System and method for generating selectable extension to media transport protocol

• US 7,555,554 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Rosenbloom, Oren, Manders, Blake D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US10/912,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/223, 709/224, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

A protocol and related techniques and platforms allow vendors to selectably extend the Media Transport Protocol (MTP), or other defined protocols to implement vendor-specific commands, data fields, instructions and other extension sets. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, one or more extension space may be utilized to derive independent extension sets, in part by separating the extension space according to a unique identifier assigned to or associated with a given vendor. In embodiments that unique identifier may be or include an Internet DNS (Domain Name System) domain name, or other extension set name or identifier. According to the invention in one regard, because a DNS domain name may be independently registered and secured by participating vendors or manufacturers and by definition uniquely assigned, the separation of vendor extension sets by that type of name may be automatic and free from conflict. Vendors or manufacturers, such as makers of digital cameras, digital video cameras, audio players such as MP3 or other players, software vendors or others may therefore freely design extensions to the Media Transport Protocol or other protocols, without a need to clear those extensions with a standards body and with confidence that their commands, data fields and other extensions may be free from overlap with that of other manufacturers.

Claims

1. A system for initiating operations from an extension set to a protocol, comprising:

a communications interface communicating with a device;

an extension set, defined by a device manufacturer or vendor, extending operations of a transport protocol, the extension set being identified by a unique identifier corresponding to a previously registered domain name, wherein the device manufacturer or vender is able to define the extension set without reliance or intervention by a third party standards body or a human-reviewed organization; and

a control module, the control module communicating with the communications interface and the extension set to control the device using the extended operations of the extension set.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of an audio player, an audio recorder, a video player, a video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a global positioning device, an event recording device, a portable storage device and a remotely controlled device.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control module is hosted in a client.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the client comprises a computer.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the extension set comprises at least one of extended commands, extended operations and extended data fields.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Domain Name System domain name.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an extension space of the transport protocol.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the extension space comprises a restricted extension space.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an unused or known safe portion of the transport protocol.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transport protocol comprises the Media Transport Protocol.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the extension set identified by the unique identifier automatically does not conflict with an extension set associated with another unique identifier.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the extension set is independently defined from the extension set associated with the other unique identifier.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the extension set is downloadable via a remote data store.

14. A device, the device being configured to execute operations from an extension set to a protocol, comprising:

a communications interface to communicate with a client; and

a processor, the processor communicating with the communications interface to initiate operations of an extension set to a transport protocol based on a unique identifier associated with the operations, wherein the unique identifier is a registered domain name and is associated with the device, wherein a device manufacturer or vender is able to define the extension set without reliance or intervention by a third party standards body or a human-reviewed organization.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the device comprises at least one of an audio player, an audio recorder, a video player, a video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a global positioning device, an event recording device, a portable storage device and a remotely controlled device.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the client comprises a computer.

17. A device according to claim 14, wherein the extension set comprises at least one of extended commands, extended operations and extended data fields.

18. A device according to claim 14, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Domain Name System domain name.

19. A device according to claim 14, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an extension space of the transport protocol.

20. A device according to claim 14, wherein the transport protocol comprises the Media Transport Protocol.

21. A device according to claim 14, wherein the extension set identified by the unique identifier automatically does not conflict with an extension set associated with a unique identifier associated with another device.

22. A method for processing operations of an extension set to a protocol, comprising:

communicating with a device;

detecting an extension set implementation associated with the device;

determining if there is more than one version of the extension set;

based on the determination of whether there is more than one version of the extension set, determining a version identifier, wherein the version identifier specifies which version of the extension set is to be employed with the device;

accessing the extension set, the extension set comprising extended operations of a transport protocol, the extension set being identified by a unique identifier associated with the extended operations, wherein the unique identifier uniquely identifies, by way of a registered domain name, one or more of a device manufacturer, a vendor, or a software developer associated with the device, wherein the device manufacturer or the vender is able to define the extension set without reliance or intervention by a third party standards body or a human-reviewed organization; and

controlling the device using the extended operations of the extension set.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the device comprises at least one of an audio player, an audio recorder, a video player, a video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a global positioning device, an event recording device, a portable storage device and a remotely controlled device.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the controlling is executed in a client.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the client comprises a computer.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the extension set comprises at least one of extended commands, extended operations and extended data fields.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Domain Name System domain name.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an extension space.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the extension space comprises a restricted extension space.

30. A method according to claim 22, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an unused or known safe portion of the transport protocol.

31. A method according to claim 22, wherein the transport protocol comprises the Media Transport Protocol.

32. A method according to claim 22, wherein the extension set identified by the unique identifier automatically does not conflict with an extension set associated with another unique identifier.

33. A selectable extension set to a transport protocol, comprising:

a unique identifier field, the unique identifier field being associated with a device; and

an extension set, the extension set extending the operations of a transport protocol in the device, the extension set being identified by a unique identifier associated with the extended operations, wherein the unique identifier is a registered domain name associated with one or more of a device manufacturer, a software developer, or a vendor, wherein the device manufacturer or the vender is able to define the extension set without reliance or intervention by a third party standards body or a human-reviewed organization.

34. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the device comprises at least one of an audio player, an audio recorder, a video player, a video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a global positioning device, an event recording device, a portable storage device and a remotely controlled device.

35. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the extension set is activated via a client.

36. A selectable extension set according to claim 35, wherein the client comprises a computer.

37. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the extension set comprises at least one of extended commands, extended operations and extended data fields.

38. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Domain Name System domain name.

39. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an extension space.

40. A selectable extension set according to claim 39, wherein the extension space comprises a restricted extension space.

41. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the unique identifier is encoded within an unused or known safe portion of the transport protocol.

42. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the transport protocol comprises the Media Transport Protocol.

43. A selectable extension set according to claim 33, wherein the extension set identified by the unique identifier automatically does not conflict with an extension set associated with another unique identifier.