Apparatus and methods for implementation of network software interfaces

• US 20060020950A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sarosi, George W., Ladd, Patrick, Helms, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,201,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software

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.

Claims

1. In a CPE having a Java-based software environment and a plurality of applications which are precluded from accessing each other'"'"'s class files or instantiated objects, a method of providing access to at least one of a plurality of network-specific APIs, comprising:

providing an API manager within said CPE environment;

providing a registry associated with said manager, said registry adapted to register a plurality of said APIs;

running at least one of said plurality of applications on said CPE, at least one of said APIs being required by said at least one application; and

accessing said registry to obtain said at least one API.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing said at least one API using at least said API manager.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a session handler adapted to manage at least one session, said session handler being inter-operative with said at least one application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising instantiating said at least one API using said at least one application.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising registering said instantiated API so that other ones of said applications can access said API.

6. A method of operating client equipment in operative communication with a content-based network, said equipment comprising at least one application, the method comprising:

providing a manager module adapted to manage a plurality of network-specific interfaces;

registering at least one programming interface specific to said content-based network using said module;

running said at least one application; and

based at least in part on said registration, accessing said at least one programming interface with said application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said act of providing comprises downloading said module to said client equipment using a communication channel.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising downloading said at least one interface to said client equipment using a communication channel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said act of downloading comprises downloading in response to a session request.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising de-registering said at least one programming interface upon occurrence of a prescribed event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said event comprises a change in a descriptor associated with said at least one application.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said act of providing a module comprises disposing said module at an intermediate level within a protocol stack of said client equipment.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said method is performed at least in part using an XAIT.

14. A storage device having a medium adapted to store a plurality of data bits thereon, said data bits comprising a computer program, said computer program comprising an interface manager program, said interface manager adapted to run on a digital processor and further to:

register one or more network-specific APIs within an associated registry;

interface with one or more network-agnostic applications requesting access to said APIs.

15. The storage device of claim 14, wherein said medium comprises a random access memory disposed within CPE, said CPE being adapted for use in a cable network.

16. The storage device of claim 14, wherein said interface manager program is a Java-based program adapted to operate with an OCAP protocol stack of CPE.

17. The storage device of claim 16, wherein said registry comprises an IXC registry.

18. The storage device of claim 17, wherein said interface manager operates at or above the middleware layer.

19. The storage device of claim 17, wherein said interface manager abstracts functionality between the middleware and application layers.

20. The storage device of claim 14, wherein said interfacing with one or more applications comprises:

accessing said registry to provide said API to said one or more applications; and

utilizing said API via at least said interface manager.

21. CPE adapted for operation within a first cable network, said CPE comprising:

an application which is substantially generic across a plurality of different networks;

a manager module resident within a protocol stack of said CPE, said manager module being adapted to register APIs adapted for use within said first network;

wherein said application can query said protocol stack for one or more of said APIs in order to communicate with another entity associated with said first network.

22. The CPE of claim 21, wherein said distant entity comprises a VOD server.

23. The CPE of claim 22, wherein said protocol stack further comprises a monitor application, said monitor application being adapted to identify at least a portion of said APIs.

24. The CPE of claim 23, wherein said another entity comprises a software component disposed external to said CPE.

25. The CPE of claim 21, wherein said application is downloaded to said CPE via an external network interface in response to a service request.

26. The CPE of claim 23, wherein said monitor application is adapted to be at least partly controlled by an external entity.

27. The CPE of claim 26, wherein said external entity comprises a head-end supervisory process or its proxy.

28. The CPE of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of said APIs are downloaded to said CPE as part of a session.

29. The CPE of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of said APIs are associated with a conditional access (CA) function.

30. Apparatus adapted for operation within a first cable network, said apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a storage device operatively coupled to said processor;

a monitor application running on said processor and adapted to control at least one function within said apparatus;

an API manager adapted to manage one or more APIs; and

at least one software application adapted to run on said processor;

wherein said apparatus is configured to;

(a) download at least one API from said first network; and

(b) selectively provide access to said API by said at least one software application using at least said manager.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a network interface operatively coupled to said processor;

wherein said at least one software application is further adapted to communicate with an external entity via said interface.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one application has said at least one API abstracted therefrom.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said at least one application may be utilized in any number of other cable networks, said first cable networks and at least one of said other cable networks being substantially heterogeneous with respect to one another.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one application is substantially agnostic to said first network and at least one other network.

