Home Server Middleware Connectors for Appliance Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home network environments face challenges in effectively binding information appliances that support different middlewares, limiting compatibility and seamless operation between devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a home server with connected middlewares and standard service connectors to manage and control information appliances, enabling compatibility between appliances supporting same or different control middlewares by activating appropriate interfaces and connectors for data exchange and control operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If information appliances support different control middlewares, then user choice and device compatibility increase, but system complexity and difficulty of binding appliances increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a home server as an intermediary component that mediates between information appliances supporting different control middlewares. The home server includes multiple middlewares (HAVi, UPnP, etc.) and connectors that translate and bridge communication between different middleware protocols, enabling appliances with different middlewares to interact without direct compatibility between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The home server is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple control middlewares simultaneously. It can act as a universal controller that understands various middleware protocols and can bind any combination of information appliances regardless of their specific middleware support, making the system universally compatible.
2Adaptability or versatility
If information appliances support different control middlewares, then user choice increases, but ease of operation and binding process deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The binding process is designed to be automated and self-service oriented. When a user selects information appliances to bind, the home server automatically detects the middleware types, selects appropriate connectors, and establishes the binding without requiring manual configuration. The system self-manages the complexity of middleware compatibility while providing a simple user interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The home server as an intermediary handles the operational complexity of binding different middleware types. Users only need to select appliances through a simplified interface, while the home server mediates the backend processes of middleware compatibility, connector selection, and binding establishment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple middlewares are supported in home network, then adaptability increases, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The home server architecture segments different middleware functionalities into separate, modular components. Each middleware (HAVi, UPnP, etc.) is implemented as an independent module, and connectors are separate components that can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows the system to support multiple middlewares while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The home server dynamically activates only the middleware and connectors needed for specific binding operations. Rather than having all middlewares constantly active, the system dynamically loads and activates appropriate middleware components based on the information appliances being bound, reducing operational complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a service of binding information appliances in a home network environment. A system for providing a service of binding two or more information appliances, supporting same or respective control middlewares, in a home network having a home server connected to information appliances is disclosed. The home server includes middlewares and connectors. The middlewares are connected to the information appliances to control the information appliances. The connectors apply standard services between the middlewares to connect the middlewares to each other.