DEVICE COMMUNICATION AND CONTROL IN A HOME NETWORK CONNECTEDTO AN EXTERNAL NETWORK WITH REGIONAL SUPPORT

摘要

A method and system for providing user interfaces in a first network includi ng first devices interconnected via a communication medium and at least one interface device connecting said first network to at least a second network having interconnected second devices providing services, the user interfaces for controlling the devices that are currently connected to the first networ k and devices that are currently connected to the second network. In each of o ne or more first devices in the first network a process includes: (a) obtaining information from one or more of said first devices currently connected to th e first network, said information including device information; and (b) generating a user interface description including: (1) at least one referenc e associated with the device information of each of said one or more first devices, (2) at least a redirection identification code (RIC) corresponding to that first device, and (3) at least one reference associated with the servic es provided by the second network. The second network includes at least a first portal and at least a destination service provider for providing services, a nd the method further comprises the steps of: at least a first device requestin g service from the second network by sending a request including an RIC to the first portal using a reference in the user interface description, the first portal determining a destination service provider based on the received RIC, and the first portal redirecting the request to the destination service provider. The destination service provider in the second network can be internal or external to the first portal.