Multiplex communications – Channel assignment techniques – Details of circuit or interface for connecting user to the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-10-02
Marcelo, Melvin (Department: 2663)
Multiplex communications
Channel assignment techniques
Details of circuit or interface for connecting user to the...
C370S466000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic networks, and relates more particularly to a system and method for implementing self-device control modules in an electronic network.
2. Description of the Background Art
Implementing an effective method for managing communications between electronic devices within an electronic network is a significant consideration for manufacturers and designers of contemporary electronic systems. An electronic device in a distributed electronic network may advantageously communicate with other remote electronic devices in the network to share and substantially increase the resources available to individual devices in the network. For example, an electronic network may be implemented in a user's home to enable flexible and beneficial sharing of resources between various consumer electronic devices, such as personal computers, digital video disk devices, digital set-top boxes for digital broadcasting, television sets, and audio playback systems.
Managing communications in a network of electronic devices may create substantial challenges for designers of electronic networks. For example, enhanced demands for increased functionality and performance may require more system processing power and require additional hardware resources across the network. An increase in processing or hardware requirements may also result in a corresponding detrimental economic impact due to increased production costs and operational inefficiencies.
Network size is also a factor that affects the management of communications in an electronic network. Communications in an electronic network typically become more complex as the number of individual devices or nodes increases. Assume that a particular device on an electronic network is defined as a local device with local software elements, and other devices on the electronic network are defined as remote devices with remote software elements. Accordingly, a local software module on the local device may need to communicate with various remote software elements on remote devices across the electronic network. However, successfully managing a substantial number of electronic devices across a single network may provide significant benefits to a system user.
In certain instances, network communications between different types of devices may be accomplished using multiple communication protocols or specifications. For example, a recently-manufactured device may employ an new communication protocol that was unavailable when other older network devices were designed. In addition, individual manufacturers may utilize different communication protocols, depending on various design and marketing considerations. In cases where multiple communication protocols are utilized within a single electronic network, the network devices may benefit from efficient network messaging techniques.
Therefore, for all the foregoing reasons, implementing an efficient method for managing communications between electronic devices in a distributed electronic network remains a significant consideration for designers, manufacturers, and users of electronic systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are disclosed for implementing self-device control modules in an electronic network. In one embodiment of the invention, initially, an event occurs in a type B device on the electronic network. The type B device may preferably be implemented as a base device or a legacy device that utilizes a type B communications protocol. The foregoing event may include an occurrence of any relevant type or description in the type B device or on the electronic network.
In response to the foregoing event, the type B device may preferably transmit a type B communication to a type A device on the electronic network. The type A device is preferably implemented as a full device or an intermediate device that includes a set of local network software which is compatible with a type A communications protocol. The foregoing type B communication may preferably relate in some manner to the event that previously occurred on the electronic network.
In accordance with the present invention, a self-device control module (self-DCM) in the network software of the type A device preferably accesses the received type B communication, and then advantageously translates the type B communication into a type A communication that may be understood by network software of the type A device.
In one embodiment, a driver interface in the self-DCM preferably functions as an effective interface to a device driver of the type A device for receiving and handling information (such as the type B communication) sent to the device driver from other devices on the electronic network. A command processor then preferably may access the information received by driver interface, and responsively utilize a handler mechanism that determines how to successfully process or interpret the received information.
Next, a translator may preferably convert the received information into translated information that is configured in a network software format (type A) which is compatible with the protocol and specifications of various sets of network software on devices across the electronic network. Finally, a network software interface may provide the translated information that has been converted into the network software format to network software on the type A device.
The self-DCM may preferably also post the translated type A communication to an event manager in network software of the type A device. The self-DCM preferably posts the translated type A communications as a network event. The event manager may preferably then notify any interested devices or software modules that have subscribed for notification regarding the particular network event represented by the type B communication. In accordance with the present invention, remote sets of network software residing on respective remote devices preferably may subscribe for notification whenever the self-DCM receives a type B communication.
Finally, the subscribers may react to the notification from the event manager in any appropriate manner, depending upon the type of event and the type of subscribing device or software module. The invention is discussed here in the context of a single self-DCM. However, the present invention is also contemplated for use with multiple self-DCMs residing on respective network devices across the electronic network. The present invention thus provides a system and method to efficiently implement self-device control modules across an electronic network.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5875349 (1999-02-01), Cornaby et al.
patent: 6032202 (2000-02-01), Lea et al.
patent: 6098138 (2000-08-01), Martinelli et al.
patent: 6101566 (2000-08-01), Woods et al.
Copyright 1997, 1998 by Grundig, Hitachi, Matsushita, Philips, Sharp, Sony, Thomson and Toshiba; The HAVi Architecture, Specification of the Home Audio/Video Interoperability (HAVi) Architecture; version 0.8, Draft May 11, 1998; pp. 1-209.
Jensen, Jr. Raymond L.
Prabhu Amal L.
Koerner Gregory J.
Marcelo Melvin
Simon & Koerner LLP
Sony Corporation
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