US6477576B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods, systems and computer program products for the automated discovery of a services menu
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1999-06-17
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Granted: 2002-11-05
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Expires: 2019-06-17
Abstract
Abstract Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for the automated discovery of a services menu of a processing system such as a pervasive computing device by broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to a network, a Request Services Menu message. The Request Services Menu message provides information about the pervasive computing device broadcasting the message. In response to the broadcast message, a services menu associated with the pervasive computing device is received and provided to a user of the pervasive computing device. The services menu may also be updated by sending a Services Menu Update to the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Alastair J. Angwin
- 👤 David George Bevis
- 👤 Stefan Georg Hild
- 👤 Sandeep Kishan Singhal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/18578; H04B7/18597; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1895; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/55; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of: broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of: broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the Request Services Menu message provides information about the data processing system broadcasting the message.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein the services menu received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message is a pointer to a services menu file, the method further comprising the step of requesting the services menu file utilizing the pointer received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
130 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, the method further comprising the steps of: selecting a pointer to a services menu file based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message; and transmitting, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, the selected pointer to a services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein the pointer is a universal resource locator (URL).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: generating a services menu for transmission to the pervasive computing device in response to receiving a broadcast Request Services Menu message from the pervasive computing device; and transmitting the services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of generating a services menu comprises the step of accessing a services menu database.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
100 words
A method according to claim 8 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, and wherein the services menu database is accessed based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises pointers to additional services menus accessible to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the services associated with the services menu received by the pervasive computing device is a telephony service.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises credentials for presentation by the pervasive computing device to access services identified in the services menu.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein the received services menu is encrypted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of decrypting the received services menu.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of: broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of: broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein the Services Menu Update message contains at least one of information regarding a delete operation, information regarding an add operation and information regarding a replace operation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: determining if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred; and transmitting a Services Menu Update message to the pervasive computing device if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
71 words
A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
71 words
A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 18 , wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 18 , wherein the Request Services Menu message provides information about the data processing system broadcasting the message.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system according to claim 19 , wherein the services menu received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message is a pointer to a services menu file, further comprising means for requesting the services menu file utilizing the pointer received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
129 words
A system according to claim 20 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, further comprising: means for selecting a pointer to a services menu file based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message; and means for transmitting, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, the selected pointer to a services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 21 , wherein the pointer is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 19 , further comprising: means for generating a services menu for transmission to the pervasive computing device in response to receiving a broadcast Request Services Menu message from the pervasive computing device; and means for transmitting the services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 24 , wherein the means for generating a services menu comprises the means for accessing a services menu database.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
100 words
A system according to claim 25 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, and wherein the services menu database is accessed based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 19 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises pointers to additional services menus accessible to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 19 , wherein at least one of the services associated with the services menu received by the pervasive computing device is a telephony service.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 19 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises credentials for presentation by the pervasive computing device to access services identified in the services menu.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 19 , wherein the received services menu is encrypted.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 30 further comprising means for decrypting the received services menu.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 32 , wherein the Services Menu Update message contains at least one of information regarding a delete operation, information regarding an add operation and information regarding a replace operation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 32 , further comprising: means for determining if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred; and means for transmitting a Services Menu Update message to the pervasive computing device if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; and computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
19 words
A computer program product according to claim 35 , wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer program product according to claim 35 , wherein the Request Services Menu message provides information about the data processing system broadcasting the message.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
56 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , wherein the services menu received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message is a pointer to a services menu file, further comprising computer-readable program code means for requesting the services menu file utilizing the pointer received in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer program product according to claim 38 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, further comprising: computer-readable program code means for selecting a pointer to a services menu file based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, the selected pointer to a services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
A computer program product according to claim 38 , wherein the pointer is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
57 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , further comprising: computer-readable program code means for generating a services menu for transmission to the pervasive computing device in response to receiving a broadcast Request Services Menu message from the pervasive computing device; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting the services menu to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
A computer program product according to claim 41 , wherein the computer-readable program code means for generating a services menu comprises the computer-readable program code means for accessing a services menu database.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer program product according to claim 42 , wherein the Request Services Menu message includes at least one of, information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network, and wherein the services menu database is accessed based on the at least one of information regarding a user of the pervasive computing device, information regarding the type of pervasive computing device and information regarding the connection between the pervasive computing device and the network included in the Request Services Menu message.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises pointers to additional services menus accessible to the pervasive computing device.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , wherein at least one of the services associated with the services menu received by the pervasive computing device is a telephony service.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
36 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , wherein the services menu received by the pervasive computing device comprises credentials for presentation by the pervasive computing device to access services identified in the services menu.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer program product according to claim 36 , wherein the received services menu is encrypted.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer program product according to claim 47 further comprising computer-readable program code means for decrypting the received services menu.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
166 words
A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; computer-readable program code means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and computer-readable program code means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
166 words
A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message; computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system; computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device; computer-readable program code means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device; and computer-readable program code means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
36 words
A computer program product according to claim 49 , wherein the Services Menu Update message contains at least one of information regarding a delete operation, information regarding an add operation and information regarding a replace operation.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
62 words
A computer program product according to claim 49 , further comprising: computer-readable program code means for determining if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting a Services Menu Update message to the pervasive computing device if a change to the services menu of the pervasive computing device has occurred.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-11-04 | 2006-05-06 | 2006-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-11-04 | 2010-05-06 | 2010-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-11-04 | 2014-05-06 | 2014-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |