Method for enabling interaction between two home networks of different software architectures

• US 6,618,764 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Shteyn, Yevgeniy Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLINTON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US09/340,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 709/249, 709/318, 710/8, 710/104, 340/636, 370/402
• US Class Current: 709/249
• 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 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40091 Bus bridging LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; single bridge functionality H04L12/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

Home networks of different software architectures are integrated with each other. References to software representations of devices and services on a first one of the networks are automatically created. The references are semantically sufficient to enable automatic creation of at least partly functionally equivalent software representations for a second one of the networks so as to make the devices and services of the first network accessible from the second network.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a first home network of a first software architecture to interact with a second home network of a second software architecture that is different from the first software architecture, the method comprising:

detecting a first software representation of a device or of a service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the device or service in accordance with the first software architecture;

in response to detection of the first software representation, forming a reference of the first software representation, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;

creating an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the created reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture; and

registering the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a HAVi architecture; and

the other of the first and second networks is based on a Home API architecture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a Home API architecture; and

the other of the first and second networks is based on a JINI architecture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a Home API architecture; and

the other of the first and second networks is based on a UPnP architecture.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a JINI architecture; and

the other of the first and second networks is based on a HAVi architecture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a JINI architecture; and

the other of the first and second networks is based on a UPnP architecture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second networks is based on a UPnP architecture; and

the other network is based on a HAVi architecture.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first network has an inventory of devices and/or services registered with the first network;

the step of detecting comprises querying the inventory,

the step of forming comprises extracting information about the first software representation relevant to the second network; and

the step of creating comprises providing a second software representation based on the information extracted.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software representation comprises a first software object and the second software representation comprises a second software object.

10. An information processing system comprising:

a first home network of a first software architecture; and

a second home network of a second software architecture that is different from the first software architecture;

wherein;

the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the first software architecture;

the system has a reference generator for creating a reference of the first software representation through interaction with the look-up service, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;

the system has a software element generator for creating an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture; and

a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.

11. A software component for use on a home environment system, comprising:

a first network of a first software architecture, and a second home network of a second software architecture different from the first software architecture;

the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the first software architecture;

a reference generator for creating a reference to the first software representation through interaction with the look-up service, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;

a container for storing the reference;

a software element generator configured to retrieve the reference from the container and create an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture; and

a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.

12. A software component for use on a home environment system, comprising:

a first network of a first software architecture, and a second network of a second software architecture different from the first software architecture;

the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service;

the first network has a reference to the first software representation, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;

the component has a software element generator for creating an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture; and

a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.