Method and system for remote access to universal plug and play devices

• US 20070233845A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Messer, Alan, Cheng, Doreen, Song, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A method for remote access to one or more Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) resources in a network is provided. An access policy for discovery of a UPnP resource in the network is maintained. Upon receiving a remote discovery request from a remote requester over a communication link, the access policy is consulted and it is determined if the resource is discoverable. If the resource is discoverable, then resource information is provided to the requester over the communication link.

Claims

1. A method for remote access to one or more Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) resources in a network, comprising the steps of:

maintaining an access policy for discovery of a UPnP resource in the network;

upon receiving a remote discovery request from a remote requester over a communication link, consulting the access policy and determining if the resource is discoverable; and

if the resource is discoverable, then providing resource information to the requester over the communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

controlling discovery of a resource based on an access policy, in response to a remote discovery request over the communication link.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

controlling access to a resource over the communication link, by performing message forwarding at the UPnP layer in the network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the step of controlling discovery is performed by a controller in the network; and

the step of controlling access is performed by a proxy.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving a remote discovery request includes the step of:

the proxy receiving a remote discovery request from the remote requester and the controller consulting the access policy such that if the resource is discoverable, then the proxy providing resource information to the requester over the communication link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource comprises a UPnP device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource comprises a service performed by one or more UPnP devices.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a service is discoverable if, according to the access policy:

(a) one or more devices that host the service are discoverable, and (b) the service is discoverable.

9. The method of claim 1 consulting the access policy and determining if the resource is discoverable further includes the steps of consulting the access policy to determine if the resource is discoverable to that remote requester.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local area network (LAN).

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a virtual private network (VPN).

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote requester comprises a UPnP control point.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link comprises a connection network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the connection network comprises the Internet.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

a UPnP device in the network sending a UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message; and

capturing and storing the UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message;

forwarding the M-SEARCH message to the UPnP device and receiving a response from the UPnP device;

sending the SSDP M-SEARCH response to the control point over the communication link; and

sending the stored UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message to the control point over the communication link.

15. A method for remote access to one or more Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) M-SEARCH message from a control point over a communication link;

responding with a SSDP M-SEARCH response to the control point over the communication link; and

sending a UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message to the control point over the communication link.

17. An apparatus for remote access to one or more Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) resources in a network, comprising:

an access policy for discovery of a UPnP resource in the network; and

a controller configured for controlling discovery of a resource based on the access policy, in response to a remote discovery request over the communication link.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to consult the access policy and if the resource is discoverable, the controller provides resource information to the requester over the communication link.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising proxy for controlling access to a resource over the communication link, by performing message forwarding at the UPnP layer in the network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the proxy is further configured for receiving a remote discovery request from the remote requester and the controller is further configured for consulting the access policy such that if the resource is discoverable, then the proxy provides resource information to the requester over the communication link.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the resource comprises a UPnP device.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the resource comprises a service performed by one or more UPnP devices.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein a service is discoverable if, according to the access policy:

(a) one or more devices that host the service are discoverable, and (b) the service is discoverable.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured for consulting the access policy to determine if the resource is discoverable to that remote requester.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the network comprises a local area network (LAN).

26. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the network comprises a virtual private network (VPN).

27. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the remote requester comprises a UPnP control point.

28. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the communication link comprises a connection network.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the connection network comprises the Internet.

30. An apparatus for remote access to one or more Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices in a network, comprising:

a bridge configured to interface between the network and a control point over a communication link;

a proxy configured for receiving a Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) M-SEARCH message from the control point via the bridge, for responding with a SSDP M-SEARCH response to the control and for sending a UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message to the control point over the communication link, via the bridge.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein:

a UPnP device in the network sending a UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message;

the proxy is further configured for capturing and storing the UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message, forwarding the M-SEARCH message to the UPnP device and receiving a response from the UPnP device, sending the SSDP M-SEARCH response to the control point, and sending the stored UPnP SSDP alive advertisement message to the control point.