Method for transmitting data in a network of distributed stations, and network station

• US 8,200,777 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Weber, Michael, Huetter, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US11/886,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709217-229
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of home networks. A home network based on the present UPnP standard (Universal Plug and Play) allows data to be interchanged between network subscriber stations. A UPnP standard may have one or more control point devices. To allow profile information such as user profile or network profile to be interchanged, the invention proposes providing a control point device firstly with an expanded device ascertainment service which can be used to find the other control point devices in the network and also with one or more additionally implemented profile services which allow the other control point devices in the network to be notified about change to profile information on a control point device.

Claims

1. Method for transmitting data in a home network of distributed stations, in which said distributed stations the functionalities of a device to be controlled are provided on a web server in the form of one or more information pages generated using a description language and are selected by a control point device in order to control a device at the home network which is to be controlled by means of a browser, wherein an expanded device ascertainment service in the control point device is used to find other control point devices in the home network in order to transmit user profile information between two or more control point devices in the network, with one or more additionally implemented user profile services in the control point device being used to send a notification about changed user profile information to the other control point devices in the home network, wherein a list of device types is extended with a device type control point device, and the expanded device ascertainment service is making use of a discovery protocol in which the two or more control point devices are searchable based on an assigned device type or service type, wherein for searching a control point device the expanded device ascertainment service in a requesting control point device is entering a device type control point as a search target in a search request and the expanded device ascertainment service in the search target control point device is answering to this search request in a response message.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the user profile service sends the notification about changed user profile information to all those control point devices which have been registered for notification about changed profile information.

3. Method according to claim 1, where the user profile information comprises a user profile about a preferably desired musical orientation, a preferably desired TV or radio channels or programmes, or a list of selected Internet pages.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the user profile differs according to time of day, day of the week, month or season, or a special time such as a holiday or business trip.

5. Method according to claim 2, wherein the control point device which has been notified about changed user profile information transfers the changed user profile information to its own user profile.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the user profile information is linked to currency-level information.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the changed user profile information is transferred to the control point device'"'"'s own user profile only if the currency-level information shows it to be more current than the information in the control point device'"'"'s own user profile.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein the user profile information is linked to transfer control information, which indicates whether the changed user profile information is to be transferred from the other control point devices in the home network regardless of any currency-level information which is present.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the home network of distributed stations is a network based on the UPnP standard, corresponding to Universal Plug and Play.

10. Home network station as control point device for acting as a requesting control point device in the method according to claim 1, with one or more user profile information items, wherein, the home network station has an expanded device ascertainment service which can be used to find the other control point devices in the home network, and in that one or more additionally implemented user profile services are provided which are used to notify the other control point devices in the home network about changed user profile information, wherein a device type control point is assigned to the control point device and the expanded device ascertainment service is adapted to make use of a discovery protocol in which control point devices are searchable based on the assigned device type control point, wherein for searching a control point device the expanded device ascertainment service is entering the device type control point as a search target in a search request sent to said distributed stations in the network.

11. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the home network station comprises registration means which can be accessed by the other control point devices in the home network in order to register for notifying about changed user profile information.

12. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the user profile information relates to a user profile about preferably desired musical orientation, preferably desired TV or radio channels or programmes or a list of selected Internet pages.

13. Home network station according to claim 11, wherein the user profile differs according to time of day, day of the week, month or season, or a special time such as a holiday or business trip.

14. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the control point device which has been notified about user profile information transfers the changed user profile information to its own user profile.

15. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the user profile information is linked to currency-level information.

16. Home network station according to claim 15, wherein the changed user profile information is transferred only if it has been found to be more current than the information in the user profile.

17. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the user profile information is linked to transfer control information, which indicates whether the changed information is to be transferred from the other control point devices in the home network regardless of any currency-level information which is present.

18. Home network station according to claim 10, wherein the home network station is designed on the basis of the UPnP standard, corresponding to Universal Plug and Play.

19. Home network station as control point device for acting as an answering control point device in the method according to claim 1, with one or more user profile information items, wherein, the home network station has an expanded device ascertainment service which can be used to find the other control point devices in the home network, and in that one or more additionally implemented user profile services are provided which are used to notify the other control point devices in the home network about changed user profile information, wherein a device type control point is assigned to the control point device and the expanded device ascertainment service is adapted to make use of a discovery protocol in which control point devices are searchable based on the assigned device type control point, wherein for searching a control point device the expanded device ascertainment service is answering to a search request in which the device type control point is entered as the search target in a search request in a response message.