Method and system for message dispatching in a home audio/video network

• US 6,275,865 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zou, Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELMAN, BRADLEY E
• Application Number:
  US09/199,973
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 725/78, 709/312, 709/313, 709/314, 709/315, 709/316, 709/317, 709/318, 709/245
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

A method of routing a received message to a proper software controller in a home audio/video network of connected network devices. A message is received from a network bus by an intelligent device coupled to the network bus, wherein the intelligent device includes a memory having stored therein a plurality of software controllers for communicating with a plurality of network devices. The intelligent device examines the received message to determine a memory space indication and a source device identification stored therein. The intelligent device then determines whether any software controllers associated with the device match the memory space indication. Provided that only one software controller matches the memory space indication, the received message is dispatched to the one software controller. Provided that more than one software controller matches the memory space indication, the received message is dispatched to that software controller that is also associated with the source device identification of the received message. Provided the memory space indication matches a self-software controller defined to control the intelligent device and another software controller, the received message is dispatched to the another software controller provided the another software controller is awaiting a return message. The received message is otherwise dispatched to the self-software controller. Once received by the proper software controller, the received message is dispatched as required to one or more sub-software controllers included therein.

Claims

1. In a home audio/video network of connected network devices, a method of routing a received message to a proper software controller, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving said received message from a network bus, said step a) performed by an intelligent device coupled to said network bus wherein said intelligent device comprises a memory having stored therein a plurality of software controllers for communicating with a plurality of network devices;

b) examining said received message to determine a memory space indication and a source device identification stored therein;

c) determining any software controllers that match said memory space indication;

d) provided only one software controller matches said memory space indication, dispatching said received message to said one software controller; and

e) provided more than one software controllers match said memory space, dispatching said received message to that software controller that is also associated with said source device identification of said received message.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said intelligent device further comprises a self-software controller defined to control said intelligent device and further comprising the step of f) provided said memory space indication matches said self-software controller and another software controller, dispatching said received message to said another software controller provided said another software controller is awaiting a return message, otherwise dispatching said received message to said self-software controller.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said network bus is compliant with the IEEE 1394 communication standard.

4. A method as described in claim 3 wherein said received message is a message packet and wherein said memory space indication is a multi-bit offset field of said message packet that specifies a remote memory address associated with said message packet.

5. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of registering, within said memory, a memory space allocation associated with each software controller of said plurality of software controllers of said intelligent device and establishing a handler for each software controller.

6. A method as described in claim 5 further comprising the step of registering, within said memory, a network device identification associated with each software controller of said plurality of software controllers.

7. A method as described in claim 6 wherein said network device identification is a global unique identification (GUID) of an associated network device.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said received message is dispatched to a first software controller and wherein said first software controller comprises a plurality of sub-software controllers and wherein said step d) and step e) comprise the step of dispatching said received message to that sub-software controller of said plurality of sub-software controllers that is waiting for a received message.

9. In a home audio/video network, an intelligent device coupled to said network and having a processor coupled to a memory unit having instructions stored therein that implement a method of routing a received message to a proper software controller, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving said received message from a network bus wherein said memory unit also has stored therein a plurality of software controllers for communicating with a plurality of network devices;

b) examining said received message to determine a memory space indication and a source device identification stored therein;

c) determining any software controllers that match said memory space indication;

d) provided only one software controller matches said memory space indication, dispatching said received message to said one software controller; and

e) provided more than one software controllers match said memory space, dispatching said received message to that software controller that is also associated with said source device identification of said received message.

10. An intelligent device as described in claim 9 wherein said intelligent device further comprises a self-software controller defined to control said intelligent device and further comprising the step of f) provided said memory space indication matches said self-software controller and another software controller, dispatching said received message to said another software controller provided said another software controller is awaiting a return message, otherwise dispatching said received message to said self-software controller.

11. An intelligent device as described in claim 9 wherein said network bus is compliant with the IEEE 1394 communication standard.

12. An intelligent device as described in claim 11 wherein said received message is a message packet and wherein said memory space indication is a multi-bit offset field of said message packet that specifies a remote memory address associated with said message packet.

13. An intelligent device as described in claim 9 further comprising the step of registering, within said memory, a memory space allocation associated with each software controller of said plurality of software controllers of said intelligent device and establishing a handler for each software controller.

14. An intelligent device as described in claim 13 further comprising the step of registering, within said memory, a network device identification associated with each software controller of said plurality of software controllers.

15. An intelligent device as described in claim 14 wherein said network device identification is a global unique identification (GUID) of an associated network device.

16. An intelligent device as described in claim 9 wherein said received message is dispatched to a first software controller and wherein said first software controller comprises a plurality of sub-software controllers and wherein said step d) and step e) comprise the step of dispatching said received message to that sub-software controller of said plurality of sub-software controllers that is waiting for a received message.

17. In a home audio/video network of connected network devices, a system for routing a received message to a proper software controller, said system comprising:

a) means for receiving said received message from a network bus, said receiving means including an intelligent device coupled to said network bus wherein said intelligent device comprises a memory means having stored therein a plurality of software controllers for communicating with a plurality of network devices;

b) means for examining said received message to determine a memory space indication and a source device identification stored therein;

c) means for determining whether any software controllers match said memory space indication;

d) provided only one software controller matches said memory space indication, means for dispatching said received message to said one software controller; and

e) provided more than one software controllers match said memory space, means for dispatching said received message to that software controller that is also associated with said source device identification of said received message.

18. A system as described in claim 17 wherein said means for receiving said received message further comprises:

a self-software controller means defined to control said intelligent device, wherein said memory space indication matches said self-software controller means and another software controller means; and

said received message dispatched to said another software controller means provided said another software controller means is awaiting a return message, said received message otherwise dispatched to said self-software controller means.

19. A system as described in claim 17 wherein said network bus is compliant with the IEEE 1394 communication standard.

20. A system as described in claim 19 wherein said received message is a message packet and wherein said memory space indication is a multi-bit offset field of said message packet that specifies a remote memory address associated with said message packet.

21. A system as described in claim 17 wherein a memory space allocation associated with each software controller means of said plurality of software controller means of said intelligent device is registered within said memory and wherein a handler is established for each software controller means.

22. A system as described in claim 21 wherein a network device identification associated with each software controller means of said plurality of software controller means is registered within said memory.

23. A system as described in claim 22 wherein said network device identification is a global unique identification (GUID) of an associated network device.

24. A system as described in claim 17 wherein said received message is dispatched to a first software controller means, said first software controller means comprising a plurality of sub-software controller means, said received message dispatched to that sub-software controller that is waiting for a received message.