Method and system for locating information on local networks

• US 20060173853A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US11/048,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173853A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A method and system for providing access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks is described. The method and system include receiving a request for the information from a computing device through at least one of the plurality of networks. The request includes a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the local networks. The method and system further include locating the service for the at least one of the plurality of local networks based on the standard identifier and allowing the computing device to access the service through the at least one of the plurality of local networks.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks comprising:

receiving a request for the service from a computing device through at least one of the plurality of local networks, the request including a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the plurality of local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the plurality of local networks;

locating the service for the at least one of the plurality of local networks based on the standard identifier; and

allowing the computing device to access the service through the at least one of the plurality of local networks.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving further includes:

receiving the request for the service, the standard identifier including at least one standard local name corresponding to an address for accessing the service though the at least one local network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the locating further includes:

locating the service using the address; and

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the locating further includes:

translating the at least one standard local name to the address;

.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the translating further includes:

translating the request using a DNS server.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the receiving further includes:

receiving the request at a first server; and

wherein the translating further includes transferring the request to a second server; and

translating the standard local name to the address using the second server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the allowing further includes:

returning to the computing device an address for accessing the service though the at least one local network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving further includes:

allowing the request to be generated on the computing device using a single command.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the request allowing further includes allowing the request to be generated by a push of a button.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the request allowing further includes allowing the request to be generated by selection of a menu item.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

allowing a server on the local network to send out a heartbeat, the heartbeat indicating a presence of the local network; and

connecting to the local network based on the heartbeat.

12. A method for locating a service through any of a plurality of local networks comprising:

defining a standard name for use in a local network request for the service;

adding an entry in each of a plurality of servers that serve each of the plurality of local networks, each of the plurality of servers associating the standard name with a specific address for the service through a corresponding local network of the plurality of networks;

in response to a server of the plurality of servers receiving the local network request including the standard name, sending the request to the specific address through the corresponding local network for the server; and

providing the service to the computing device.

13. A method for providing access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks comprising:

generating a request for the information on a computing device, the request including a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the plurality of local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the plurality of local networks; and

sending the request through the at least one of the plurality of local networks for accessing the service through the at least one local network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the standard identifier includes at least one standard local name, the at least one standard local name corresponding to an address for accessing the service through the local network.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the request is generated on the computing device using a single command.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the request is generated in response to a push of a button included on the computing device.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the single command corresponds to a menu item.

18. A computer-readable medium containing a program for providing access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks, the program including instructions for:

receiving a request for the service from a computing device through at least one of the plurality of local networks, the request including a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the plurality of local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the plurality of local networks;

locating the service for the at least one of the plurality of local networks based on the standard identifier; and

allowing the computing device to access the service through the at least one of the plurality of local networks.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the receiving instructions further includes instructions for:

receiving the request for the service, the standard identifier including at least one standard local name corresponding to an address for accessing the service through the at least one local network.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the locating instructions further include instructions for:

translating the at least one standard local name to the address.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the instructions further include instructions for:

allowing a server on the local network to send out a heartbeat, the heartbeat indicating a presence of the local network; and

connecting to the local network based on the heartbeat.

22. A system for providing access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks comprising:

means for receiving a request for the service from a computing device through at least one of the plurality of local networks, the request including a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the plurality of local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the plurality of local networks;

means for locating the service for the at least one of the plurality of local networks based on the standard identifier; and

means for allowing the computing device to access the service through the at least one of the plurality of local networks.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the receiving means further include a gateway.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the receiving means further include a dynamic host configuration protocol server.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the standard identifier includes at least one standard local name, the at least one standard local name corresponding to an address.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the locating means further locates the service using the address.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the locating means further translates the at least one standard local name to the address and accesses the service at the address.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the locating means further includes a domain name service server.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the locating means further include a session internet protocol server.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein the receiving means includes a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server and wherein the locating means include a domain name service (DNS) server, the request being transferred from the DHCP server to the DNS server.

31. A computing device for obtaining access to a service through any of a plurality of local networks, the device comprising:

a user interface for initiating a request for the information from the computing device, the request including a standard identifier identifying the service for each of the plurality of local networks and associated with a location of the service for each of the plurality of local networks;

a communication subsystem for sending the request to the at least one of the plurality of local networks and for accessing the service through the at least one of the plurality of local networks.

32. The device of claim 31 wherein the standard identifier includes at least one standard local name, the at least one standard local name corresponding to an address.

33. The device of claim 31 wherein the user interface further generates the request on the computing device using a single command.

34. The device of claim 33 wherein the user interface includes a button that initiates the request at a push of the button.

35. The device of claim 33 wherein the user interface includes a menu item.