Apparatus and methods for implementation of network software interfaces
First Claim
1. In consumer premises equipment (CPE) having a Java-based software environment and a plurality of applications, a method of providing access to at least one of a plurality of network-specific application programming interfaces (APIs), comprising:
- providing an API manager within said CPE;
providing a registry associated with said API manager, said registry adapted to register said plurality of network-specific APIs;
running at least one of said plurality of applications with a communication protocol stack comprising a network-agnostic API, said network-agnostic API having a first privilege, at least one of said plurality of network-specific APIs also being required by said at least one of said plurality of applications;
accessing said API manager to obtain said at least one network-specific API, said network-specific API having a second privilege; and
based at least in part on said first and second privileges, said communication protocol stack loading said at least one network-specific programming interface with the network-agnostic interface for use by said at least one application.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for improved software programming interface functionality in a network. In one exemplary embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable network with CPE in which network-specific programming interfaces (e.g., APIs) may be downloaded to the CPE, registered, authenticated, stored and executed in a software protocol stack implementing OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) or Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) standards. The host device software comprises a “manager” module that registers APIs identified by the OCAP Monitor Application, such that all applications launched thereafter on the device can use these communications APIs, provided they have the appropriate permission(s). This relieves individual applications from having to support details regarding network-specific protocols and APIs. In an alternate embodiment, class and data files associated with the API functionality are downloaded along with an application. The downloaded application registers the API using a modified version of the API using a description file (DF). The DF describes the class and data files provided with the application that are part of the registered API.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. In consumer premises equipment (CPE) having a Java-based software environment and a plurality of applications, a method of providing access to at least one of a plurality of network-specific application programming interfaces (APIs), comprising:
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providing an API manager within said CPE; providing a registry associated with said API manager, said registry adapted to register said plurality of network-specific APIs; running at least one of said plurality of applications with a communication protocol stack comprising a network-agnostic API, said network-agnostic API having a first privilege, at least one of said plurality of network-specific APIs also being required by said at least one of said plurality of applications; accessing said API manager to obtain said at least one network-specific API, said network-specific API having a second privilege; and based at least in part on said first and second privileges, said communication protocol stack loading said at least one network-specific programming interface with the network-agnostic interface for use by said at least one application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of operating client equipment in operative communication with a content distribution network, said client equipment comprising at least one application which is generic across a plurality of different networks, having a first privilege, the method comprising:
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providing a manager module adapted to manage a plurality of interfaces, wherein at least one interface is network specific; registering at least one programming interface specific to said content-based network using said manager module, said at least one programming interface having a second privilege; running said at least one application, the at least one application interfacing a generic interface; and based at least in part on said first and second privileges, said manager module loading said at least one network-specific programming interface with the generic interface for use by said application; wherein said plurality of network-specific interfaces are not located within said at least one application. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A Non-transitory storage device having a medium and storing a plurality of data bits thereon, said data bits comprising a computer program, said computer program comprising an interface manager program, said interface manager program adapted to run on a digital processor and further to:
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register one or more network-specific application programming interfaces (APIs) within an associated registry, the one or more network-specific APIs having corresponding second privileges associated therewith; interface with one or more common APIs requesting access to said network-specific APIs, said one or more common APIs shared by multiple applications across different networks, having corresponding first privileges associated therewith; and wherein the one or more common APIs are provided access to the one or more network-specific APIs based at least in part on the corresponding first and second privileges. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Consumer premises equipment (CPE) adapted for operation within a first cable network, said CPE comprising:
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an application which is generic across a plurality of different networks, said application having a first privilege; a manager module resident within a protocol stack of said CPE, said manager module being adapted to register application programming interfaces (APIs) adapted to communicate with another software entity within said first network, at least a subset of the APIs specific to the CPE, said subset of the APIs having a second privilege; wherein said application can query said protocol stack for one or more of said APIs; and wherein based at least in part on the corresponding first and second privileges, said application can load the APIs specific to the CPE to communicate with another software entity within said first network. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A Non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising media containing a software architecture adapted for use in a content distribution network, said software architecture comprising:
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at least one network-agnostic interface having all network-specific programming interfaces and protocols abstracted therefrom, said at least one network-agnostic interface having a first privilege; at least one network-specific programming interface, said at least one network-specific programming interface having a second privilege; and at least one manager entity, said manager being adapted to load said network-agnostic interface with at least one network-specific interface and to register said at least one network-specific interface, based at least in part on the first and second privileges. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of distributing a common software application for use in both first and second networks, the method comprising:
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providing a common version of a software application from which all network-specific functionality has been abstracted for use in client devices in each of said first and second networks, said common version of said software application having a first privilege; providing first and second network-specific functional entities for use in client devices within said first and second networks, respectively, said first and second functional entities each being adapted to provide at least in part said network-specific functionality relevant to said first and second networks, respectively; wherein said network-specific functional entities have a second privilege associated therewith; providing a Open Cable Applications Platform (OCAP) privileged application for use in said client devices of said first and second networks, said OCAP privileged application adapted to interface with said software application and the respective ones of said first and second functional entities, based at least in part on said first and second privileges; and wherein; said software application and said OCAP privileged application for use in said client devices within said first network are configured to cooperate to enable access to said first network specific functional entities; said software application and said OCAP privileged application for use in said client devices within said second network are configured to cooperate to access said second network specific functional entities; and said software applications and OCAP privileged applications for use in said first and second networks are configured to enable simultaneous operation. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of operating first and second networks so as to be able to use at least one common software application in both, the method comprising:
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providing identical versions of a software application from which all network-specific functionality has been abstracted to client devices in each of said first and second networks, said software application having a first privilege; providing first and second network-specific functional entities to client devices within said first and second networks, respectively, said first and second functional entities each being adapted to provide at least in part said network-specific functionality relevant to said first and second networks, respectively; wherein said network-specific functional entities have a second privilege; providing a Open Cable Applications Platform (OCAP) privileged application to said client devices of said first and second networks, said OCAP privileged application adapted to interface with said software application and the respective ones of said first and second functional entities, based at least in part on said first and second privileges; and operating said software application on the client devices of said first and second networks, said software application and said OCAP privileged application of said client devices within said first network cooperating to access said first network specific functional entities, said software application and said OCAP privileged application of said client devices within said second network cooperating to access said second network specific functional entities; wherein said software applications and OCAP privileged applications of said first and second networks cooperate simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification