Caching directory server data for controlling the disposition of multimedia data on a network

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface capable of communicating with a directory server via an ad hoc peer-to-peer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interface;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including,
• a cache capable of storing data;
• a control point module having instructions that cause the processor to,
• download a plurality of data entries from the directory server to the cache via the network, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects accessible via the network;
• access, via the network, a synchronization object of the directory server associated with the data entries of the directory server, the synchronization object capable of describing changes to the data entries;
• detect a change in the synchronization object of the directory server, the change occurring in response to a change in at least one of the data entries of the directory server;
• and
• update the cache with the change in the at least one data entry based on the changing of the synchronization object of the directory server.

A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a data processing arrangement capable of being coupled to an ad hoc peer-to-peer network for performing steps comprising:

• downloading a plurality of data entries from a directory server to a cache of the data processing arrangement via the network, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects accessible via the network;
• accessing, via the network, a synchronization object of the directory server associated with at least one of the data entries of the directory server;
• detecting a change in the synchronization object of the directory server, the change occurring in response to a change in at least one of the data entries of the directory server associated with the synchronization object;
• and
• updating the cache with the change in the at least one data entry based on the changing of the synchronization object of the directory server.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface capable of communicating via an ad hoc peer-to-peer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interface;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a directory service module having instructions that cause the processor to,
• store a plurality of data entries, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects that are accessible by a network entity via the network;
• communicate the data entries to the network entity;
• associate a synchronization object with the data entries, the synchronization object capable of describing changes to the data entries;
• change the synchronization object in response to a change in at least one of the data entries associated with the synchronization object;
• and
• communicate the change in the synchronization object to the network entity so that the network entity is able to update a cache of the data entries based on the change in the synchronization object.

A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a data processing arrangement capable of being coupled to an ad hoc, peer-to-peer network for performing steps comprising:

• storing a plurality of data entries, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects that are accessible by a network entity via the network;
• communicating the data entries to the network entity;
• storing a synchronization object capable of describing changes to the data entries;
• changing the synchronization object in response to a change in at least one of the data entries;
• and
• communicating the change in the synchronization object to the network entity so that the network entity is able to update a cache of the data entries based on the change in the synchronization object.

A system comprising:

• an ad hoc, peer-to-peer network;
• a directory server coupled to the network and configured to,
• store a plurality of data entries on a data store, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects accessible via the network;
• associate a synchronization object of the directory server with the data entries;
• and
• change the synchronization object of the directory server in response to a change the data entries;
• and
• a control point coupled to the network and configured to,
• download the plurality of data entries from the directory server to a cache of the control point;
• detect the change in the synchronization object of the directory server;
• and
• update the cache with the change in the at least one data entry based on the changing of the synchronization object of the directory server.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of data entries downloaded from a directory server, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects accessible via a network;
• means for accessing a synchronization object of the directory server associated with the data entries of the directory server, the synchronization object capable of describing changes to the data entries of the directory server;
• means for detecting a change in the synchronization object of the directory server, the change occurring in response to a change in at least one of the data entries of the directory server;
• and
• means for updating the data entries stored on the apparatus with the change in the at least one data entry based on the changing of the synchronization object of the directory server.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of data entries, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects that are accessible by a network entity;
• means for communicating the data entries to the network entity;
• means for storing a synchronization object capable of describing changes to the data entries;
• means for changing the synchronization object in response to a change in at least one of the data entries associated with the synchronization object;
• and
• means for communicating the change in the synchronization object to the network entity so that the network entity is able to update a cache of the data entries stored on the network entity.

A method of controlling the disposition of multimedia data between devices on a network, comprising:

• storing a plurality of data entries on a directory server, each data entry describing one or more multimedia data objects accessible via the network;
• associating a unique ID of the directory server with at least one of the data entries;
• downloading the data entries from the directory server to a cache of a mobile terminal via the network;
• changing the unique ID of the directory server in response to a change in at least one of the data entries associated with the unique ID;
• retrieving from the directory server one or more data objects that describe the change in the at least one data entry;
• updating the cache of the mobile terminal with the change in the at least one data entry based on the one or more data objects.