Method and system for device to device command and control in a network

• US 6,466,971 B1
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Wang, Dongyan, Humpleman, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/306,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/229, 709/218, 709/217, 709/223, 709/220, 709/202, 345/329, 345/734, 345/733, 707/102
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/03 Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 : Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 : in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/328 : in the presentation layer [OSI layer 6]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 : Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

Method and system for command and control among a plurality of devices via a network by: connecting a first device to the network; connecting a second device to the network, where the second device stores application interface description data in a structured format for commanding and controlling the second device by other network devices; providing the application interface description data to the first device over the network; and sending control and command data from the first device to the second device over the network utilizing the application interface description data to control the operation of the second device.

Claims

1. A method for command and control among a plurality of devices via a network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a first device to the network;

(b) connecting a second device to the network, the second device storing application interface description data for commanding and controlling the second device by at least one other device connected to the network;

(c) receiving said application interface description data from the second device over the network; and

(d) sending control and command data from the first device to the second device over the network utilizing said application interface description data to control the operation of the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes locating said application interface description data via the network, and providing said application interface description data to the first device via the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(i) step (b) includes connecting two or more devices to the network, each device storing application interface description data in said structured format for commanding and controlling of the device by one ore more other devices connected to the network;

(ii) step (c) includes providing the application interface description data of a plurality of said devices to the first device via the network; and

(iii) step (d) includes sending control and command data from the first device to said plurality of devices over the network utilizing the application interface description data corresponding to each of said plurality of devices to control the operation of said plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (ii) further includes locating said application interface description data via the network, and providing said application interface description data to the first device via the network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein step (ii) further includes providing the application interface data of a plurality of said devices to at least the first device, and wherein step (iii) includes sending control and command data from at least the first device to said plurality of devices connected to the network utilizing the application interface description data corresponding to each of said plurality of devices to control the operation of at least one of said plurality of devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes transferring at least a portion of said application interface description data to the first home device via the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes the first device querying the application interface description data in the second device via the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes the first device querying the application interface description from a database device connected to the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application interface description data includes remote procedure call information for the first home device to control the operation of the second home device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the application interface description data includes capabilities data for identifying the capabilities of the second device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said devices are incapable of displaying user interfaces.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said application interface description data includes XML format.

51. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first device includes a controller agent for autonomously controlling one or more devices in the network;

the application interface description data in the second device includes information for use by a controller agent to autonomously command and control the second device; and

step (d) further includes the steps of sending control and command data from the controller agent of the first device to the second device over the network, wherein said controller agent utilizes said application interface description information to autonomously control the operation of the second device.

13. A network system for commanding and controlling devices, comprising:

(a) a physical layer, wherein the physical layer provides a communication medium than can be used by devices to communicate with each other;

(b) at least one controlled device containing application interface description data in a structured format for commanding and controlling the controlled device by at least one other device; and

(c) at least one controller device including a device control for obtaining said application interface description data, and sending control and command data to the controlled device utilizing said application interface description data to essentially autonomously control the operation of the controlled device.

14. The network system of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of controlled devices, each controlled device storing application interface description data for commanding and controlling of each controlled device by at least said controller device, wherein said device control selectively obtains the application interface description data of one or more of said controlled devices for sending control and command data to one or more of said controlled devices utilizing said application interface description data to control the operation of said one or more controlled devices.

15. The network system of claim 13 wherein said device control obtains said application interface description data by transferring at least a portion of said application interface description data to the controller device for generating and sending said control and command data to the controlled device.

16. The network system of claim 13 wherein said device control obtains said application interface description data by querying said application interface description data in the controlled device.

17. The network system of claim 13 wherein said device control obtains said application interface description data by querying the application interface description data from a database device.

18. The network system of claim 13 wherein the application interface description data includes remote procedure call information for the controller device to control the operation of the controlled device.

19. The network system of claim 13 wherein the application interface description data includes capabilities data for identifying the capabilities of the controlled device.

