METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A HOME NETWORK AUTO-TREE BUILDER
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system is provided for detecting, commanding and controlling diverse home devices currently connected to a home network. An interface is provided for accessing the home devices that are currently connected to a home network. According to the method, a device link file is generated, wherein the device link file identifies home devices that are currently connected to the home network. A device link page is created, wherein the device link page contains a device button that is associated with each home device that is identified in the device link file. A hyper-text link is associated with each device button, wherein the hyper-text link provides a link to an HTML page that is contained on the home device that is associated with the device button, and the device link page is displayed on a browser based home device.
46 Citations
33 Claims
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1-8. -8. (canceled)
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9. A method for a server device to communicate with a client device in a home network, comprising:
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sending server device characteristic data that identify the server device from the server device to the client device in response to the client device transmitting a first request signal generated by said client device and sent to the server device; receiving a second request signal requesting a web page contained within said server device and associated with a server device control that distinguishes the server device from other server devices, wherein said second request signal is generated in response to said server device characteristic data; sending said web page in response to said second request signal; generating a device link file, wherein the device link file identifies the plurality of server devices, wherein generating the device link file includes; associating a logical device name with each of the plurality of server devices; and storing the plurality of logical device names in the device link file; and creating a device link page including device controls associated with the plurality of server devices identified in the device link file, wherein the device link page includes at least one device control for each of the plurality of server devices, wherein creating the device link page further includes; retrieving the plurality of logical device names from the device link file; storing the plurality of logical device names in the device link page; and converting the plurality of logical device names to the device controls. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 33)
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19. A home network system comprising:
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a server device including a processor coupled to a memory device for storing web page files; a client device connected to the server device via a home network; a detector for detecting an active status of devices currently connected to the home network; and a control protocol for the server device to communicate with the client device by; sending server device characteristic data that identify the server device from the server device to the client device in response to a first request signal generated by said client device and sent to the server device; receiving a second request signal requesting a web page contained within said server device and associated with a server device control that distinguishes the server device from other server devices, wherein said second request signal is generated in response to said server device characteristic data; and sending said web page in response to said second request signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification