Routing of resource information in a network
First Claim
1. A method for disseminating resource information over a computer network, comprising:
- receiving, at a source entity, a consumer'"'"'s request—
via a recipient entity—
for one or more parts of resource information, wherein the source entity comprises a media server that provides one or more resources, wherein each resource comprises its own resource information, wherein the resource information comprises a resource metadata part and a resource content part, wherein the resource content part comprises media content and the resource metadata part describes two sets of attributes of the resource content part wherein a first set of the resource metadata governs distribution of the resource metadata and a second set of the resource metadata governs distribution of the resource content and wherein the recipient entity comprises a consumer device;
processing the request at the source entity to determine whether there exists at least one sharable folder that has been associated with the requesting recipient entity, and in the event that the at least one sharable folder exists, determining whether within the at least one sharable folder there are any resources designated as shareable over the network that meet the request and which satisfy at least one distribution criterion, wherein;
in the event the requested one or more parts of resource information comprises resource metadata, the satisfaction of the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the consumer access to some or all of the requested resource metadata based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource metadata;
in the event the requested one or more parts of resource information comprises resource content, the satisfaction of the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the consumer access to some or all of the requested resource content based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource content;
generating a response that indicates the results of the processing; and
forwarding the response to the consumer;
in a first operation involving a first request;
the processing includes determining whether any resources meet browse or search terms specified in the first request; and
the response identifies resource metadata regarding at least one resource that meets the browse or the search terms, wherein the resource metadata includes a resource locator that describes where said at least one resource can be located; and
in a second operation involving a second request;
the processing includes determining whether any resources meet said resource locator, which is specified in the second request; and
the response identifies resource content taken from at least one resource that meets the second request.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A media server in a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network includes a resource sharing service to govern the distribution of resource information regarding resources to rendering devices. In one case, the resource sharing service consults a criterion to determine whether an identified network device is authorized to receive resource information. In another case, the resource sharing service consults another criterion to determine whether a specified individual associated with the media server must consent to the transfer of the resource information in order for the transfer to occur. The resource information may include resource metadata that describes high level information regarding resources, as well as resource content. The media server includes various user interface presentations that allow the media server user to specify shared resources and distribution criteria.
131 Citations
103 Claims
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1. A method for disseminating resource information over a computer network, comprising:
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receiving, at a source entity, a consumer'"'"'s request—
via a recipient entity—
for one or more parts of resource information, wherein the source entity comprises a media server that provides one or more resources, wherein each resource comprises its own resource information, wherein the resource information comprises a resource metadata part and a resource content part, wherein the resource content part comprises media content and the resource metadata part describes two sets of attributes of the resource content part wherein a first set of the resource metadata governs distribution of the resource metadata and a second set of the resource metadata governs distribution of the resource content and wherein the recipient entity comprises a consumer device;processing the request at the source entity to determine whether there exists at least one sharable folder that has been associated with the requesting recipient entity, and in the event that the at least one sharable folder exists, determining whether within the at least one sharable folder there are any resources designated as shareable over the network that meet the request and which satisfy at least one distribution criterion, wherein; in the event the requested one or more parts of resource information comprises resource metadata, the satisfaction of the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the consumer access to some or all of the requested resource metadata based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource metadata; in the event the requested one or more parts of resource information comprises resource content, the satisfaction of the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the consumer access to some or all of the requested resource content based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource content; generating a response that indicates the results of the processing; and forwarding the response to the consumer; in a first operation involving a first request; the processing includes determining whether any resources meet browse or search terms specified in the first request; and
the response identifies resource metadata regarding at least one resource that meets the browse or the search terms, wherein the resource metadata includes a resource locator that describes where said at least one resource can be located; andin a second operation involving a second request; the processing includes determining whether any resources meet said resource locator, which is specified in the second request; and the response identifies resource content taken from at least one resource that meets the second request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 103)
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21. A method for defining conditions pertaining to disseminating one or more parts of resource information to at least one recipient entity over a computer network using a source entity, comprising:
