Providing mobile-specific services for mobile devices via ad-hoc networks

• US 20060128364A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Espigares, Inmaculada, Costa-Requena, Jose
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• 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 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Mobile-specific services are provided to a mobile device coupled to a local area network. The local area network provides ad-hoc connectivity between consumer electronics devices. A service provider device is coupled to the local area network. A mobile-specific service is provided at least in part by the service provider device. The mobile-specific service is advertised via the local area network. The mobile device subscribes to the mobile-specific service via the local area network in response to advertising of the mobile-specific service. The mobile device utilizes the mobile-specific service via the local area network.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging data between a mobile device and a local area network that provides ad-hoc connectivity between consumer electronics devices, comprising:

advertising, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by a service provider device that is capable of being coupled to the network;

receiving at the service provider device, a request from the mobile device to subscribe to the mobile-specific service in response to advertising of the mobile-specific service; and

providing the mobile-specific service to the mobile device via the service provider device in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the mobile-specific service to the mobile device comprises accessing, via the service provider device, a server entity located outside the local area network that is configured to provide at least part of the mobile specific service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the mobile-specific service to the mobile device comprises accessing, via the service provider device, a server entity located within the local area network that is configured to provide at least part of the mobile specific service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving mobile-specific data at the service provider device via the mobile-specific service;

forming, based on the mobile-specific data, translated data that is specific to a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network; and

sending the translated data to the consumer electronics device via the local area network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein forming the translated data comprises forming a command configured to remotely operate the consumer electronics device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein forming the translated data comprises forming multimedia data that is compatible with a rendering function of the consumer electronics device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data at the service provider device via the local area network, wherein the data is specific to a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network;

forming, based on the data, mobile-specific data that is compatible with the mobile-specific service; and

sending the mobile-specific data to the mobile device via the mobile-specific service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the mobile-specific data comprises forming multimedia data that is compatible with a rendering function of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular phone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises a mobile messaging service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises a voice communication service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the voice communication service comprises any combination of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Voice Over IP.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises at least one of a SIP registrar service, a SIP redirect service, and a SIP proxy service.

12. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile messaging service comprises at least one of Short Message Service and Multimedia Message Service.

16. A processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a data processing arrangement capable of being coupled to a local area network that provides ad-hoc connectivity to consumer electronics devices, the instructions executable by the data processing arrangement for performing steps comprising:

advertising, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by the data processing arrangement;

receiving, in response to advertising the mobile-specific service, a request for the mobile-specific service from a mobile device that is configured to operate on the local area network; and

providing the mobile-specific service to the mobile device via the local area network in response to the request.

17. The processor-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the steps further comprise:

receiving, from the mobile device, mobile-specific data that is transferred via the mobile-specific service;

forming, based on the mobile-specific data, translated data that is specific to a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network; and

sending the translated data to the consumer electronics device via the local area network.

18. The processor-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the local area network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

19. The processor-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises any combination of a Short Message Service, a Multimedia Message Service, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), a Voice Over IP service, a SIP registrar service, a SIP redirect service, and a SIP proxy service.

20. A processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a mobile data processing arrangement capable of being coupled to a local area network that provides ad-hoc connectivity to consumer electronics devices, the instructions executable by the mobile data processing arrangement for performing steps comprising:

discovering, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by a provider device coupled to the local area network;

sending a request for the mobile-specific service to the provider device via the local area network; and

utilizing the mobile-specific service via the provider device.

21. The processor-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the steps further comprise sending, via the provider device, data targeted for a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network.

22. The processor-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the local area network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

23. The processor-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises any combination of a Short Message Service, a Multimedia Message Service, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), a Voice Over IP service, a SIP registrar service, a SIP redirect service, and a SIP proxy service.

24. The processor-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the mobile data processing arrangement comprises a cellular phone.

25. A system comprising:

a local area network configured to provide ad-hoc data exchanges between consumer electronics devices capable of being coupled to the local area network;

means for advertising, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by a service provider device coupled to the local area network;

means for causing a mobile device to subscribe to the mobile-specific service via the local area network; and

means for causing the mobile device to utilize the mobile-specific service via the local area network.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving mobile-specific data at the service provider device;

means for translating the mobile-specific data to data that is specific to at least one of the consumer electronics devices; and

means for sending to the at least one consumer electronics devices the data that is specific to the at least one consumer electronics devices.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving data at the service provider device via the mobile-specific service, wherein the data is specific to a consumer electronics device that is coupled to the local area network;

means for forming, based on the data, mobile-specific data that is compatible with the mobile-specific service; and

means for sending the mobile-specific data to the mobile device.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface capable of being coupled to a local area network that provides ad-hoc connectivity to consumer electronics devices;

a processor coupled to the network interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions that cause the processor to,

advertise, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by the apparatus;

receive a request for the mobile-specific service from a mobile device that is capable of operating on the local area network in response to advertising the mobile-specific service; and

provide the mobile-specific service to the mobile device via the local area network in response to the request.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to,

receive, from the mobile device, mobile-specific data that is transferred via the mobile-specific service;

form, based on the mobile-specific data, translated data that is specific to a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network; and

send the translated data to the consumer electronics device.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the local area network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises any combination of a Short Message Service, a Multimedia Message Service, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), a Voice Over IP service, a SIP registrar service, a SIP redirect service, and a SIP proxy service.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mobile-specific service is provided by a server entity located outside of the local area network.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mobile-specific service is provided by a server entity located within the local area network.

34. A mobile terminal comprising:

a network interface capable of being coupled to a local area network that provides ad-hoc connectivity to consumer electronics devices;

a processor coupled to the network interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions that cause the processor to,

discover, via the local area network, a mobile-specific service that is provided at least in part by a provider device coupled to the local area network;

send a request for the mobile-specific service to the provider device; and

utilize the mobile-specific service via the provider device.

35. The mobile terminal of claim 34, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, send, via the mobile-specific service, data targeted for a consumer electronics device coupled to the local area network.

36. The mobile terminal of claim 34, wherein the local area network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

37. The mobile terminal of claim 34, wherein the mobile-specific service comprises any combination of a Short Message Service, a Multimedia Message Service, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), a Voice Over IP service, a SIP registrar service, a SIP redirect service, and a SIP proxy service.