System, device, software and method for providing enhanced UPnP support on devices

• US 20060075100A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Stirbu, Vlad
• Application Number:
  US10/951,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• 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 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A system, device, software and method for providing enhanced UPnP support on constrained devices. A low power proxy is used to save and communicate information with other devices on a local area network. The low power proxy can aggregate information for transmission to the constrained device in various situations, aiding the constrained device in receiving requested and necessary information in the event that information is filtered before reaching the constrained device and/or in the event that the constrained device is in a “low power” mode.

Claims

1. A local area network system, comprising:

a home network device operatively connected to a home network;

a constrained device;

a low power proxy for arranging data transmission between the home network device and the constrained device.

2. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the low power proxy permits the constrained device to register for devices and services offered by the home network, and wherein the low power proxy informs the constrained device when the registered for devices and services become available.

3. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein, in the event that an advertisement from the home network is not made available to the constrained device, the low power proxy collects the advertisement for transmission to the constrained device.

4. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein, in the event that a multicast search query from the home network is not made available to the constrained device, the low power proxy collects the multicast search query and provides a response on behalf of the constrained device.

5. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein, when the home network device informs the low power proxy that the home network device is exiting the home network, the low power proxy informs the constrained device that the home network device is exiting the home network.

6. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein, when the home network device fails to refresh advertisements to the low power proxy over a designated time interval, the low power proxy informs the constrained device that the home network device has exited the home network.

7. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the home network is a universal plug and play network.

8. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess a wireless LAN contact point.

9. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess a Bluetooth contact point.

10. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the low power proxy is built into a network connectivity function.

11. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the low power proxy is a separate device from a network connectivity function.

12. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the constrained device transmits a message to the low power proxy requesting that the low power proxy serve as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

13. The local area network system of claim 12, wherein the constrained device transmits information to the low power proxy concerning the degree to which the low power proxy needs to function as a low power proxy.

14. The local area network system of claim 12, wherein the constrained device transmits information to the low power proxy concerning changes in state to the mobile network service.

15. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess an Ethernet contact point.

16. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein the low power proxy is configured to transmit a wake up message to the constrained device at the request of another device within the local area network system.

17. A method of arranging data transmission within a network system, comprising the steps of:

providing a home network including a home network device

providing a constrained device network including a constrained device

enabling a network infrastructure device to interact with the home network device and the constrained device; and

using a low power proxy device operatively connected to the network infrastructure device to arrange data transmission between the home network device and the constrained device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the low power proxy device is built into the network infrastructure device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the low power proxy device is a stand alone device separate from the network infrastructure device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting a message from the constrained device to the low power proxy device requesting that the low power proxy device serve as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting a message from the constrained device to the low power proxy device concerning the degree to which the low power proxy device needs to function as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting information to the low power proxy from the constrained device concerning changes in state to the constrained device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess a wireless LAN contact point.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess a Bluetooth contact point.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the home network device and the constrained device possess an Ethernet contact point.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting a wake up message to the at least one constrained device at the request of another device within either the home network or the constrained device network.

27. A low power proxy device, comprising:

a memory unit;

a processor for processing information stored in the memory unit; and

at least one data communication link for communicating with a home network device and a constrained device within a local area network,

wherein the low power proxy device uses the at least one data communication link to enable data transmission between the home network device and the constrained device.

28. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is built into a network infrastructure device.

29. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is a stand alone device separate from but operatively connected to the network infrastructure device.

30. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is configured to receive requests that the low power proxy device serve as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

31. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is configured to receive information from the constrained device concerning the degree to which the low power proxy device needs to function as a low power proxy.

32. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is configured to receive information from the constrained device concerning changes in state to the mobile network service.

33. The low power proxy device of claim 27, wherein the low power proxy device is configured to transmit a wake up message to the at least one constrained device at the request of another device within either the local area network or the mobile handheld network.

34. A computer program product, comprising:

computer code for enabling a low power proxy device to communicate with a constrained device; and

computer code for at the request of the constrained device, causing the low power proxy device to function as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer code for receiving information from the constrained device concerning the degree to which the low power proxy needs to function as a low power proxy for the constrained device.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer code for transmitting a wake up message to the constrained device at the request of another device within a local area network.

37. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer code for receiving information from the constrained device concerning changes in state to the mobile network service.