NETWORK PROXYING TECHNOLOGY

• US 20140146832A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Pohlmann, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

A network device including a first network interface adapted to communicate with at least one further network device within a sub-network, and a proxy module adapted to provide control and information retrieval functionality relating to the at least one further network device to network devices outside the sub-network.

Claims

1. Network device comprising

a first network interface adapted to communicate with at least one further network device within a sub-network, and

a proxy module adapted to provide control, notification and information retrieval functionality relating to said at least one further network device to network devices outside said sub-network.

2. Network device of claim 1, comprising

a second network interface adapted to communicate with network devices outside said sub-network in an overall network.

3. Network device of claim 1, wherein said first network interface is adapted to allow a low-power-consumption communication.

4. Network device of claim 3, wherein said first network interface is adapted to allow communication via an HDMI Consumer Electronics Control channel (CEC).

5. Network device of claim 1, wherein said first network interface is adapted to allow communication via an HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC).

6. Network device of claim 2, wherein said second network interface is adapted to allow communication according to the Ethernet standard.

7. Network device of claim 1, wherein said proxy module is adapted to control a power state of said at least one network device in the subnetwork.

8. Network device of claim 1, wherein said proxy module is adapted to detect any communication between a network device of the sub-network and a network device of the overall network.

9. Network device of claim 1, wherein said proxy module is adapted to answer requests from network devices of the overall network addressed to said at least one network device of said sub-network.

10. Network device of claim 1, wherein said proxy module is adapted to retrieve and store information (general device and functionality information) from said at least one network device of the sub-network.

11. Network device of claim 10, wherein said proxy module is adapted to accept an update of said stored general device and functionality information caused by said at least one network device.

12. Network device of claim 1, wherein said proxy module is operative even if said network device is in a low-power consumption state.

13. Network device of claim 12, wherein said network device comprises a wake-up unit adapted to wake-up the proxy module when triggered by another network device.

14. Network device of claim 1, wherein said network device is a consumer electronic device, such as a TV set, a Blu-ray player, a set-top box, an audio amplifier.

15. Network comprising at least two network devices being connected with each other, at least one of which being a proxy network device according to claim 1, wherein one of said network devices is connected with another network.

16. Network of claim 15, wherein the network device being connected with said another network is said proxy network device.

17. Network of claim 15, wherein said network is a HDMI/CEC network.

18. Network of claim 15, wherein said another network is a local area network, LAN.

19. Network of claim 15, wherein at least one of said network devices is adapted to be settable to a low-power-consumption state.

20. Network of claim 19, wherein all network devices of said network with the exception of said proxy network device are settable to a low-power-consumption state.

21. Network of claim 20, wherein said network devices settable to a low-power-consumption state are adapted to communicate with each other via a low-power communication line, preferably a CEC, consumer electronics control, line.

22. Method of providing communication capability between a network as defined in claim 15 and another overall network, with the steps:

by the proxy network device;

requesting and/or being notified of data from the remaining network devices of the sub-network relating to general device information and/or the functionality of the respective network device and storing said data; and

by the proxy network device;

submitting data in response to a request from a network device of the overall network addressed to any one of the network devices of the sub-network.

23. Method of claim 22, wherein said step of requesting data is repeated according to a predetermined plan.

24. Method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the network devices is set in a low-power consumption state and said proxy network device responses to requests directed to the network devices in the low-power consumption state and received from the overall network.

25. Computer program comprising program code means for causing a network device to perform the steps of said method as claimed in claim 22 when said computer program is carried out on a network device.