ACCESSING CONTENT IN A NETWORK

• US 20110055218A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Borghini, Marco, Capuozzo, Giuseppe, Persia, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, a computer program product and a computer system assist a user to access a content item in a network such as a home network, the method comprises gathering capability information from a device, such as a digital music player in the network, wherein the device includes a directory of content items, wherein the directory includes a first container and a second container, wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the first container, and wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the second container; providing an index referring to the content items, the first container, and the second container; determining whether the directory has been modified; performing a content item search if the directory has been modified; and updating the index based on the results of the content item search.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing access to a content item in a network, the method comprising:

gathering capability information from a device in the network, wherein the device includes a directory of a plurality of content items, wherein the directory includes a first container and a second container, wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the first container, and wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the second container;

providing an index referring to the plurality of content items, the first container, and the second container;

determining whether the directory has been modified;

performing a content item search if the directory has been modified; and

updating the index based on the results of the content item search.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

sending a subscription message to the device in order to activate an event subscription, if the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

sending a subscription message to the device in order to activate an event subscription, if the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending an event message;

and

deactivating the event subscription, if the capability information indicates that the device is not capable of sending a container modification event message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message:

determining whether the directory has been modified comprises receiving the container modification event message,

wherein the container modification event message indicates that the second container has been modified and that the first container has not been modified,

wherein the content item search is restricted to the second container.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is not capable of sending a container modification event message:

determining whether the directory has been modified by polling the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of responding to a search based on search criteria, and when determining whether the directory has been modified indicates that the directory has been modified:

performing the content item search comprises using search criteria, wherein the search criteria is based on the index of content items.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the index further comprises:

determining that the device supports a directory service; and

wherein the index does not refer to content items located on other devices that do not support the directory service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second containers referenced in the index has a corresponding version number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the index refers to the device and the capability information of the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein either or both of at least one indexed container and at least one indexed content item has an associated tag in the index.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the index comprises sending a search message to a multicast address, and when a responding device provides an indication that the responding device supports a directory service:

adding references to content items on the responding device to the index.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a third container to the device, wherein the third container organizes multiple content items;

associating a first tag with the first container, a second tag with the second container and a third tag with the third container, wherein each tag defines the content items organized by the associated container;

performing a comparison of the third tag with the first tag and a further comparison of the third tag with the second tag;

updating the index to include the third container and the multiple content items organized by the third container, if the third tag does not define the same content items as the second tag and the third tag does not define the same content items as the first tag.

13. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions, which, when loaded and executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to carry out a method comprising:

gathering capability information from a device in the network, wherein the device includes a directory of a plurality of content items, wherein the directory includes a first container and a second container, wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the first container, and wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the second container;

providing an index referring to the plurality of content items, the first container, and the second container;

determining whether the directory has been modified;

performing a content item search if the directory has been modified; and

updating the index based on the results of the content item search.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, where the method further comprises:

sending a subscription message to the device in order to activate an event subscription, if the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message:

determining whether the directory has been modified comprises receiving the container modification event message,

wherein the container modification event message indicates that the second container has been modified and that the first container has not been modified,

wherein the content item search is restricted to the second container.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is not capable of sending a container modification event message:

determining whether the directory has been modified by polling the device.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of responding to a search based on search criteria, and when determining whether the directory has been modified indicates that the directory has been modified:

performing the content item search comprises using search criteria, wherein the search criteria is based on the index of content items.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein providing the index comprises sending a search message to a multicast address, and when a responding device provides an indication that the responding device supports a directory service:

adding references to content items on the responding device to the index.

19. A computer system for accessing a content item in a network, the system comprising:

a content storing device storing;

a directory of a plurality of content items, wherein the directory includes a first container and a second container, wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the first container, and wherein at least one of the plurality of content items is organized in the second container;

a network manager device operable to;

gather capability information from the content storing device;

provide an index referring to the plurality of content items, the first container, and the second container;

determine whether the directory has been modified;

perform a content item search if the directory has been modified; and

update the index based on the results of the content item search;

wherein the network connects the network manager device to the content storing device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the network manager device is further operable to:

send a subscription message to the device in order to activate an event subscription, if the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message.

21. The system of claim 19, where the network manager device is further operable, when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of sending a container modification event message, to:

determine whether the directory has been modified by receiving the container modification event message,

wherein the container modification event message indicates that the second container has been modified and that the first container has not been modified,

wherein the content item search is restricted to the second container.

22. The system of claim 19, where the network manager device is further operable, when the capability information indicates that the device is not capable of sending a container modification event message, to:

determine whether the directory has been modified by polling the device.

23. The system of claim 19, where the network manager device is further operable, when the capability information indicates that the device is capable of responding to a search based on search criteria and when the directory has been modified, to:

perform the content item search using search criteria, wherein the search criteria is based on the index of content items.

24. The system of claim 19, where the network manager device is further operable to provide the index by sending a search message to a multicast address, and is further operable to add references to content items on the responding device to the index, when a responding device provides an indication that the responding device supports a directory service.