35. Reduced-profile CPE adapted for coupling to a cable network, said CPE having an interface manager disposed thereon, said interface manager being adapted to provide for access to at least one network-specific interface by one or more network-generic applications, said network-generic applications requiring a reduced hardware profile within said CPE.

36. The CPE of claim 35, further comprising a session manager, said session manager being adapted to control the operation of an interactive session on said CPE, said session requiring at least one of said network-generic applications.

37. The CPE of claim 35, wherein said interfaces comprise APIs, and said interface manager comprises a downloadable module adapted to selectively register and de-register said APIs with a registry entity associated with said CPE.

38. A method of operating a cable network having a plurality of client devices operatively coupled thereto, the method comprising:

providing an on-demand or conditional access capability within said network;

providing an API manager on each of said plurality of devices;

providing at least one on-demand or conditional access-related application for use on each of said devices;

providing at least one network-specific API to each of said devices; and

accessing said on-demand or conditional access capability from at least one of said client devices using said at least one application and said at least one API, said API manager controlling access to said API by said application.

39. A software architecture adapted for use in a cable network, comprising:

at least one software application having substantially all network-specific programming interfaces and protocols abstracted therefrom;

at least one network-specific programming interface; and

at least one manager entity, said manager entity being adapted to run within the same software environment as said at least one interface and application, said manager entity registering said at least one interface and providing access thereto by said application.

40. The architecture of claim 39, wherein said environment comprises an object-oriented environment.

41. The architecture of claim 40, wherein said object-oriented environment comprises a Java-based environment.

42. The architecture of claim 41, wherein said application comprises one of either an on-demand or conditional access application.

43. The architecture of claim 39, further comprising a session handler module, said session handler module being adapted to inter-operate with said at least one application.

44. A method of conducting business over a network, said network having at least one server adapted to interface directly or indirectly with a plurality of client devices operatively coupled to said network, said client devices operated by respective end users, said method comprising:

providing the ability to utilize selectively or conditionally accessible services over said network to a plurality of said users;

distributing to at least some of said users a manager module adapted to interface with a plurality of applications, at least one of said applications relating to said services;

providing at least one network-specific API adapted for use in providing said services; and

providing said services to said client devices using at least said manager module, said at least one network-specific API, and said at least one application.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said network comprises a cable network, and said services comprise on-demand (OD) services.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said services comprise services which transmit or receive encrypted information.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least one network-specific API is provided via download to said client devices.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least one application comprises an application which has substantially all network-specific APIs and protocols abstracted therefrom.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least one application comprises an application which is generic across a number of different heterogeneous cable networks.

50. A method of operating first and second networks so as to be able to use at least one common application in both, the method comprising:

providing substantially identical versions of an application from which substantially all network-specific functionality has been abstracted to client devices in each of said first and second networks;

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;

providing an entity manager to said client devices of said first and second networks, said entity manager adapted to interface with said application and the respective ones of said first and second functional entities; and

operating said application on the client devices of said first and second networks, said application and manager of said client devices within said first network cooperating to access said first network specific functional entities, said application and manager of said client devices within said second network cooperating to access said second network specific functional entities.

51. CPE adapted to run at least one application program thereon, said CPE having at least one interface to a network, said CPE being further adapted to:

receive said at least one application via said at least one interface;

receive a plurality of files associated with said at least one application; and

register at least one API based at least in part on information contained within said plurality of files.

52. The CPE of claim 51, further adapted to generate at least one entity with access to said API based at least in part said plurality of files.

53. The CPE of claim 52, wherein said plurality of files identifies at least one class of said API, said accessing of said API being accomplished via said at least one class.

54. The CPE of claim 51, wherein said files are received along with said at least one application.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein said registration of said at least one API is accomplished by:

calling a registration process; and

passing in a description file, said file describing the class and data files provided with said at least one application that are part of said API.

56. A method of operating network CPE, comprising:

providing a software application including at least one descriptive file, said at least one file identifying at least one class to be shared;

registering an API using at least said descriptive file;

signaling for access to said API by said application using at least a first descriptor; and

generating an entity having access to said at least one class of said descriptive file.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising launching said application, said application being provided access to said registered API.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising

evaluating said signaled API to determine if it has been registered;

if registered, evaluating whether at least one permission has been granted to said application; and

if said permission has been granted, performing said act of generating.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein said first descriptor is carried at least in part within an XAIT loop of said application.