Home-network autoconfiguration

Claim 2

An information processing system ( 100 ) with a first information processing sub-system ( 102 ) coupled to a second information processing sub-system ( 104 ), wherein: the first sub-system has a first registry ( 124 ) for registering at least a first resource ( 108 - 114 ) local to the first sub-system; the second sub-system has a second registry ( 126 ) for registering at least a second resource ( 116 - 122 ) local to the second sub-system; the first sub-system has a first proxy client ( 142 ) registered with the first registry; and the second sub-system has a second proxy server ( 146 ) for communicating with the first proxy client and for access of the second resource.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 , wherein: the second sub-system has a second proxy client ( 140 ) registered with the second registry; and the first sub-system has a first proxy server ( 144 ) for communicating with the second proxy client and for access of the first resource.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-system comprises a first PC, and wherein the second sub-system comprises a second PC.

Claim 5

An information processing sub-system ( 102 ) comprising: a registry ( 124 ) for registering a resource ( 108 - 114 ) local to the sub-system; a broadcasting module ( 128 ) for broadcasting a message; a broadcast listener ( 132 ) for receiving a response from another information processing sub-system in response to the other sub-system having received the message, and for creating a proxy client ( 142 ) thereupon; wherein: the proxy client is being registered with the registry as a representative of the other sub-system for the sub-system to access another resource local to the other sub-system.

Claim 6

An information processing sub-system ( 102 ) comprising: a registry ( 124 ) for registering a resource ( 108 - 114 ) local to the sub-system; a broadcasting module ( 128 ) for broadcasting a message; a broadcast listener ( 132 ) for receiving a response from another information processing sub-system in response to the other sub-system having received the message, and for creating a proxy client ( 142 ) thereupon; wherein: the proxy client is being registered with the registry as a representative of the other sub-system for the sub-system to access another resource local to the other sub-system.

Claim 7

The sub-system of claim 4 , further comprising a port listener ( 130 ) for in response to receiving a further message from the other sub-system creating a proxy server ( 144 ) for enabling the other sub-system to access the resource local to the sub-system.

Claim 8

The sub-system of claim 4 , comprising a PC.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7 , wherein enabling the first sub-system to be informed about access to the second sub-system comprises: enabling the second sub-system to broadcast a message with an IP address and with a port number; enabling the first sub-system to set up, in response to the message, a proxy client ( 142 ) for communicating with a port of the second sub-system indicated by the port number; and enabling the second sub-system to set up a proxy server ( 146 ) to handle a request from the proxy client for access to the second resource.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 , further comprising: enabling sharing with the second sub-system a first resource ( 108 - 114 ) registered with the first sub-system; enabling the second sub-system to be informed about access to the first sub-system; and enabling registering with the second sub-system of a first interface to the first resource for access to t first resource from the second sub-system.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9 , wherein: enabling the first sub-system to be informed about access to the second sub-system comprises: enabling the second sub-system to broadcast a message with an IP address and with a port number; enabling the first sub-system to set up, in response to the message, a proxy client ( 142 ) for communicating with a port of the second sub-system indicated by the port number; and enabling the second sub-system to set up a proxy server ( 146 ) to handle a request from the proxy client for access to the second resource; and wherein enabling the second sub-system to be informed about access to the first sub-system comprises: enabling the first sub-system to broadcast a further message with a further IP address and with a further port number; enabling the second sub-system to set up, in response to the further message, a further proxy client ( 140 ) for communicating with a further port of the first sub-system indicated by the further port number; and enabling the first sub-system to set up a further proxy server ( 144 ) to handle a further request from the further proxy client for access to the first resource.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 , wherein the first and second sub-systems each comprise a respective PC.

Claim 15

The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second sub-systems each comprise a respective PC.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13 , comprising enabling the second information processing sub-system to address a further resource ( 108 - 114 ) registered with the first information processing sub-system, the method further comprising: enabling creating a further proxy client ( 140 ) at the second sub-system for communication with the first sub-system, the further proxy client being representative of the further resource; enabling registering the further proxy client as a further local resource with a further registry ( 126 ) of the second sub-system; enabling creating a further proxy server ( 144 ) at the first information processing sub-system for handling a further request from the further proxy client.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second sub-systems each comprise a respective PC.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 , wherein the first and second sub-systems each comprise a respective PC.

Claim 23

A software application for implementing a method of enabling a user to configure a home network with a first information processing sub-system and a second information processing sub-system, wherein: a first resource local to the first sub-system is registered with a first registry of the first sub-system; a second resource local to the second sub-system is registered with a second registry of the second sub-system; and the method comprises: enabling to create a proxy client at the first sub-system for communication with the second sub-system, the proxy client being representative of the second resource; enabling to register the proxy client as a local resource with the first registry; and enabling to create a proxy server at the second information processing sub-system for handling a request from the proxy client.

Claim 24

A software application for implementing a method of enabling a user to configure a home network with a first information processing sub-system and a second information processing sub-system, wherein: a first resource local to the first sub-system is registered with a first registry of the first sub-system; a second resource local to the second sub-system is registered with a second registry of the second sub-system; and the method comprises: enabling to create a proxy client at the first sub-system for communication with the second sub-system, the proxy client being representative of the second resource; enabling to register the proxy client as a local resource with the first registry; and enabling to create a proxy server at the second information processing sub-system for handling a request from the proxy client.