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Field	Value
Publication number	US-9559859-B2
Application number	US-201213343924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2012
Priority date	Jan 5, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, transmitting, from a first computing device, a private-home-network-discovery message that comprises a first identifier corresponding to a private-home-networking system, receiving, at the first computing device, one or more content-response messages from a second computing device that collectively comprise a second identifier corresponding to the second computing device, a third identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, and information corresponding to content stored on the second computing device, and storing, at the first computing device, the second and third identifiers and the information received in the one or more content response messages for access by one or more applications hosted on the first computing device, one of the applications being associated with administering the private-home-networking system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
storing a user profile, wherein the user profile captures information from one or more users, wherein the user profile is associated with a global account, and wherein the global account comprises all of the devices associated with a private-home-networking system and all users that have permission to access the private-home-networking system;
controlling the private-home-networking system via an appliance, wherein the appliance facilitates content access between one or more computing devices within the private-home-networking system, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is remote from the appliance, and wherein the appliance provides real-time support for the private-home-networking system;
downloading one or more applications to the one or more computing devices within a private-home-networking system;
establishing a communication link between a first computing device and a second computing device;
transmitting, from the first computing device, a private-home-network-discovery message that comprises a first identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, wherein the first identifier is recognizable by any other device associated with the private-home-networking system, and wherein the first identifier is unrecognizable by any other computing device not associated with the private-home-networking system, wherein the first computing device hosts a main software module;
receiving, at the first computing device, one or more content-response messages from the second computing device that collectively comprise a second identifier corresponding to the second computing device, a third identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, and information corresponding to content stored on the second computing device, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are associated with the global account, wherein the second computing device hosts a client software module associated with the main software module;
establishing within the private-home-networking system one or more Internet protocol connections traversing network address translation gateways using network address translation traversal, wherein at least one of the Internet protocol connections is established between the first computing device and the second computing device;
storing, at the first computing device, the second and third identifiers and the information received in the one or more content response messages for access by one or more applications hosted on the first computing device, one of the applications being associated with administering the private-home-networking system;
binding the first computing device and the second computing device, wherein one or more cluster identifiers enforces the binding, and wherein one or more binding tables are used to enforce the binding; and
controlling access to the first computing device and the second computing device of the private-home-networking system, wherein access is controlled based, least in part, on one or more of a privacy policy and the user profile, and wherein the privacy policy specifies at least one or more of one or more users one or more devices, or one or more external systems that are allowed to access one or more of the private-home-networking system and one or more devices within the private-home-networking system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second computing devices communicate over a local home network.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
displaying a first view utilizing the information received in the content-response message, the first view comprising a list that includes content of the first computing device and the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein content comprises at least one of a document, picture file, music file, and video file.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second computing devices are both authorized to access content displayed in the first view.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second computing devices are authorized to make changes to content displayed in the first view.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving, at the first computing device, one or more first content-request messages from a third computing device that collectively comprise a fourth identifier corresponding to the third computing device, a fifth identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, and information corresponding to content stored on the third computing device;
determining, by the first computing device, whether the third computing device is authorized to access content associated with the private-home-networking system; and
notifying, by the first computing device, the third computing device that the content-request is denied in response to the third computing device not being authorized to access content associated with the private-home-networking system.

8. A system comprising:
a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and
the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
store a user profile, wherein the user profile captures information from one or more users, wherein the user profile is associated with a global account, and wherein the global account comprises all of the devices associated with a private-home-networking system and all users that have permission to access the private-home-networking system;
control a private-home-networking system via an appliance, wherein the appliance facilitates content access between one or more computing devices within the private-home-networking system, wherein at least one of the one or more computing devices is remote from the appliance, and wherein the appliance provides real-time support for the private-home-networking system;
download one or more applications to the one or more computing devices within a private-home-networking system;
establish a communication link between a first computing device and a second computing device;
transmit a private-home-network-discovery message that comprises a first identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, wherein the first identifier is recognizable by any other device associated with the private-home-networking system, and wherein the first identifier is unrecognizable by any other computing device not associated with the private-home-networking system;
host a main software module;
receive one or more content-response messages from a second computing device that collectively comprise a second identifier corresponding to the second computing device, a third identifier corresponding to the private-home-networking system, and information corresponding to content stored on the second computing device, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are associated with the global account, wherein the second computing device hosts a client software module associated with the main software module;
establish within the private-home-networking system one or more Internet protocol connections traversing network address translation gateways using network address translation traversal, wherein at least one of the Internet protocol connections is established between the first computing device and the second computing device;
store the second and third identifiers and the information received in the one or more content response messages for access by one or more applications hosted on the first computing device, one of the applications being associated with administering the private-home-networking system;
bind the first computing de

Assignees

• Kacin Martin
• Gray Michael R
• Lewinski Matthew N
• Perks Graham D
• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Kacin Martin
• Gray Michael R
• Lewinski Matthew N
• Perks Graham D

Classifications

• H04L12/2809 Primary

  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 title

• H04L2012/285

  Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators · CPC title

• H04L12/2812

  describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content (retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95) · CPC title