Method and apparatus for providing device with remote application in home network

• US 9,497,036 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kwang-hyuk, Kang, Young-soo, Park, Jung-shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US12/646,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,519 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• 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 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for providing a client with an application received through a data broadcast channel as a type of content of a content directory service (CDS) or a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) service newly defined to provide applications by a server.

Claims

1. A method of using an application of a server by a client in a home network, the method comprising:

receiving, for each of a plurality of devices in the home network, a document comprising at least one of a UPnP device description and a UPnP service description, the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description comprising support indicating information which indicates that the each of the plurality of devices provides an application through a Content Directory Service (CDS) in which a type of content of an application is set differently from that of an audio/video (AV) stream or that the each of the plurality of devices provides an application through a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) service defined for providing an application, wherein the UPnP service is independent of a service for providing an AV stream,

searching for the server which holds the application in the home network;

extracting information required for controlling the application from the UPnP service description of the server which holds the application; and

controlling the application by using the extracted information,

wherein the searching for the server further comprises;

searching for devices which provide applications through the CDS from among the plurality of devices by referring to the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description, and searching for a device as the server which holds the application as a content item by using a browse( ) or search( ) action from among the searched devices;

or

searching for devices which provide applications through the UPnP service by referring to the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description, and searching for a device as the server which holds the application by calling a predetermined action provided in the UPnP service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the application comprises:

generating a service module in a form of an object, which allows a local application installed in the client to control the application of the server, based on a UPnP service description for the UPnP service; and

calling a corresponding action of the UPnP service when a request for the application of the server from the local application through the service module is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is an OpenCable-Digital Media Server (OC-DMS) and the client is an OpenCable-Digital Media Player (OC-DMP).

4. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 1.

5. A client apparatus which uses a remote application in a home network, the client apparatus comprising:

a searching unit which receives, for each of a plurality of devices in the home network, a document comprising at least one of a UPnP device description and a UPnP service description, the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description comprising support indicating information which indicates that the each of the plurality of devices provides an application through a Content Directory Service (CDS) in which a type of content of an application is set differently from that of an audio/video (AV) stream or that the each of the plurality of devices provides an application through a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) service defined for providing an application, wherein the UPnP service is independent of a service for providing an AV stream, and searches for the server which holds the application in the home network;

an information extracting unit which extracts information required for controlling the application from the UPnP service description of the server which holds the application; and

a control unit which controls the application by using the extracted information,

wherein the searching unit searches for devices which provide applications through the CDS from among the plurality of devices by referring to the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description, and searching for a device as the server which holds the application as a content item by using a browse( ) or search( ) action from among the searched devices;

or searches for devices which provide applications through the UPnP service by referring to the UPnP device description or the UPnP service description, and searching for a device as the server which holds the application by calling a predetermined action provided in the UPnP service.

6. The client apparatus of claim 5, wherein the searching unit further searches for a device which holds the application as a content item from among the devices which provide applications as the type of content by using a browse( ) or search( ) action.

7. The client apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control unit comprises:

an object generating unit which generates a service module as an object, which allows a local application installed in the client apparatus to control the application of the server, by using a UPnP service description for the UPnP service; and

an action calling unit which calls a corresponding action of the UPnP service when a request for the application of the server from the local application through the service module is received.

8. The client apparatus of claim 5, wherein the server operates as an OpenCable-Digital Media Server (OC-DMS) and the client apparatus operates as an OpenCable-Digital Media Player (OC-DMP).