System and method for managing an application or software component for use in a device to be controlled in a home network

• US 9,038,061 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yook, Hyungyoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US14/189,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 717/121, 717168-178, 709201-203, 709220-222
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for managing an application wherein a function of a controlled device can be dynamically extended by continually updating the application for use in the controlled device. According to the present invention, a framework capable of providing integrated support to a variety of home network middleware is loaded on an application server corresponding to a control device, and Internet access services and middleware services for accessing various kinds of devices are bundled into the framework. Thus, application installation and management can be performed within a home network environment regardless of the hardware, network protocol and operating system used.

Claims

1. An application server comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a home network middleware module configured to communicate with a plurality of controlled hardware devices for performing an installation and management of applications for the plurality of controlled hardware devices by using Internet access services and middleware services for accessing the plurality of controlled hardware devices, wherein the Internet access services and the middleware services are bundled into a framework capable of providing integrated support to a variety of home network middleware, wherein each of the plurality of controlled hardware devices includes positional information on an application file to be installed, and wherein the home network middleware module is further configured to extract the positional information on the application file from each of the plurality of controlled hardware devices;

an application loader module configured to download the application file from a file server to install a relevant application in accordance with the extracted positional information on the application file; and

an application management module configured to control operations of the home network middleware module and the application loader module, wherein at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices determines whether the application server is connected to a home network and if the application server is connected to the home network, the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices determines whether a new application is to be installed in the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices does not have a browser.

2. The application server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the home network middleware is selected from a group consisting of HAVi and HWW.

3. The application server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is an open services gateway initiative framework.

4. The application server as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of controlled hardware devices includes a home network middleware module configured to communicate with the application server.

5. The application server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the home network middleware module and the application loader module are bundled into the framework.

6. A method for managing an application using an application server, the method comprising:

detecting connection of a plurality of controlled hardware devices with a home network by operation of an application using Internet access services and middleware services for accessing the plurality of controlled hardware devices, wherein the Internet access services and the middleware services are bundled into a framework capable of providing integrated support to a variety of home network middleware, and wherein each of the plurality of controlled hardware devices includes positional information on an application file to be installed;

extracting the positional information on the application file from each of the plurality of controlled hardware devices by the application server;

downloading the application file from a file server in accordance with the extracted positional information on the application file by the application server; and

executing the downloaded application file and installing a relevant application by the application server; and

,

wherein at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices determines whether the application server is connected to a home network and if the application server is connected to the home network, the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices determines whether a new application is to be installed in the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices, and

wherein the at least one of the plurality of controlled hardware devices does not have a browser.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the home network middleware is selected from a group consisting of HAVi and HWW.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the framework is an open services gateway initiative framework.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an application management step of executing, stopping, deleting, and updating the relevant application installed in the application server.