Automated network configuration of connected device

• US 20020161865A1
• Filed: 01/08/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Brian G.
• Application Number:
  US10/041,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• 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 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and a system of automatically configuring a network, a device connected to the network, and an information handling system connected to the device through the network so that the device is able to access shared data on the information handling system. For example, a device such as a music player is able to access shared music files stored on the information handling system through the network, and then play such files on speakers or a stereo system attached to the music player. The configuration method may be implemented as a set of instructions or software executed by the information handling system, which provides a graphical user interface such as a setup wizard. Portions of the configuration method may also be implemented as software or firmware executed by the music player, which operates in a non-interactive format such as a hidden daemon.

Claims

1. A music system, comprising:

an information handling system coupled to a local area network, the information handling system including a first set of instructions providing a graphical user interface; and

a music player coupled to and capable of accessing shared data on the information handling system through the local area network, the music player including a second set of non-interactive instructions;

wherein the first set of instructions is capable of sending network settings from the information handling system to the music player, automatically detecting the music player by the information handling system through the network, automatically searching for music data on the information handling system, and sharing at least a portion of the music data on the information handling system with the music player through the local area network, and wherein the second set of instructions is capable of accepting network settings from the information handling system.

2. The music system as described in claim 1, wherein the network settings include an IP address for the music player.

3. The music system as described in claim 1, wherein the first set of instructions is further capable of creating a first user profile and a second user profile, enabling access by the first user profile to one or more music folders on the information handling system, and limiting access by the second user profile to at least one of the music folders on the information handling system accessible by the first user profile.

4. The music system as described in claim 1, wherein the music player is further capable of outputting the shared music data on the information handling system via an audio system coupled to the music player.

5. The music system as described in claim 4, wherein the music player is further capable of converting the shared music data from a first digital format suitable for output by the information handling system to a second analog format suitable for output by the audio system coupled to the music player.

6. A music system, comprising:

an information handling system communicatively coupled to a network, the information handling system having a program of instructions; and

a music player communicatively coupled to and capable of accessing shared data on the information handling system through the network, the music player suitable for processing music data in a digital format;

wherein the program of instructions is capable of configuring the music player for accessing the information handling system through the network, automatically detecting the music player by the information handling system through the network, automatically searching for one or music folders on the information handling system, and specifying at least one of the music folders on the information handling system as shared data accessible by the music player through the network.

7. The music system as described in claim 6, wherein configuring the music player for accessing the information handling system through the network includes providing an IP address from the information handling system to the music player.

8. The music system as described in claim 6, wherein the program of instructions is further capable of creating a first user profile and a second user profile, enabling access by the first user profile to one or more music folders on the information handling system, and limiting access by the second user profile to at least one of the music folders on the information handling system accessible by the first user profile.

9. The music system as described in claim 6, wherein the music player is further capable of accessing a music file in the shared music folder on the information handling system through the local area network and outputting the music file on an audio system coupled to the music player.

10. The music system as described in claim 9, wherein the music player is further capable of converting the music file from a first digital format suitable for output by the information handling system to a second analog format suitable for output by the audio system coupled to the music player.

11. The music system as described in claim 6, wherein the program of instructions is executed from a storage medium by the information handling system.

13. The method as described in claim 12, further comprising the step of configuring the information handling system for communications with the network.

14. The method as described in claim 12, further comprising the step of enabling file sharing on the information handling system.

15. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the configuring step includes providing an IP address from the information handling system to the music player.

16. The method as described in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

creating a first user profile and a second user profile;

enabling access by the first user profile to one or more music folders on the information handling system; and

limiting access by the second user profile to at least one of the music folders on the information handling system accessible by the first user profile.

17. The method as described in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

accessing a music file in the shared music folder on the information handling system by the music player through the network; and

outputting the music file on an audio system coupled to the music player.

18. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the method is accomplished utilizing instructions executed by the information handling system.

19. The method as described in claim 18, wherein the method is further accomplished utilizing instructions executed by the music player in conjunction with the instructions executed by the information handling system.

12. In a music system comprising an information handling system communicatively coupled to a network and a music player communicatively coupled to and capable of accessing shared data on the information handling system through the network, a method for configuring the music system, comprising the steps of:

configuring the music player for accessing the information handling system through the network;

automatically detecting the music player by the information handling system through the network;

automatically searching for one or more music folders on the information handling system; and

specifying at least one of the music folders on the information handling system as shared data accessible by the music player through the network.

20. A storage medium readable by an information handling system and having instructions encoded thereon for causing the information handling system to perform, in a music system comprising the information handling system communicatively coupled to a network and a music player communicatively coupled to and capable of accessing shared data on the information handling system through the network, a method for configuring the music system, comprising the steps of:

configuring the music player for accessing the information handling system through the network;

automatically detecting the music player by the information handling system through the network;

automatically searching for one or more music folders on the information handling system; and

specifying at least one of the music folders on the information handling system as shared data accessible by the music player through the network.