item managed by at least one equipment of which said equipment attribute information was acquired;

a transfer selecting unit selecting a method of data transfer from a plurality of methods of data transfer based on the data attribute information of each data item acquired by said data attribute information acquiring unit; and

a data receiving unit receiving data by the method of data transfer selected by said transfer selecting unit.

2. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data receiving unit receives data by a plurality of physical layers.

3. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transfer selecting unit includes a protocol selecting unit selecting a protocol based on the data attribute information acquired by said data attribute information acquiring unit.

4. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transfer selecting unit includes a command set selecting unit selecting a command set based on the data attribute information acquired by said data attribute information acquiring unit.

9. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data attribute information acquiring unit acquires said attribute information of data as a directory information from said equipment, and

said transfer selecting unit selects the method of data transfer based on the attribute information of data selected by a user among said directory information acquired by said data attribute information acquiring unit.

10. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data attribute information acquiring unit acquires the data attribute information using a common protocol.

11. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the equipment attribute information includes at least one of a name of the equipment, a name of its function, a manufacturer'"'"'s name, a processible protocol, icon information, and a current state.

12. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data attribute information includes at least one of a file name, a data format, a data size, icon information, protocol information, description of contents, and a creation date.

13. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an attribute displaying unit displaying all or some of the equipment attribute information and/or the data attribute information.

17. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the selected protocol includes at least a protocol for transferring a stream and a protocol for transferring a file.

18. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data receiving apparatus is an AV reproducing apparatus performing reproduction of AV data.

5. A data transfer apparatus, comprising:

an equipment attribute information transmitting unit transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

a data attribute information transmitting unit transmitting data attribute information of each data item managed by its own equipment to the equipment connected to the network;

a command receiving unit receiving a command from the equipment connected to the network;

a transfer selecting unit selecting a transfer method from a plurality of transfer methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

a data transmitting unit transmitting data by the transfer method selected by said transfer selecting unit.

6. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data transmitting unit transmits data by a plurality of physical layers.

7. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transfer selecting unit includes a protocol selecting unit selecting a protocol based on the data attribute information included in the command.

8. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transfer selecting unit includes a command set selecting unit selecting a command set based on the data attribute information included in the command.

26. The data receiving apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data attribute information includes at least one of a file name, a data format, a data size, icon information, protocol information, description of contents, and a creation date.

14. A data receiving apparatus, comprising:

an equipment attribute information transmitting unit transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

a command receiving unit receiving a command from one of the equipments to which said equipment attribute information was transmitted;

a receiving selecting unit selecting a receiving method from a plurality of receiving methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

a data receiving unit receiving data by said selected receiving method.

15. A data transfer apparatus, comprising:

an equipment attribute information acquiring unit acquiring equipment attribute information of an equipment connected to a network;

an equipment selecting unit selecting one of the equipments of which said equipment attribute information was acquired;

a transfer selecting unit selecting a transfer method of data managed by its own equipment from a plurality of transfer methods;

a command transmitting unit transmitting a command including said selected transfer method information to said selected equipment; and

a data transmitting unit transmitting data by said selected transfer method.

16. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising an attribute display unit displaying some or all of said acquired equipment attribute information.

19. A data receiving apparatus, comprising:

an equipment attribute information acquiring unit acquiring equipment attribute information of an equipment connected to a network;

a data attribute information acquiring unit acquiring data attribute information of each data item managed by at least one of the equipments of which said equipment attribute information was acquired;

a command set selecting unit selecting a command set based on one or both of said acquired equipment attribute information and the data attribute information of the data item of said acquired data attribute information; and

a command transmitting unit transmitting a command included in the command set selected by said command set selecting unit to any of the equipments of which said equipment attribute information was acquired.

20. A data receiving method, comprising:

acquiring equipment attribute information of an equipment connected to a network;

acquiring data attribute information of each data item managed by at least one equipment of which said equipment attribute information was acquired;

selecting a method of data transfer from a plurality of methods of data transfer based on said acquired data attribute information of each data item; and

receiving data by said selected method of data transfer.

21. A program product for a computer to execute a data receiving method, wherein said data receiving method includes

acquiring equipment attribute information of an equipment connected to a network;

acquiring data attribute information of each data item managed by at least one equipment of which said equipment attribute information was acquired;

selecting a method of data transfer from a plurality of methods of data transfer based on said acquired data attribute information of each data item; and

receiving data by said selected method of data transfer.

22. A data transfer method, comprising:

transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

transmitting data attribute information of each data item managed by its own equipment to the equipment connected to the network;

receiving a command from the equipment connected to the network;

selecting a transfer method from a plurality of transfer methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

transmitting data by said selected transfer method.

23. A program product for a computer to execute a data transfer method, wherein said data transfer method includes

transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

transmitting data attribute information of each data item managed by its own equipment to the equipment connected to the network;

receiving a command from the equipment connected to the network;

selecting a transfer method from a plurality of transfer methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

transmitting data by said selected transfer method.

24. A data receiving method, comprising:

transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

receiving a command from one of the equipments to which said equipment attribute information was transmitted;

selecting a receiving method from a plurality of receiving methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

receiving data by said selected receiving method.

25. A program product for a computer to execute a data receiving method, wherein said data receiving method includes

transmitting equipment attribute information of its own equipment to an equipment connected to a network;

receiving a command from one of the equipments to which said equipment attribute information was transmitted;

selecting a receiving method from a plurality of receiving methods based on data attribute information included in the command; and

receiving data by said selected receiving method.