Method for Transmitting Data in a Network of Distributed Stations, and Network Station

• US 20080263173A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Weber, Michael, Huetter, Ingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of home networks. A home network based on the present UPnP standard (Universal Plug and Play) allows data to be interchanged between network subscriber stations. A UPnP standard may have one or more control point devices. To allow profile information such as user profile or network profile to be interchanged, the invention proposes providing a control point device firstly with an expanded device ascertainment service which can be used to find the other control point devices in the network and also with one or more additionally implemented profile services which allow the other control point devices in the network to be notified about change to profile information on a control point device.

Claims

1. Method for transmitting data in a network of distributed stations, in which stations the functionalities of a device to be controlled are provided on a web server in the form of one or more information pages generated using a description language and are selected by a control point device in order to control a device which is to be controlled, wherein an expanded device ascertainment service in a control point device is used to find the other control point devices in the network in order to transmit profile information between two or more control point devices in the network, with one or more additionally implemented profile services in a control point device being used to send a notification about changed profile information to the other control point devices in the network.

2. Method according to claim 1, where the profile service sends the notification about changed profile information to all those control point devices which have been registered for notification about changed profile information.

3. Method according to claim 1, where the profile information relates to a user profile, particularly a user profile about the preferably desired musical orientation, the preferably desired TV or radio channels or programmes, or a list of selected Internet pages.

4. Method according to claim 1, where the profile information relates to a network profile, particularly in order to produce particular states in the network or to monitor states in the network.

5. Method according to claim 3, where the user profiles or network profiles differ according to time of day, day of the week, month or season, or a special time such as a holiday or business trip.

6. Method according to claim 2, where the control point device which has been notified about changed profile information transfers the new profile information to its own profile.

7. Method according to one of the claim 1, where the profile information is linked to currency-level information.

8. Method according to claim 7, where the new profile information is transferred to the control point device'"'"'s own profile only if the currency-level information shows it to be more current than the information in the control point device'"'"'s own profile.

9. Method according to claim 1, where the profile information is linked to transfer control information, which indicates whether the new profile information is to be transferred from the one or more other control point devices in the network regardless of any currency-level information which is present.

10. Method according to claim 1 where the network of distributed stations is a network based on the UPnP standard, corresponding to Universal Plug and Play.

11. Network station as control point device for performing the method according to claim 1, with one or more profile information items, wherein the network station has an expanded device ascertainment service which can be used to find the other control point devices in the network, and in that one or more additionally implemented profile services are provided which are used to notify other control point devices in the network about changed profile information.

12. Network station according to claim 11, wherein the network station has registration means which can be accessed by the other control point devices in the network in order to register for notification about changed profile information.

13. Network station according to claim 11, wherein the profile information relates to a user profile, particularly a user profile about the preferably desired musical orientation, the preferably desired TV or radio channels or programmes or a list of selected Internet pages.

14. Network station according to claim 11, where the profile information relates to a network profile, particularly in order to produce particular states in the network or to monitor states in the network.

15. Network station according to claim 12, wherein the user profiles or network profiles differ according to time of day, day of the week, month or season, or a special time such as a holiday or business trip.

16. Network station according to claim 1, wherein the control point device which has been notified about profile information transfers the new profile information to its own profile.

17. Network station according to claim 1, wherein the profile information is linked to currency-level information.

18. Network station according to claim 17, wherein it transfers the new profile information to its own profile only if it has been found to be more current than the information in its own profile.

19. Network station according to claim 11, wherein the profile information is linked to transfer control information, which indicates whether the new information is to be transferred from the one or more other control point devices in the network regardless of any currency-level information which is present.

20. Network station according to claim 11, wherein the network station is designed on the basis of the UPnP standard, corresponding to Universal Plug and Play.