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providing a user interface presentation that allows a user to select; at least one resource to be shared over the network, wherein each of the at least one resource comprises resource information, wherein the resource information comprises a resource metadata part and a resource content part, wherein the resource content part comprises media content and the resource metadata part describes two sets of attributes of the resource content part wherein a first set of the resource metadata part governs distribution of the resource metadata and a second set of the resource metadata part governs distribution of the resource information; and at least one distribution criterion which governs the distribution of the one or more parts of the resource information, wherein the government of the distribution by the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the at least one recipient entity access to some or all of a requested one or more parts of the resource information based on an association between the at least one recipient entity and the requested resource content and based on an association between the at least one recipient entity and the requested resource metadata, wherein the recipient entity comprises a consumer device; receiving the user'"'"'s selection of said at least one resource and said at least one distribution criterion via said user interface presentation; and wherein;
in a first operation via the user interface presentation and involving a first request;processing associated with the user interface presentation includes determining whether any resources meet browse or search terms specified in the first request; and the response identifies resource metadata regarding at least one resource that meets the browse or the search terms, wherein the resource metadata includes a resource locator that describes where said at least one resource can be located; and in a second operation via the user interface presentation and involving a second request; the processing includes determining whether any resources meet said resource locator, which is specified in the second request; and the response identifies resource content taken from at least one resource that meets the second request. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A media server implemented by a tangible computing device for disseminating resource information over a computer network, comprising:
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a shared resource store configured to store an indication of resources that can be shared over the network, wherein each resource comprises its own resource information, wherein the resource information comprises a resource metadata part and a resource content part, wherein the resource content part comprises media content and the resource metadata part describes two sets of attributes of the resource content part wherein a first set of the resource metadata part governs distribution of the resource metadata and a second set of the metadata governs distribution of the resource information and; and logic stored on the tangible computing device configured to; receive a consumer'"'"'s request—
via a recipient entity—
far one or mare parts of resource information;process the request to determine whether there are any resources specified in the shared resource store that meet the request and which satisfy at least one distribution criterion, wherein the satisfaction of the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the consumer access to some or all of the requested one or more parts of the resource information based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource content and based on an association between the consumer'"'"'s recipient entity and the requested resource metadata, wherein the recipient entity comprises a consumer device; generate a response that indicates the results of the processing; and forward the response to the consumer; in a first operation involving a first request; determine whether any resources meet browse or search terms specified in the first request; and
the response identifies resource metadata regarding at least one resource that meets the browse or the search terms, wherein the resource metadata includes a resource locator that describes where said at least one resource can be located; andin a second operation involving a second request;
determine whether any resources meet said resource locator, which is specified in the second request; and
the response identifies resource content taken from at least one resource that meets the second request. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A media server implemented by a tangible computing device for defining conditions pertaining to disseminating one or more parts of resource information to at least one recipient entity regarding resources over a computer network, comprising:
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a shared resource store configured to store an indication of resources that can be shared over the network; and logic stored on the tangible computing device configured to; provide a user interface presentation that allows a user to select; at least one resource to be shared over the network, wherein each of the at least one resources comprise its own resource information, wherein the resource information comprises a resource metadata part and a resource content part, wherein the resource content part comprises media content and the resource metadata part describes two sets of attributes of the resource content part wherein a first set of the resource metadata part governs distribution of the resource metadata and a second set of the resource metadata part governs distribution of the resource information and; and at least one distribution criterion which governs the distribution of the resource information regarding at least part of said at least one resource over the network, wherein the government of the distribution by the at least one distribution criterion comprises selectively allowing or denying the at least one recipient entity access to some or all of the requested one or more parts of the resource information based on an association between the at least one recipient entity and the requested resource content and based on an association between the at least one recipient entity and the requested resource metadata, wherein the recipient entity comprises a consumer device; receive the user'"'"'s selection of said at least one resource and said at least one distribution criterion via said user interface presentation; in a first operation involving a first request; determine whether any resources meet browse or search terms specified in the first request; and the response identifies resource metadata regarding at least one resource that meets the browse or the search terms, wherein the resource metadata includes a resource locator that describes where said at least one resource can be located; and in a second operation involving a second request;
the processing includes determining whether any resources meet said resource locator, which is specified in the second request; and
the response identifies resource content taken from at least one resource that meets the second request. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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Specification