Method and apparatus for a home network auto-tree builder

• US 7,831,899 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Harms, G. Kevin, Deacon, Michael S., Humpleman, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faber; David
• Application Number:
  US11/173,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 715/501.1, 715/500, 715/201, 715/203, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] 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 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• 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 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/365 Application layer names, e.g. buddy names, unstructured names chosen by a user or home appliance name
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 : using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 : for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 : Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• 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: 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: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 : characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 : home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4381 : Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 : Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 : Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A method and system is provided for detecting, commanding and controlling diverse home devices currently connected to a home network. An interface is provided for accessing the home devices that are currently connected to a home network. According to the method, a device link file is generated, wherein the device link file identifies home devices that are currently connected to the home network. A device link page is created, wherein the device link page contains a device button that is associated with each home device that is identified in the device link file. A hyper-text link is associated with each device button, wherein the hyper-text link provides a link to an HTML page that is contained on the home device that is associated with the device button, and the device link page is displayed on a browser based home device.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising:

discovering a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, each device being associated with a respective Internet Protocol (IP) address, wherein at least one of the plurality of devices has a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server capability;

retrieving a description of at least one device and its capability;

based on the retrieved description and capability of the discovered devices, dynamically creating a menu listing the discovered devices for individually selecting each of the discovered devices to cause two devices of the discovered devices to communicate with each other over the home network, wherein creating the menu further includes dynamically creating and updating a device link page from the home network upon adding devices to and removing devices from the home network, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is discovered; and

displaying the menu on a display device for a user to individually select each listed device and navigate from the menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu comprises a web page including a hypertext link to a web page contained within each discovered device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting devices that are currently connected to the home network further comprises autonomously detecting devices that become available as currently powered-on and connected to the home network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu is repainted on the display device upon the adding devices to and the removing devices from the home network.

5. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

based on the detected devices, dynamically creating a menu for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function, wherein creating the menu further includes;

dynamically creating a device link page and dynamically generating and updating a device list file upon adding devices to and removing devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected, and associating a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical or textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

displaying said menu on a display device by displaying said device link page, for a user to individually select each device and activate said controllable function.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the creating the device link page includes:

creating the device link page including said device control associated with a device identified in the device list file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating the device list file includes:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device list file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the creating the device link page further includes:

retrieving a logical device name from the device list file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

11. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising:

detecting an active state of a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

based on the detected devices, dynamically creating a menu including a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting each of said detected devices to activate said controllable function, wherein creating the menu further includes dynamically creating a device link page and dynamically generating and updating a device list file upon adding devices to and removing of devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected;

displaying said top menu on a display device for a user to individually select each listed device and navigate from the top menu through the menu to activate said controllable function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said top menu comprises a web page including a hypertext link to a web page contained within each detected device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting an active status of devices that are currently connected to the home network further comprises autonomously detecting an active status of devices that become available as currently powered-on and connected to the home network.

14. A method for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, the method comprising:

detecting an active state of a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

based on the detected devices, dynamically creating a menu for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function wherein creating the menu further includes;

dynamically creating a device link page and dynamically generating and updating a device list file upon adding devices to and removing devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected, and associating a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

displaying said menu on a display device by displaying said device link page, for a user to individually select each device and activate said controllable function.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the creating the device link page includes:

creating the device link page including said device control associated with a device identified in the device list file.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the device list file includes:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device list file.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the creating the device link page further includes:

retrieving a logical device name from the device list file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

20. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

at least one processor and a memory operatively coupled to said at least one processor;

a detector device that operates to detect devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator module that operates to create a menu including a top menu that lists the detected devices, individually selects each of said detected devices to activate said controllable function, wherein creating the menu further includes dynamically creating a device link page and dynamically generating and updating a device list file upon adding devices to and removing devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected;

a display device that operates to display said top menu on a browser for a user to individually select each listed device and navigate from the top menu through the menu to activate said controllable function.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said top menu comprises a web page including a hypertext link to a web page contained within each detected device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the detector autonomously detects devices that become available as currently powered-on and connected to the home network.

23. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

at least one processor and a memory operatively coupled to said at least one processor;

a detector device that operates to detect devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator module that operates to create a menu for individually selecting each of said devices to activate said controllable function, wherein the menu comprises a device link page such that the menu generator module dynamically creates the device link page and dynamically generates and updates a device list file upon addition of devices to and removal of devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, the device link page including at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected by the detector, and the menu generator further associates a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

a display device that operates to display said menu on a browser by displaying said device link page on the browser based device, for a user to individually select each device and activate said controllable function.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the device link page including said device control associated with a device identified in the device list file.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the menu generator module creates the device list file by:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device list file.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the menu generator module creates the device link page by:

retrieving a logical device name from the device list file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

29. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

at least one processor and a memory operatively coupled to said at least one processor;

a detector device that operates to detect an active state of a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator module that-operates to create a menu structure comprising a top menu that lists the detected devices for individually selecting said detected devices to activate said controllable function, wherein creating the menu further includes dynamically creating a device link page and dynamically generating and updating a device list file upon addition of devices to and removal of devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, wherein the device link page includes at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected;

a display device that operates to display said menu on a browser for a user to individually select each listed device and navigate from the top menu through the menu structure to activate said controllable function.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said top menu comprises a web page including a hypertext link to a web page contained within each detected device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the detector autonomously detects an active status of devices that become available as currently powered-on and connected to the home network.

32. A home network system for providing an interface for accessing devices that are currently connected to a home network, comprising:

at least one processor and a memory operatively coupled to said at least one processor;

a detector device that operates to detect an active state of a plurality of devices that are currently connected to the home network, said devices having at least one controllable function;

a menu generator module that operates to create a menu for individually selecting said devices to activate said controllable function wherein the menu comprises a device link page such that the menu generator module dynamically creates the device link page and dynamically generates and updates a device list file upon addition of devices to and removal of devices from the home network, the device list file identifying the detected devices, the device link page including at least a device control that is associated with a device that is detected by the detector, and the menu generator module associates a hypertext link with each device control, wherein the hypertext link provides a link to graphical to textual information that is contained in the detected device that is associated with the device control; and

a display device that operates to display said menu on a browser by displaying said device link page on the display, for a user to individually select each device and active said controllable function.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the device link page including said device control associated with a device identified in the device list file.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the menu generator module generates the device list file by:

associating a logical device name with the detected device; and

storing the logical device name in the device list file.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the menu generator module creates the device link page by:

retrieving a logical device name from the device list file;

storing the logical device name in the device link page; and

converting the logical device name to a device control.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said device link page comprises a web page or an html page including at least one hypertext link to a web page or an html page contained within said detected device.