Operating system and network independent application program interface for use in an intelligent communication device

• US 6,393,496 B1
• Filed: 02/20/1996
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microwave LP, Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Radisys Microware, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Eric B., Thompson, Brent A., Schwaderer, Curtis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/603,790
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.03, 395/680, 395/68.H, 395/682, 709/200-253, 709/310-332
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

An application interface for an intelligent communication device. The intelligent communication device is connected to a network with at least one server connected thereto. The intelligent communication device includes an operating system. The application interface allows for application program to run on the intelligent communication device while be written independently of the operating system and the network. In a specific implementation, the application interface can be used in an interactive television system. The interactive television system includes a set top box decoder connected to a network with at least one server attached. The set top box decoder is a digital computer device which utilizes an operating system. The application interface includes an application program interface and a media control layer.

Claims

1. An intelligent communication device with an operating system for running an application program over a network wherein said application program is written independently of said network and of said operating system, said device comprising:

an application program;

a network independent application program interface having an application interface and an operating system interface;

an operating system;

a network dependent media control layer;

a network device driver;

a network hardware connection controlled by said network device driver;

at least one server connected to said network;

wherein said network independent application program interface is functionally positioned between said application program and said operating system, and said application program communicates with said application interface and said operating system interface communicates with said operating system; and

wherein said network dependent media control layer is functionally positioned between said operating system and said network device driver to allow communication between said operating system and said network dependent device driver.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said application interface includes means for receiving network and server requests from the application program;

wherein said received requests are in a standardized format which is independent of the particular operating system;

wherein said operating system interface includes means for receiving the standardized requests from the application interface; and

wherein said operating system interface includes means for translating said standardized requests into requests formatted for the particular operating system.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said media control layer includes means for receiving request initiated by the application program from said operating system after having been translated by said operating system interface;

and

wherein said media control layer includes means for translating and formatting said request into a message or packet which is appropriate for the network.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said media control layer includes network call control module means for enabling network specific communication.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein said application program interface includes a network call control module;

wherein said network call control module of said application program interface includes means for receiving the network requests from the application program relating to call controls specific to the network; and

wherein said network call control module of said application program interface includes means for translating the requests from the application program relating to call controls specific to the network into a request formatted for the particular operating system.

6. The invention on accordance with claim 4 wherein said network call control module means includes means for processing the network layer protocol, and means for processing the data link layer protocol.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said network call control module means includes means for processing the session control.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said media control layer includes BLOB download control module means for receiving binary large objects through the network.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein said application program interface includes a BLOB download control module, wherein said BLOB download module control module of said application program interface includes means for receiving the network requests from the application program relating to binary large object downloads;

and wherein said BLOB download control module of said application program interface includes means for translating the requests from the application program relating to binary large object downloads into a request formatted for the particular operating system.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said media control layer includes channel control management module means for processing network specific channel management.

11. The invention in accordance with claim 10 wherein said application program interface includes a channel control management module, wherein said channel control management module of said application program interface includes means for receiving the network requests from the application program relating to channel management specific to the network, and wherein said channel control management module of said application program interface includes means for translating the requests from the application program relating to channel management specific to the network into a request formatted for the particular operating system.

12. The invention in accordance with claim 10 wherein said channel control management module means includes means for accessing channel lists;

means for providing notification that there is a change in the channel list, and means for requesting a specific channel.

13. The invention in accordance with claim 10 wherein said channel control management module means includes channel entry data structure means for storing channel information, said channel information including channel number, station call letters, and network access information for the channel.

14. An intelligent communication device with an operating system for running an application program over a network wherein said application program is written independently of said network and of said operating system, said device comprising:

an application program;

a network independent application program interface having an application interface and an operating system interface;

an operating system;

a network dependent media control layer;

a network device driver;

a network hardware connection controlled by said network device driver;

at least one server connected to said network;

wherein said network independent application program interface is functionally positioned between said application program and said operating system, and said application program communicates with said application interface and said operating system interface communicates with said operating system;

wherein said network dependent media control layer is functionally positioned between said operating system and said network device driver to allow communication between said operating system and said network dependent device driver;

means for receiving network and server requests from the application program,

wherein said network and server requests are received in a standardized network independent format;

means for translating said standardized requests into a request formatted for the particular operating system; and

means for translating and formatting said request into a network dependent message packet with is appropriate for said network, thereby controlling the content of said message or packet, said means functionally positioned between said operating system and said network.

15. The invention on accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for translating said standardized requests into a request formatted for the particular operating system is functionally positioned between the application program and the operating system.

16. The invention in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for translating and formatting said requests in to a message or packet which is appropriate for said network is functionally positioned between said operating system and said network.

17. The invention in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for translating and formatting said request into a message or packet which is appropriate for said network includes network call control module means for enabling network specific communication.

18. The invention in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for translating and formatting said requests into a message or packet which is appropriate for said network includes BLOB download control module means for receiving binary large objects through the network.

19. The invention in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for translating and formatting said requests into a message or packet which is appropriate for said network includes channel control management module means for processing network specific channel management.

20. A method of running an application program on an intelligent communication device with an operating system over a network wherein said application program is written independently of said network and of said operating system, said method comprising:

providing an application program;

providing a network independent application program interface having an application interface and an operating system interface;

providing an operating system;

providing a network dependent media control layer;

providing a network device driver;

providing a network hardware connection controlled by said network device driver;

providing at least one server connected to said network;

wherein said network independent application program interface is functionally positioned between said application program and said operating system, and said application program need only communicate with said application interface and said operating system interface communicates with said operating system;

wherein said network dependent media control layer is functionally positioned between said operating system and said network device driver to allow communication between said operating system and said network dependent device driver;

receiving network and server requests from said application program, wherein said network and server requests are received in a standardized network independent format;

translating said standardized requests sent between said application program and said operating system into a request formatted for the particular operating systems; and

translating and formatting said network requests sent between said operating system and said network into a network dependent message or packet which is appropriate for said network, thereby controlling the content of said message or packet.