20. The network system of claim 13 wherein said controller and controlled devices are incapable of displaying user interfaces.

21. The network system of claim 13 wherein said structured format includes XML format.

22. The network system of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of controller devices, each controller device including a device control for obtaining application interface description data of one or more controller devices for sending command and control information to said one or more controlled device utilizing said application interface description data to control the operation of said one or more controlled devices.

52. The network system of claim 13, wherein:

said device control in the controller device includes a controller agent for autonomously controlling one or more devices in the network; and

the application interface description data in the controlled device includes information for use by a controller agent to autonomously command and control the controlled device;

such that the controller agent of the controller device utilizes said application interface description information to autonomously control the operation of the controlled device.

23. A method for performing a service via a home network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a client device to the home network, wherein the client device is capable of displaying user interface data;

(b) connecting a first home device to the home network, the first home device storing user interface data in a selected format that defines a user interface for user command and control of at least the first home device by a user via the network;

(c) connecting a second home device to the home network, the second home device storing application interface description data in a structured format for essentially autonomous device command and control of the second home device by one or more other home devices connected to the network;

(d) receiving the user interface data of the first home device at the client device via the home network;

(e) accepting user input from a user in response to the user interacting with the user interface; and

(f) sending control and command data from the client device to the first home device based on the user input to cause the first and second home devices to essentially autonomously communicate with each other utilizing said application interface description data to perform the service.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein step (f) further includes accepting user input for selecting the second home device from the user interface being displayed on the client device.

25. The method of claim 24, further including the step of the first home device controlling the second home device by sending control and command information to the second home device utilizing said application interface description data based on the user input to the first home device via the client device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of providing the application interface description data to the first home device via the network.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said application interface description data includes capabilities data for the second home device, and further comprising the steps of:

(i) querying the capabilities data within the application interface description data of the second home device, and (ii) updating said user interface data in the first home device using the capabilities data to allow commanding and controlling of the second home device by a user via the user interface of the first home device displayed on the client device.

28. The method of claim 23, farther comprising connecting two or more home devices to the network, each home device storing application interface description data for commanding and controlling of the home device by one or more other home devices connected to the network.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the application interface data in each of said two or more home devices includes capabilities data for the respective home device, and further comprising the steps of:

(i) querying the capabilities data within the application interface data of said two or more home devices, and (ii) updating said user interface data in the first home device using said capabilities data to allow commanding and controlling of said two or more home devices by a user via the user interface of the first home device displayed on the client device.

30. The method of claim 28, further including the step of providing the application interface descriptions of a plurality of said two or more home devices to the first home device via the network.

31. The method of claim 30, further including the step of:

sending control and command data from the first home device to said plurality of home devices via the network utilizing the application interface description data corresponding to each of said plurality of home devices to control the operation of said plurality of home devices.

32. The method of claim 30, further including the step of:

locating said application interface descriptions over the network, and providing said application interface descriptions to the first home device via the network.

33. The method of claim 30 further including the steps of providing the application interface description data of one home device of said plurality of home devices to another home device of said plurality of home devices.

34. The method of claim 33 further including sending control and command data from said one home device to said another home device via the network utilizing the application interface description corresponding to said another home device to control the operation of said other home device.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the application interface description includes remote procedure call information for the first home device to control the operation of the second home device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the application interface description includes capabilities data for identifying the capabilities of the second device.

37. The method of claim 23 wherein the selected format includes HTML format.

38. The method of claim 23 wherein the structured format includes XML format.

53. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the first device includes a controller agent for autonomously controlling one or more devices in the network;

the application interface description data in the second device includes information for use by a controller agent to autonomously command and control the second device; and

step (g) further includes the steps of sending control and command data from the controller agent of the first device to the second device over the network, wherein said controller agent utilizes said application interface description information to autonomously control the operation of the second device.

