Capability spoofing using a local proxy server

• US RE43,392 E1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RecepTrexx LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Tarquin Consulting Company LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Meenan, Patrick, Chiles, David Clyde, Damick, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WASEL, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US12/651,865
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 709/212, 709/213, 709/216, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/00 Arrangements, apparatus, circuits or systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04L1/00 - H04L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/08846 Arrangements to globally emulate or virtualize the functionalities of an end device H04L29/08837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/16 Service discovery or service management, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or Web services network service management for ensuring proper service fulfilment according to an agreement or contract between two parties H04L41/50; address allocation to terminals or nodes connected to a network H04L61/30; mobile application services specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/28 for the provision of proxy services, e.g. intermediate processing or storage in the network network management provisions H04L41/00; network monitoring provisions H04L43/00; proxies for network security H04L63/0281; media manipulation, adaptation or conversion in real-time communications H04L65/601; protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

A home-networking gateway may provide a service to a device on a home network by transparently accessing (or spoofing) a capability of a different device on the home network. The device capabilities may be automatically detected and used. A home-networking gateway also may transparently provide a service from a host system to a device on a home network by accessing a service on a host system.

Claims

1. A method for performing a requested function through a local proxy server, the method comprising:

establishing a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establishing a communications session between a second device in the home network and the local proxy server in the home network;

advertising, to the first device, a function that the second device is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receiving, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, using the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device, thereby performing the function requested by the first device; and

spoofing the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprises using the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and enabling the second device to perform the function requested by the first device at the second device in a manner that makes the first device unaware that the second device is performing the function.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting the device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing a set of rules, each rule associating a function with a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device,

wherein using the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprises;

using the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device an; and

enabling the second device to perform the function requested by the first device at the second device based on the accessed set of rules.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the second device, wherein the local proxy server coordinates with the second device only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the second device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising accessing capability information, wherein determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device comprises determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprises sending a request to the second device to perform the function requested by the first device, the request being sent to the second device only if the second device is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

73. The method of claim 1 wherein advertising a function that the second device is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing comprises displaying to an operator of the first device an indicator indicating that the local proxy server is capable of performing the function.

9. A method for automatically identifying a function of a first device on a home network, the method comprising:

establishing a communications session between a first device in the home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

receiving, at the local proxy server, an indication of a function that the first device is capable of performing;

associating the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing with a first device identifier;

advertising, to other devices in the home network, that the local proxy server is capable of performing the function that the first device is capable of performing; and

storing, at the local proxy server, the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier for use in using the local proxy server to coordinate with the first device to perform the function at the first device in response to a request from a second device on the home network to perform the function at the local proxy server.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the indication is received from the first device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the indication is received including a message that announces the presence of the first device on the home network.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

associating a priority with the first device identifier; and

storing the association of the priority with the first device identifier.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the other devices comprise devices including the second device.

74. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

associating a network address with the first device;

storing, at the local proxy server, the network address and the association of the network address with the first device, wherein

storing the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier enables a determination that the first device is capable of performing the function in response to a request for the function, and

storing the network address and the association of the network address with the first device enables sending a request to the first device to perform the function based on the determination that the first device is capable of performing the function and in response to the request for the function.

75. The method of claim 74 further comprising:

advertising, to the second device, the function that the first device is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing,

receiving, at the local proxy server, a first request for the advertised function from the second device;

in response to receiving the first request from the second device, determining that the first device is capable of performing the requested function based on the stored association of the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing with the first device identifier; and

based on a determination that the first device is capable of performing the requested function and in response to receiving the first request from the second device, sending a second request to the first device to perform the requested function in a manner that is transparent to the second device by sending the second request to the network address associated with the first device.

76. The method of claim 74 wherein the first device identifier comprises a MAC address and the network address comprises an IP address.

14. A method for performing a requested function through a local proxy server, the method comprising:

establishing a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establishing a communications session between the local proxy server in the home network and a trusted system;

advertising, to the first device, a function that the trusted system is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receiving, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, using the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system; and

spoofing the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein using the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprises performing the function requested by the first device at the trusted system such that the first device is unaware that the trusted system is performing the function requested by the first device.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting the trusted system.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising accessing a set of rules, each rule associating a function with a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device,

wherein using the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprises leveraging the trusted system to provide the function requested by the first device at the trusted system based on the accessed set of rules.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the trusted system,

wherein the local proxy server coordinates with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the trusted system.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising accessing capability information, wherein determining whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device comprises determining whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein using the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprises sending a request to the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device, the request being sent to the trusted system when the trusted system is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

accessing capability information to determine whether a home network device other than the first device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device, and

sending a request to the trusted system only if the home network device other than the first device is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet service provider.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet access service.

