Method and apparatus for a home network auto-tree builder

• US 7,103,834 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Humpleman, Richard James, Harms, G. Kevin, Deacon, Michael S., Wolff, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BASHORE, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/709,781
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501.1, 345/733, 709/321, 709217-218, 709219-220, 379/90.01, 715/501.1, 715/733, 719/203, 701/33
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 : Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• 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 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• 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 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 : characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 : home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 : Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system is provided for detecting, commanding and controlling diverse home devices currently connected to a home network. An interface is provided for accessing the home devices that are currently connected to a home network. According to the method, a device link file is generated, wherein the device link file identifies home devices that are currently connected to the home network. A device link page is created, wherein the device link page contains a device button that is associated with each home device that is identified in the device link file. A hyper-text link is associated with each device button, wherein the hyper-text link provides a link to an HTML page that is contained on the home device that is associated with the device button, and the device link page is displayed on a browser based home device.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

(b) creating a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function, by;

(i) creating a device link page from the home network, wherein the device link page includes device controls that are associated with the devices that are detected in step (a), and (ii) associating a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical or textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control;

(c) displaying said menu on a display device by displaying said device link page for a user to individually select each listed device and activate said controllable function; and

(d) displaying a user interface for a selected device for a user to activate said controllable function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within, said associated detected device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (b)(ii) creating the device link page includes the steps of:

generating a device link file, wherein the device link file identifies the detected devices; and

creating the device link page including said device control associated with each detected device identified in the device link file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating the device link file includes the steps of, for each detected device:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device link file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of creating the device link page further includes the steps of, for each detected device:

retrieving a logical device name from the device link file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

7. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an active state of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

(b) creating a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function, by;

(i) creating a device link page from the home network, wherein the device link page includes device controls that are associated with the devices that are detected in step (a), and (ii) associating a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control;

(c) displaying said menu on a display device by displaying said device link page for a user to individually select each listed device and activate said controllable function; and

(d) displaying a user interface for each selected device for a user to activate said controllable function.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said associated detected device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein in step (b)(ii), creating the device link page includes the steps of:

generating a device link file, wherein the device link file identifies the detected devices; and

creating the device link page including said device control associated with each detected device identified in the device link file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the device link file includes the steps of, for each detected device:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device link file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of creating the device link page further includes the steps of, for each detected device:

retrieving a logical device name from the device link file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

13. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

a detector that detects devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator for creating a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function;

a browser for displaying said menu on a browser based device for a user to individually select each listed device and activate said controllable function, and for displaying a user interface for a selected device for a user to activate said controllable function;

wherein, the menu comprises a device link page such that the menu generator creates the device link page from the home network, the device link page including device controls that are associated with the devices that are detected by the detector, and the menu generator further associates a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

the browser displays said device link page on the browser based device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said associated detected device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the menu generator creates the device link page by:

generating a device link file, wherein the device link file identifies the detected devices; and

then creating the device link page including said device control associated with each detected device identified in the device link file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the menu generator creates the device link file by, for each detected device:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device link file.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the menu generator creates the device link page by, for each detected device:

retrieving a logical device name from the device link file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

19. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

a detector that detects an active state of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator that creates a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting said devices to activate said controllable function;

a browser that displays said menu on a browser based device for a user to individually select each listed device and activate said controllable function, and for displaying a user interface for each selected device for a user to activate said controllable function;

wherein, the menu comprises a device link page such that the menu generator creates the device link page, the device link page including device controls that are associated with the devices that are detected by the detector, and the menu generator associates a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

the browser displays said device link page on the browser based device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said associated detected device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the menu generator creates the device link page by:

generating a device link file, wherein the device link file identifies the detected devices; and

creating the device link page including said device control associated with each detected device identified in the device link file.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the menu generator generates the device link file by, for each detected device:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device link file.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the menu generator creates the device link page by, for each detected device:

retrieving a logical device name from the device link file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including, for each detected device, at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.