ABSTRACT
Several protocols, middleware, and interoperable specifications have been proposed for home networking systems to allow devices on a network to utilize service functionalities provided by other devices or appliances. These include Jini [1], Universal Plug and Play (UpnP) [2], the Open Server Gateway Initiative (OSGi) [3], and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) [4]. For these purposes, the protocols and middleware provide the following functionalities: allowing a device to join a home network and make its services available to other devices on the network, search for an expected service on the network, and exchange device information for utilizing a discovered service. Utilization of the discovered service includes control of the device and accessing its services, together with provision for the controlled device to communicate notification of an event to a control point.