77. The method of claim 14 wherein the trusted system is external to the home network.

78. The method of claim 14 wherein advertising a function that the trusted system is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing comprises displaying to an operator of the first device an indicator indicating that the local proxy server is capable of performing the function.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program configured to perform a function through a local proxy server, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more code segments configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establish a communications session between a second device in the home network and the local proxy server in the home network;

advertise, to the first device, a function that the second device is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receive, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and thereby perform the function requested by the first device; and

spoof the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprise one or more code segments configured to use the proxy server to coordinate with the second device and enable the second device to perform the function requested by the first device at the second device in a manner that makes the first device unaware that the second device is performing the function.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to detect the second device.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to access a set of rules, each rule associating a function with a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device, wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprise one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and to enable the second device to perform the function requested by the first device at the second device based on the accessed set of rules.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to determine whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the second device, wherein the local proxy server coordinates with the second device only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the second device.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein

the one or more code segments are further configured to access capability information, and

the one or more code segments configured to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device are configured to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to send a request to the second device to perform the function requested by the first device, the request being sent to the second device only if the second device is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program configured to automatically identify a function of a first device on a home network, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more code segments configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in the home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

receive, at the local proxy server, an indication of a function that the first device is capable of performing;

associate the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing with a first device identifier;

advertise, to other devices in the home network, that the local proxy server is capable of performing the function that the first device is capable of performing; and

store, at the local proxy server, the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier for use in using the local proxy server to coordinate with the first device to perform the function at the first device in response to a request from a second device on the home network to perform the function at the local proxy server.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the one or more code segments configured to receive the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing are configured to receive the indication from the first device.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the indication includes a message that announces the presence of the first device on the home network.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to:

associate a priority with the first device identifier; and

store the association of the priority with the first device identifier.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the other devices comprise devices including the second device.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program configured to perform a requested function through a local proxy server, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more code segments configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establish a communications session between the local proxy server in the home network and a trusted system;

advertise, to the first device, a function that the trusted system is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receive, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system; and

spoof the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprise one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system such that the first device is unaware that the trusted system is performing the function requested by the first device.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to detect the trusted system.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to access a set of rules, each rule associating a function with a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device, wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprise one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system based on the accessed set of rules.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to determine whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the trusted system, wherein the local proxy server coordinates with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the trusted system.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to determine whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 43 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to access capability information wherein the one or more code segments configured to determine whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device comprise one or more code segments configured to determine whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 43 wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system comprise one or more code segments configured to send a request to the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device, the request being sent to the trusted system when the trusted system is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 45 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to:

access capability information to determine whether a home network device other than the first device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device, and

only send a request to the trusted system if a home network device other than the first device is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet service provider.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet access service.

49. An apparatus for performing a requested function through a local proxy server, the apparatus comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establish a communications session between a second device in the home network and the local proxy server in the home network;

advertise, to the first device, a function that the second device is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receive, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and thereby perform the function requested by the first device; and

spoof the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and to enable the second device to perform the function requested by the first device in a manner that makes the first device unaware that the second device is performing the capability.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the processor is further configured to detect the second device.

52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the processor is further configured to:

access a set of rules, each rule associating a function and a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device,

wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device and to enable the second device to perform the function requested by the first device based on the accessed set of rules.

53. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the second device, wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the second device.

54. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor is further configured to:

access capability information, and

determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the second device by sending a request to the second device to perform the function requested by the first device only if the second device is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

57. An apparatus for automatically identifying a function of a first device on a home network, the apparatus comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in the home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

receive, at the local proxy server, an indication of a function that the first device is capable of performing;

associate the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing with a first device identifier;

advertise, to other devices in the home network, that the local proxy server is capable of performing the function that the first device is capable of performing; and

store, at the local proxy server, the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier for use in using the local proxy server to coordinate with the first device to perform the function at the first device in response to a request from a second device on the home network to perform the function at the local proxy server.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the processor is further configured to receive the indication from the first device.

59. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the indication includes a message that announces the presence of the first device on the home network.

60. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the processor is further configured to:

associate a priority with the first device identifier; and

store the association of the priority with the first device identifier.

61. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the other devices comprise devices including the second device.

62. An apparatus for performing a requested function through a local proxy server, the apparatus comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

establish a communications session between a first device in a home network and a local proxy server in the home network;

establish a communications session between the local proxy server in the home network and a trusted system;

advertise, to the first device, a function that the trusted system is capable of performing as a function that the local proxy server is capable of performing;

receive, at the local proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system; and

spoof the first device such that it appears to the first device that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

63. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system such that the first device is unaware that the trusted system is performing the capability.

64. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the processor is further configured to detect the trusted system.

65. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the processor is further configured to:

access a set of rules, each rule associating a function and a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device, and

use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system based on the accessed set of rules.

66. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the local proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the trusted system, wherein the processor is configured to use the local proxy server to coordinate with the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device at the trusted system only when the local proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the trusted system.

67. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the processor is further configured to:

access capability information, and

determine whether the trusted system is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

69. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the processor is further configured to send a request to the trusted system to perform the function requested by the first device only when the trusted system is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 wherein the processor is further configured to:

access capability information to determine whether a home network device other than the first device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device, and

send a request to the trusted system only if a home network device other than the first device is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

71. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet service provider.

72. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the trusted system comprises an endorsed system of an Internet access service.

79. A method in a proxy server for performing a requested function, comprising:

advertising, to a first device, a function that a second device is capable of performing as a function that the proxy server is capable of performing;

receiving, at the proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving, from the first device, the request to perform the function, using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device, thereby performing the function requested by the first device; and

spoofing the first device such that it appears to the first device that the proxy server performed the requested function.

80. The method of claim 79 further comprising:

accessing a set of rules, each rule associating a function with a device, to determine the capability of a device to perform a function for the first device,

wherein using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprises;

using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device; and

enabling the second device to perform the function requested by the first device at the second device based on the accessed set of rules.

81. The method of claim 79 further comprising determining whether the proxy server is capable of performing the function requested by the first device without use of the second device, wherein the proxy server coordinates with the second device only when the proxy server is not capable of performing the function requested by the first device without the use of the second device.

82. The method of claim 79 further comprising determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

83. The method of claim 82 further comprising accessing capability information, wherein determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device comprises determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

84. The method of claim 82 wherein using the proxy server to coordinate with the second device comprises sending a request to the second device to perform the function requested by the first device, the request being sent to the second device only if the second device is determined to be capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

85. The method of claim 79 wherein the second device is a system endorsed by an Internet service provider or by an Internet access service.

86. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, that if executed by a proxy server, cause the proxy server to perform acts, including:

advertising, to a first device, a function that a second device is capable of performing as a function that the proxy server is capable of performing;

receiving a request to perform the function from the first device;

in response to receiving the request to perform the function, coordinating with the second device to perform the function requested by the first device; and

spoofing the first device such that it appears to the first device that the proxy server performed the requested function.

87. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 86 wherein the acts further comprise determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

88. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 87 wherein the acts further comprise accessing capability information, wherein determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device comprises determining whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on the accessed capability information.

89. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 86 wherein the second device is a system endorsed by an Internet service provider or by an Internet access service.

90. A proxy server for performing a requested function, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions usable to control the proxy server, wherein the proxy server is configured to;

advertise, to a first device, a function that a second device is capable of performing as a function that the proxy server is capable of performing;

receive, at the proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device,

in response to receiving the request to perform the function, coordinate with the second device, to perform the function requested by the first device; and

spoof the first device such that the local proxy server performed the requested function.

91. The proxy server of claim 90 wherein the proxy server is further configured to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device.

92. The proxy server of claim 91 wherein the proxy server is further configured to access capability information, and to determine whether the second device is capable of performing the function requested by the first device based on based on the accessed capability information.

93. The proxy server of claim 90 wherein the second device is an endorsed system of an Internet service provider or of an Internet access service.

94. A proxy server for performing a requested function, comprising:

means for advertising, to a first device, a function that a second device is capable of performing as a function that the proxy server is capable of performing;

means for receiving, at the proxy server, a request to perform the function from the first device;

means for, in response to receiving the request to perform the function, coordinating, with the second device, performance of the requested function; and

means for spoofing the first device such that it appears to the first device that the proxy server performed the requested function.

95. A method for identifying a function of a first device, comprising:

receiving, at the proxy server, an indication of a function that the first device is capable of performing;

associating the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing with a first device identifier;

advertising, by the proxy server to devices other than the first device and the proxy server, that the proxy server is capable of performing the function that the first device is capable of performing; and

storing, at the proxy server, the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier for use in using the proxy server to coordinate with the first device to perform the function at the first device in response to a request from a second device to perform the function at the proxy server.

96. The method of claim 95 wherein the received indication includes a message that announces the presence of the first device on a home network.

97. The method of claim 95 further comprising:

associating a priority with the first device identifier; and

storing the association of the priority with the first device identifier.

98. The method of claim 95 further comprising:

associating a network address with the first device;

storing, at the proxy server, the network address and the association of the network address with the first device, wherein storing the indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing and the association of the indication with the first device identifier enables a determination that the first device is capable of performing the function in response to a request for the function, and storing the network address and the association of the network address with the first device enables sending a request to the first device to perform the function based on the determination that the first device is capable of performing the function and in response to the request for the function.

99. The method of claim 95 wherein the first device identifier comprises a MAC address and the network address comprises an IP address.

100. A method in a first device for providing a function, comprising:

transmitting, to a proxy server, an indication of the function that the first device is capable of performing;

transmitting, to the proxy server, a first device identifier that is associated with the first device, wherein the proxy server is configured to;

associate the indication of the function with first device identifier;

advertise, to devices other than the first device and the proxy server, that the proxy server is capable of performing the function; and

store the indication of the function and the association of the indication with the first device identifier to enable the proxy server to coordinate with the first device to perform the function at the first device in response to a request from a second device on the home network to perform the function at the proxy server;

receiving, from the proxy server, a request to perform the function; and

performing the requested function.