Home network component controlling data and function of another home network component

• US 9,060,198 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jing, Xiangpeng, Patil, Abhishek P., Liu, Aixin, Nguyen, Djung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesa, Joel
• Application Number:
  US14/013,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20140007167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 12/282 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: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

Aggregated service and feature sharing is provided in a home network, in which users can freely enjoy not only the shared content, but also the unique features provided by each device anywhere in the network. The service sharing feature allows one device to control and use shared hardware or software functionalities provided by other devices in the network.

Claims

1. System comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one component processor of a user component for;

communicating with at least one service component over a home network, the service component including a processor, wherein the instructions when executed by the component processor of the user component configure the component processor to cooperate with the processor of the server component for;

facilitating discovery of each component by the other component in the home network;

publishing to the home network services provided by the user component and receiving information indicating services published by the service component in the network;

receiving user invocation signals to invoke a service of the service component;

receiving user service signals and sending the user service signals over the network to the service component to cause the service component to provide the service in accordance with the user service signals;

receiving back over the home network a service output from the service component representing a result of executing the service for presentation of the service output on the user component;

in response to entry via a user interface (UI) of a selection of the service component, presenting on the user component a list of services provided by the service component from which a user can select to cause the service component to execute the service and return results therefrom to the user component over the network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to present user interfaces (UI) to permit selection, using the user component, a service of the service component and then to invoke and control, by commands to the user component, the service component to execute the service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to present on a display the UI, the UI being a component screen that lists available discovered components on the network, input being receivable using the component screen to select the service component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a call service, the instructions being executable to:

receive input to invoke the call service,

present a sub-menu on the user component instructing to input a telephone number to the user component,

send the number to the telephone through the network to cause the telephone to dial the number,

present audio data associated with the call received from the telephone over the network for audible or visual presentation thereof on the user component.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions are executable to receive from the telephone a ring tone which the processor of the user component when executing the instructions is further configured to present on the user component, the instructions being executable to receive a user'"'"'s voice input and send to the telephone the user'"'"'s voice input with a called party'"'"'s voice being presented on the user component, such that the call service of the telephone is usable through the user component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a “

retrieve position”

service selectable on the user component instructions being executable to, in response sending a message to the telephone over the network, report its position as indicated by a position receiver of the telephone, the position being receivable from the telephone by the user component for display thereof on the user component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a “

purchase content”

service, the instructions being executable to;

receive a selection of the purchase content service,

present a submenu on the user component to receive input of purchase information,

send the purchase information to the telephone over the home network such that in response the telephone can transmit an order for content over a wide area telephony network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a short message text service, the instructions being executable to:

receive a selection of the text service,

present a submenu on the user component to receive a phone number and text message,

send the information input to the user component over the home network to the telephone to cause the telephone to dial the number and send the message received from the user component.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the service component includes a camera and provides a picture taking service, the instructions being executable to:

receive a selection of the picture taking service,

present a submenu enabling generation of a take picture signal,

send the take picture signal to the service component to cause the service component to capture an image or a video,

receive images from the service component over the network for display thereof on the user component.

10. System comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor of at least one user component for;

communicating with at least one service component over a home network, the service component including a processor, wherein the instructions are executable to cooperate with the processor of the server component to;

facilitate discovery of each component by the other component in the home network;

publish to the home network services provided by the respective user component and receiving information indicating services published by the service component in the network;

receive user invocation signals to invoke a service of the service component;

receive user service signals and send the user service signals over the network to the service component to cause the service component to provide the service in accordance with the user service signals;

receive back over the home network a service output from the service component representing a result of executing the service for presentation of the service output on the user component; and

in response to receiving a selection of the service component from the user component, present a list of services provided by the service component from which a user can select to cause the service component to execute the service and return results therefrom to the user component over the network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a call service, the instructions being executable to:

receive input from the user component to invoke the call service,

present a sub-menu on the user component to receive input of a telephone number,

send the number to the telephone through the network to cause the telephone to dial the number,

present audio data associated with the call received from the telephone over the network for presentation thereof on the user component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive from the telephone a ring tone,

present the ring back tone on the user component,

receive a user'"'"'s voice input, and

send to the telephone the user'"'"'s voice input with a called party'"'"'s voice being presented on the user component, such that the call service of the telephone is usable through the user component.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a “

retrieve position”

service, the user being permitted to manipulate an input device associated with the user component to select the retrieve position service, the instructions being executable to, in response sending a message to the telephone over the network, report a position as indicated by a position receiver of the telephone, the position being receivable from the telephone by the user component for display thereof on the user component.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a “

purchase content”

service, the instructions being executable to;

receive a selection of the purchase content service,

present a submenu on the user component through which to receive purchase information,

send the purchase information to the telephone over the home network such that in response the telephone can transmit an order for content over a wide area telephony network.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and provides a short message text service, the instructions being executable to:

receive a selection of the text service,

present a submenu on the user component to receive a phone number and text message,

send the information input to the user component over the home network to the telephone to cause the telephone to dial the number and send the message received from the user component.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the service component includes a camera and provides a picture taking service, the instructions being executable to:

receive a selection of the picture taking service,

present a submenu through which a take picture signal can be generated,

send the take picture signal to the service component to cause the service component to capture an image or a video,

receive images from the service component over the network for display thereof on the user component.

17. System comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor of at least one service component for;

communicating with at least one user component over a home network, the user component including a processor, wherein the instructions are executable to;

facilitate discovery of each component by the other component in the home network;

publish to the home network services provided by the service component and receive information indicating services associated with the user component in the network;

receive user invocation signals to invoke a service of the service component;

receive user service signals over the network from the user component to provide using the service component the service in accordance with the user service signals; and

send back over the home network a service output from the service component representing a result of executing the service for presentation of the service output on the user component, wherein in response to a signal indicating selection of the service component, the instructions are executable to send to the user component a list of services provided by the service component from a service is selectable to cause the service component to execute the service and return results therefrom to the user component over the network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and is configured to provide a call service selectable by a user of the user component.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and is configured to provide a “

retrieve position”

service to the user component.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and is configured to provide a “

purchase content”

service to the user component.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the service component is a wireless telephone and is configured to provide a short message text service to the user component.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the service component includes a camera and is configured to provide a picture taking service to the user component.

23. Method comprising:

discovering each of a user component and a service component in a home network;

publishing to the home network services provided by the respective components;

receiving information indicating services published by components in the home network other than the component receiving information;

receiving user invocation signals to invoke a service of the service component;

receiving user service signals and sending the user service signals over the network to the service component to cause the service component to provide the service in accordance with the user service signals; and

receiving back over the home network a service output from the service component representing a result of executing the service, the service output being configured for being presented on the user component, wherein in response to selecting the service component from the user component, the user component is configured to present a list of services provided by the service component from which a user can select to cause the service component to execute the service and return results therefrom to the user component over the network.