39. A network system for commanding and controlling devices, comprising:

(a) a physical layer, wherein the physical layer provides a communication medium than can be used by devices to communicate with each other;

(b) a first server device storing user interface data in a selected format that defines a user interface for user command and control of at least the first device by a user;

(c) a second server device storing application interface description data for essentially autonomous device command and control of the second sever device by one or more devices;

(d) a client device capable of displaying user interface data, the client device including a user interface controller for displaying said user interface of the first server device on the client device to accept input from a user, and for sending control and command data to the first server device based on the user input, to cause the first and second sever devices to essentially autonomously communicate with each other utilizing said application interface description data to perform a service requested by the user.

40. The network system of claim 39, wherein said user interface controller accepts user input for selecting the second sever device from the user interface being displayed on the client device.

41. The network system of claim 40, wherein the first server device includes a device control for controlling the second sever device by sending control and command information to the second sever device utilizing said application interface description data based on the user input to the first server device via the client device.

42. The network system of claim 41, wherein said device control obtains the application interface description data from the first server device.

43. The network system of claim 41 wherein said device control obtains the application interface description data from a data base.

44. The network system of claim 41, wherein the application interface description data includes capabilities data for the second sever device, and wherein the device control obtains the capabilities data from the application interface description data and updates said user interface data in the first home device using the capabilities data to allow command and control of the second sever device by a user via the user interface of the first server device displayed on the client device.

45. The network system of claim 41 further comprising two or more server devices each storing application interface description data for commanding and controlling of said two or more server devices by one or more devices.

46. The network system of claim 45, wherein the application interface data in each of said two or more server devices includes capabilities data for the respective server device, and wherein the device control obtains the capabilities data from the application interface data of said two of more server devices and updates said user interface in the first server device using said capabilities data to allow command and control of said two or more sever devices by a user via the user interface of the first server device displayed on the client device.

47. The network system of claim 45 wherein the device control sends control and command data to said two or more server devices utilizing the application interface description data corresponding to each of said two or more server devices to control the operation of said two or more server devices.

48. The network system of claim 39 wherein said application interface description data includes remote procedure call information for the first server device to control the operation of the second server device.

49. The network system of claim 39 wherein the selected format includes HTML format.

50. The network system of claim 39 wherein application interface description data includes XML format.

54. The network system of claim 39, wherein:

the first server device includes a controller agent for autonomously controlling one or more devices in the network; and

the application interface description data in the second server device includes information for use by a controller agent to autonomously command and control the second server device over the network;

such that the controller agent of the first server device utilizes said application interface description information to autonomously control the operation of the second server device over the network.

55. In a network system for command and control of devices, including a physical layer having a communication medium for communication between controller agents and controlled agents in the network system, a control system comprising:

(a) at least one controlled agent and application interface description information for autonomous command and control of the controlled agent by at least one controller agent; and

(b) at least one controller agent configured for using said application interface description information to send control and command information to the controlled agent utilizing to autonomously control the operation of the controlled agent over the network.

56. The network system of claim 55, wherein said application interface description information includes control information for use by the controller agent to command and control the controlled agent over the network.

57. In a network system for commanding and controlling devices, the network system including a physical layer providing a communication medium for communication between said devices, a device control system comprising:

(b) at least one controlled device containing application interface description data in a structured format for commanding and controlling the controlled device by at least one other device over the network; and

(c) at least one controller device including a device control for obtaining said application interface description data, and sending control and command data to the controlled device utilizing said application interface description data to essentially autonomously control the operation of the controlled device over the network.

58. The network system of claim 57, wherein:

said device control in the controller device includes a controller agent for autonomously controlling one or more devices in the network; and

the application interface description data in the controlled device includes information for use by a controller agent to autonomously command and control the controlled device;

such that the controller agent of the controller device utilizes said application interface description information to autonomously control the operation of the controlled device over the network.

59. The network system of claim 57, wherein said application interface description data of the controlled device includes control information for use by the device control of the controller device to command and control the controlled device over the network.