System for transmission of embedded applications over a network

• US 6,618,754 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1995
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Gosling, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, SUE X
• Application Number:
  US08/546,808
• Time in Patent Office: 2,878 Days
• Field of Search: 395/680, 395/685, 395/682, 709/300, 709/303, 709/302, 709/328, 709/310, 709/202, 709/203, 709/218, 709/317, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 707/513, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation 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 12/282 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 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting embedded applications over a network is disclosed, wherein a user of a computer-controlled network client, such as a remote control device used for controlling a network of computer-controlled home entertainment devices, or a Web browser running on a Web client, can request and receive compound documents that include embedded applications and/or data files that can only be processed (i.e., imaged or played) by handlers that are not resident on the client. In addition to embedded documents, the compound documents that are transmitted over the network can reference flat files (e.g, image, audio, or text files), and other compound documents. Whenever a client receives a compound document, the client determines whether it has access to all of the documents referenced in the compound document and, if not, requests the documents to which it does not have local access. So that the multiple documents embedded in a compound document can be simultaneously output by the client to a multimodal output device, the requestor includes a multi-tasking real-time kernel. This scheme allows a client user to download documents from a server that include embedded applications, which when executed on the client, allow the client to control the servers using commands downloaded from the servers.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a system controller and a plurality of devices, interconnected by a communications network;

the system controller including a data processor and a communications module for sending and receiving messages to and from the devices;

each of the devices including memory for storing a control program and a module for sending the control program to the system controller upon request by the system controller;

the system controller including memory for storing the control program sent by each of the devices;

the system controller configured to execute each of the control programs sent by each respective one of the devices so as to control operation of the respective devices, including sending control messages to the respective devices;

the system controller further configured to request a control program from one or more of the devices at various times, including at a time other than registration of the device on the communications network;

each of the respective devices including a respective local controller for controlling operation of the respective device in accordance with control messages received from the system controller;

whereby the system controller controls each of the devices using a respective control program received from that device via the network.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein each of the devices comprising a server and the system controller comprising a client.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control program sent by at least one of the devices to the system controller is embedded in a compound document.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control program sent by one of the devices encapsulates all data and routines necessary for its execution and is encoded so that it is executable by said client in real time.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the system controller includes a real time kernel that configures the system controller to manage execution of at least two of the control programs with real time constraints so that jobs performed by the at least two control programs complete in accordance with the real time constraints.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of devices include devices having heterogeneous primary functions.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the system controller requests that a device send a control program in response to input from a user.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein the system controller stores a new control program for a respective device for which a prior control program was previously stored.

6. A method of controlling a plurality of devices interconnected on a communications network, comprising the steps of:

storing in each of the devices a control program and sending the control program from each of the devices to a system controller upon request by the system controller, the requests being sent by the system controller at various times, including at a time other than registration of the devices on the communications network;

at the system controller, executing the control programs sent by the respective devices so as to control operation of the respective devices, including sending control messages to the respective devices; and

at each of the respective devices, controlling operation of the respective device in accordance with control messages received from the system controller;

whereby the system controller controls each of the devices using a respective control program received from that device via the communications network.

7. The control method of claim 6, wherein the control program sent by at least one of the devices to the system controller is embedded in a compound document.

8. The control method of claim 6, wherein the control program sent by one of the devices encapsulates all data and routines necessary for its execution and is encoded so that it is executable by said client in real time.

9. The control method of claim 8, wherein the system controller includes a real time kernel that configures the system controller to manage execution of at least two of the control programs with real time constraints so that jobs performed by the at least two control programs complete in accordance with the real time constraints.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of devices include devices having heterogenous primary functions.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein a device sends a control program to a system controller upon request by the system controller in response to input from a user.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the system controller controls a respective device using a new control program sent by the respective device, after having previously controlled the respective device using a prior control program sent by the respective device.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of devices interconnected on a communications network, the method comprising:

storing in a system controller a name server registry that identifies each of the plurality of devices;

storing in the system controller a request control program instruction for each of the plurality of devices;

at the system controller, executing a request control program instruction to send a request for a dynamic control program to a respective device;

sending a dynamic control program from the respective device to the system controller upon the request by the system controller;

storing in the system controller the dynamic control program sent by the respective device;

at the system controller, executing the dynamic control program sent by the respective device so as to control operation of the respective device, including by sending control messages to the device; and

at the respective device, controlling operation of the respective device in accordance with control messages received from the system controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the storing in the system controller of the name server registry and the default request instruction occurs non-volatilely.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending, from a respective device to the system controller, an identifier of the respective device and a request control program instruction at the time the respective device is registered on the communications network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the executing of the request control program instruction occurs based upon user input to the system controller.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the sending of the dynamic control program occurs at a time other than registration of the respective device on the communications network.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of devices include devices having heterogenous primary functions.

22. A control system for controlling a plurality of devices interconnected on a communications network, the control system comprising:

each of the devices of the plurality of devices comprising;

a name server for storing an identifier of the respective device;

memory for storing a dynamic control program and a request control program instruction for the respective device;

a communications module for sending and receiving messages to and from the system controller; and

a local controller for controlling operation of the respective device in accordance with control messages received from the system controller;

wherein the communications module is configured to send the device identifier and the request control program instruction to the system controller when the respective device registers on the communications network;

wherein the communications module is configured to send the dynamic control program to the system controller in response to a request from the system controller;

a system controller comprising;

a name server registry that identifies each of the plurality of devices;

memory for storing the dynamic control program and the request control program instruction for each of the plurality of devices; and

a communications module for sending and receiving messages to and from the plurality of devices;

wherein the system controller is configured to execute each of the dynamic control programs sent to the system controller by each respective device so as to control operation of the respective device, including by sending control messages to the device;

wherein, prior to receiving a dynamic control program from a respective device, the system controller is configured to execute the request control program instruction for the respective device to generate a request for the dynamic control program.

23. The control system of claim 22, wherein the name server registry and that portion of the memory storing the request command program instruction comprises non-volatile memory.

24. The control system of claim 22, wherein the system controller is configured to request a dynamic control program from a device at a time other than the registration of the device on the communications network.

25. The control system of claim 22, wherein the system controller is configured to execute the request command program instruction based upon input from a user.

26. The control system of claim 22, wherein the system controller is configured to control a respective device using a new dynamic control program sent by the respective device, after having previously controlled the respective device using a prior control program sent by the respective device.

27. The control system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of devices include devices having heterogenous primary functions.