content abstraction layer for use in home network applications
First Claim
1. A network architecture comprising:
- a device layer including,at least one electronic device programmed to communicate using a device native communication protocol,at least one network backbone,each electronic device connected to one of the at least one network backbone; and
a device abstraction layer connected to the device layer, the device abstraction layer enabling communication between the at least one device and the device abstraction layer using the device native communication protocol of the at least one electronic device, the device abstraction layer further enabling communication between the device abstraction layer and a content abstraction program interface in a manner independent of device native communication protocols, wherein the content abstraction program interface includes a content change notification system that notifies client applications of changes in content and content related information and the device abstraction layer includes a set of proxies, each proxy enabling communication between the at least one device and the device abstraction layer using a device native communication protocol, and a unified communication interface for communicating between the device abstraction layer and a higher network layer in a manner independent of device native communication protocols.
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Abstract
A network architecture for a network of electronic devices includes a device layer having a plurality of electronic devices interconnected using a network backbone, wherein the plurality of electronic devices each operate using a device native communication protocol. The architecture also includes a device abstraction layer (DAL) which communicates with each of the devices using the device native communication protocols and also presents a unified communication interface to a content abstraction program interface. The content abstraction program interface communicates with the device layer through the unified communication interface of the DAL and includes a set of content services for controlling content on the network. In one embodiment the content abstraction program interface includes a content location system (CLS), a content change notification system (CCNS), and a content engagement system (CES).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A network architecture comprising:
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a device layer including, at least one electronic device programmed to communicate using a device native communication protocol, at least one network backbone, each electronic device connected to one of the at least one network backbone; and a device abstraction layer connected to the device layer, the device abstraction layer enabling communication between the at least one device and the device abstraction layer using the device native communication protocol of the at least one electronic device, the device abstraction layer further enabling communication between the device abstraction layer and a content abstraction program interface in a manner independent of device native communication protocols, wherein the content abstraction program interface includes a content change notification system that notifies client applications of changes in content and content related information and the device abstraction layer includes a set of proxies, each proxy enabling communication between the at least one device and the device abstraction layer using a device native communication protocol, and a unified communication interface for communicating between the device abstraction layer and a higher network layer in a manner independent of device native communication protocols.
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2. A network architecture for a network of electronic devices comprising:
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a device layer having a plurality of electronic devices interconnected using at least one network backbone, wherein the plurality of electronic devices each operate using a device native communication protocol; content accessible to the plurality of electronic devices; a content abstraction program interface which includes a set of content services for controlling the content accessible to the plurality of interconnected electronic devices and a content change notification system which notifies client applications of changes in content and content related information; a device abstraction layer which can communicate with the plurality of devices regardless of the device native communication protocol used by any of the plurality of devices and which presents a unified communication interface to the content abstraction program interface, wherein the device abstraction layer includes a set of proxies for communicating with the devices of the device layer; and the content abstraction program interface communicates with the device layer through the unified communication interface of the device abstraction layer such that the content abstraction program interface abstracts low level device control functions of the plurality of devices into the set of content services which control the content accessible to the plurality of interconnected electronic devices. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A network architecture comprising:
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a first network device that communicates using a first protocol, wherein the first network device communicates via a network backbone and via a first proxy with a device abstraction layer; and a second network device that communicates using a second protocol, wherein the second network device communicates via the network backbone and via a second proxy with the device abstraction layer; wherein the device abstraction layer communicates via a unified communication interface with a content abstraction program interface such that the device abstraction layer and the content abstraction program interface communicate using a single protocol; wherein the content abstraction program interface communicates with a display device; and wherein the display device outputs a graphical interface that comprises a list of content services, wherein the content services are associated with content stored on the first and the second network devices, and wherein in response to the graphical interface receiving a command selecting a particular content service the graphical interface comprises a list associated with content that is associated with the selected content service. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification