Digital multimedia network with hierarchical parameter control protocol

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital multimedia network of apparatuses each comprising a control device, wherein a device parameter of an apparatus is controlled by sending a command message (CMD) to said control device of said apparatus containing a tree-structured hierarchical parameter address (HPA) which consists of parameter grouping identifiers each corresponding to a hierarchy level of a predetermined tree-structured parameter hierarchy used for addressing device parameters throughout said digital multimedia network.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A digital multimedia network comprising at least one apparatus,
 wherein a device parameter of each apparatus is controlled by sending a command message to a control device of said apparatus containing a tree-structured hierarchical parameter address which consists of parameter grouping identifiers each corresponding to a hierarchy level of a predetermined tree-structured parameter hierarchy used for addressing device parameters throughout said digital multimedia network.   
     
     
         19 . The network according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein said command message is sent to said control device addressed by an IP-address indicated in said command message.   
     
     
         20 . The network according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein said control device is integrated in said digital multimedia apparatus or connected to said digital multimedia apparatus via an interface.   
     
     
         21 . The network according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the tree-structured parameter hierarchy comprises several parameter hierarchy levels of parameter groupings of said digital multimedia apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . The network according to  claim 19 ,
 comprising cascaded backbones each consisting of a ring of routers,   wherein to the routers of peripheral backbones digital multimedia apparatuses are connected.   
     
     
         23 . The network according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein a wildcard parameter group identifier is provided for selecting all device parameters of the next lower level of said tree-structured parameter hierarchy.   
     
     
         24 . A controllable digital multimedia apparatus comprising a control device which controls at least one adjustable device parameter of said apparatus,
 wherein if the control device receives a command message which contains a structured parameter address consisting of parameter grouping identifiers each corresponding to a hierarchy level of a predetermined tree-structured parameter address for addressing said control device and a parameter value said device parameter of said apparatus is adjusted by said control device to the parameter value contained in said command message.   
     
     
         25 . The controllable apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein said control device comprises a processor for processing an XFN stack.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein said control device is integrated in said digital multimedia apparatus or connected to said digital multimedia apparatus via an interface.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 comprising a memory for storing an integer parameter index value for each device parameter of said digital multimedia apparatus.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 comprising a flag register for storing flags associated with each device parameter of said digital multimedia apparatus which can be modified by a command message comprising a flags command qualifier.   
     
     
         29 . A method for controlling at least one device parameter of a digital multimedia apparatus by sending a command message to a control device of said apparatus containing a structured parameter address which consists of parameter grouping identifiers each corresponding to a level of a predetermined tree-structured parameter hierarchy for addressing the device parameter and containing a parameter value to adjust the addressed device parameter of said digital multimedia apparatus. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 ,
 wherein said command message comprises   an IP header including a source IP address of a sender control device of a source apparatus and a
 destination IP address of a receiving control device of a target apparatus, 
 an UDP header including a source port and a destination port, 
 a parameter control protocol header and a hierarchical parameter 
 address or a parameter index value, and 
 a parameter value field. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 ,
 wherein said parameter control protocol header comprises   a target device ID,   a sender device ID,   a sender parameter ID,   a user level,   a secure PIN,   a message type,   a sequence ID,   a command executive, and   a command qualifier.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 ,
 wherein said hierarchical parameter address comprises   a section block ID,   a section type ID,   a channel number ID,   a parameter block ID,   a parameter block index ID,   a parameter type ID and   a parameter index ID.   
     
     
         33 . A computer program comprising instructions for performing the method according to  claim 29 . 
     
     
         34 . A data carrier which stores a computer program according to  claim 33 .