Controlled devices according to a device control model maintain a state table representative of their operational state. Devices providing a user control point interface for the controlled device obtain the state table of the controlled device, and may also obtain presentation data defining a remoted user interface of the controlled device and device control protocol data defining commands and data messaging protocol to effect control of the controlled device. These user control devices also subscribe to notifications of state table changes, which are distributed from the controlled device according to an eventing model. Accordingly, upon any change to the controlled device's operational state, the eventing model synchronizes the device's state as represented in the state table across all user control devices.

Synchronization of controlled device state using state table and eventing in data-driven remote device control model

A communication system providing telephony communication across combined circuit switched and packet switched networks, such as a telephone network and the Internet, which are connectable to terminals, such as telephones and computers, for selective communication therebetween. The communication system includes an authorization and account control object in the packet switched network, multiple gateways between the circuit switched and packet switched networks providing controlled connectivity between those networks, and an information retrieval object in the packet switched network, wherein the authorization and account control object maintains a substantially real time record of user accounts and usage, and the information and retrieval object provides substantially real time retrieval of selected information from the authorization and account control object. The retrieval object provides on demand to terminals which provide authentication for access to an identified account information regarding that account. The information regarding the account is substantially real time information including information with respect to communications in progress, which are chargeable to the account which has been authenticated. The authorization and account control object is preferably a unitary logical object having distributed instances thereof handling multitudinous accounts of widely separated terminals. The retrieval object provides isolation of the authorization and account control object permitting simultaneous multitasking by the authorization and account control object and the retrieval object respectively.

Network session management

The present invention discloses a home network system using a living network control protocol. The home network system includes: a network based on a predetermined protocol; at least electric device connected to the network; and a network manager connected to the network, for controlling and/or monitoring the electric device, wherein the protocol includes an application layer (60) for handling a message for controlling and monitoring the electric device, a network layer (70) for network-connecting the electric device to the network manager, a data link layer (80) for accessing a shared transmission medium, and a physical layer (90) for providing a physical interface between the electric device and the network manager, wherein the physical layer (90) further includes a special protocol for providing an interface with a dependent transmission medium, and the network layer (70) further includes a home code control sub-layer (71) for managing a home code for network security when accessing the dependent transmission medium.

Home network system

In a broadband cable data network (10), a method and system for automatically allocating network resources such as IP addresses to control access to the network utilizes at least one DHCP server (12), and a common network database formed from a LDAP directory (22) for storing respective user configuration parameters, hardware address registration, and current binding information. A DHCP server (12) can add new hardware address registrations to the LDAP using an 'unregistered' service class. The DHCP server sends a DHCP reply tailored for unregistered devices, such as by allocating a privately-allocated IP address with no Internet access, or an IP address for a self-provisioning web server. A DHCP server views IP address allocation as having a short duration. Thus, if the IP network configuration does not change, user terminal will continue to receive the same allocated IP address due to the DHCP server's perception of an indefinite lease. The consistency of the IP addresses simplifies many operational concerns about dynamic addresses, such as minimizing DNS (domain name service) hostname updates, mapping IP addresses to user terminals during security incidents, etc.

Method and system for automatic allocation of resources in a network

A device control model provides an integrated set of addressing, naming, discovery and description processes that enables automatic, dynamic and ad-hoc self-setup by devices to interoperate with other devices on a network. This permits a computing device when introduced into a network to automatically configure so as to connect and interact with other computing devices available on the network, without a user installation experience and without downloading driver software or persisting a configuration setup for connecting and interacting with such other computing devices. Upon completing interaction with such other devices, the computing device automatically releases the setup for such other devices so as to avoid persistent device configurations that might create a configuration maintenance and management burden.

Dynamic self-configuration for ad hoc peer networking

A distributed protocol for allocation of multicast addresses. A first node of a network sends an address request message identifying (1) a requested in multicast address, and (2) a multicast group identifier to which the requestor belongs. The request is in multicast on a network address reserved for address resolution. All other nodes of the network monitor the reserved network address for address request messages. If a second node receiving the address request message has already allocated the requested multicast address, then the second node sends an acknowledgment message identifying (1) the already allocated in multicast address, and (2) the multicast group for which the address has been allocated. This acknowledgment is transmitted on the same reserved network address on which the address request was sent. The first node, monitoring the reserved network address, receives the acknowledgment message. If the multicast group identified in the acknowledgment message matches the multicast group to which the first node belongs, then the first node also allocates the requested network address. If the multicast group identified in the acknowledgment message does not match the multicast group to which the first node belongs, then the first node abandons the requested network address. If the first node does not receive an acknowledgment message in response to any number of address request messages repeated for the same requested multicast address, then the first node either (1) allocates the requested network address, or (2) abandons the requested network address, if the node is not the first member of a multicast group to request allocation of the address. If address allocation succeeds, then the first node uses the allocated network address for multicasting. If address allocation fails, then the first node is free to select a different multicast address to request.

Dynamic assignment of multicast addresses

The present invention discloses a method for providing full-duplex audio communication utilizing a half-duplex audio circuit in an audio communication system. The method comprises the steps of: (1) configuring an idle state, a listen state, and a talk state; (2) receiving an event triggered by one of an incoming speech, an outgoing speech, and a talk request from the half-duplex audio circuit; and (3) transitioning from one of the states to any one of the states in response to the event to provide full duplex communication.

Eric Davison

Papers

Dynamic assignment of multicast addresses

System and method for providing full-duplex audio communication using a half-duplex audio circuit