# US 2013/0159508 A1 · Methods and apparatus for hardware registration in a network device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159508 A1 - Document ID: US20130159508A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/663,219 - Filed: 2012-10-29 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2003-11-24 - Assignees: Time Warner Cable Inc. - Inventors: Patrick Ladd; George W. Sarosi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159508A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/2805: {Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks} - H04L 12/2814: {Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network (arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08)} - H04L 12/282: {based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204)} - H04L 43/04: Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04N 21/42684: {Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID (network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00)} - H04N 21/818: {OS software} - G06F 9/541: {via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for control of a client device (e.g., consumer premises equipment in a cable network) using applications. In one aspect, an improved hardware registry is provided within the device with which the application(s) can interface to both identify and control available hardware resources. In one exemplary embodiment, the client device comprises a digital set-top box having digital video recording (DVR) capability. An application downloaded to the device discovers the registry and software interfaces associated therewith, and then utilizes the interfaces to automatically control the requisite hardware capability. Improved client device, network and head end configurations, as well as methods of operating these systems, are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-45. (canceled) ### Claim 46 Fault-tolerant CPE configured to couple to a content delivery network, said CPE comprising: one or more optional hardware features; a storage apparatus; and a processor, said processor configured to run at least one monitor application thereon, said monitor application comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed: (i) detect at least one event relating to operation of one or more software applications also running on said processor; (ii) selectively log data relating to said detected event; and (iii) provide a hardware registry accessible by said one or more applications; wherein at least one of said one or more software applications is configured to selectively access and control at least one of said one or more optional hardware features of said CPE based at least in part on said data relating to said at least one detected event. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The CPE of claim 46, wherein said monitor application is further configured to communicate with an external entity, said external entity and said monitor application cooperating to selectively access and control said at least one of said one or more optional hardware features of said CPE. ### Claim 48 (depends on 46) The CPE of claim 46, wherein said at least one event comprises a resource depletion event, and said selective access and control of said at least one of said one or more optional hardware features of said CPE comprises selective suspension or destruction of at least one of said one or more software applications in order to mitigate said resource depletion. ### Claim 49 (depends on 46) The CPE of claim 46, wherein said content delivery network comprises a multi-channel distribution network of the hybrid fiber type, and said one or more optional hardware features comprises a digital video recorder (DVR) functionality. ### Claim 50 A server entity of a head-end portion of a content delivery network, said server entity comprising: a storage apparatus; and a processor, said processor configured to run a software process thereon, said software process comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed: cause an application to be selectively downloaded to at least one client device, said application being configured to detect and access records within a hardware registry disposed on said at least one client device; and utilize said application to control at least one hardware feature associated with said at least one client device via one or more software interfaces associated with middleware of said at least one client device. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said application comprises a digital video recorder (DVR)-enabled Java-based application, and said at least one hardware feature comprises personal video recorder (PVR) functionality resident on said at least one client device. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said control of said at least one hardware feature is initiated by said middleware of said at least one client device. ### Claim 53 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said download of said application comprises a download thereof after installation of said at least one client device within a consumer premises. ### Claim 54 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said utilization of said application to control at least one hardware feature comprises implementation of one or more user-specified rules provided to said application relating to a playback of content from said at least one hardware feature. ### Claim 55 Non-transitory computer-readable media for use in a content delivery network, said media comprising a storage medium configured to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to run on a client device and which are configured to, when executed: detect and access records within a hardware registry disposed on said client device; and control at least one hardware feature associated with said device via one or more software interfaces associated with a middleware of said client device. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The computer-readable medium of claim 55, wherein said storage medium comprises a hard disk drive (HDD). ### Claim 57 (depends on 55) The computer-readable medium of claim 55, wherein said plurality of instructions are downloaded to said client device over said content delivery network after installation of said client device at a consumer premises. ### Claim 58 (depends on 55) The computer-readable medium of claim 55, wherein said one or more software interfaces are associated with OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP)-compliant middleware running on said client device, and said computer program comprises a Java-based application configured to make calls to objects within said OCAP-compliant middleware. ### Claim 59 A content delivery network, comprising: a plurality of client devices each having at least one optional and controllable hardware feature associated therewith; a plurality of registries in operative communication with respective ones of said plurality of client devices, said registries each comprising information relating individual ones of said client devices to respective ones of said optional and controllable hardware features; middleware running on respective ones of said client devices, said middleware configured to interface with a head-end application and with said at least one controllable hardware feature associated with said respective ones of said client devices; and a head-end server configured to run a software process thereon, said software process configured to download said head-end application to said client devices, and said head-end application configured to detect and access said information within said registries, and control said respective ones of said optional and controllable hardware features associated with each of said respective ones of said client devices via said middleware running thereon. ### Claim 60 A method of operating a content delivery network comprising a plurality of client devices operatively coupled thereto, said plurality of client devices each having at least one hardware registry associated therewith, each of said hardware registries comprising data relating to a plurality of hardware features and software interfaces for utilizing said plurality of hardware features, said method comprising: distributing at least one software application to said plurality of client devices; running said at least one application on said client devices; using said at least one software application to discover said at least one registry and said software interfaces; and responsive to said discovery, controlling at least one of said hardware features using said at least one software application. ### Claim 61 (depends on 60) The method of claim 60, wherein said act of distributing comprises: distributing said at least one software application to substantially all of said plurality of client devices in said network; and selectively enabling only a subset of said plurality of client devices to utilize said at least one software application in conjunction with said at least one hardware feature based on one or more parameters. ### Claim 62 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61, wherein said act of selectively enabling comprises selectively embedding information within said application before distribution thereof. ### Claim 63 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61, wherein said act of selectively enabling comprises configuring said application such that it is configured to: access information relating to the individual one(s) of said devices on which it is running; and return said information to a network agent, wherein said agent accesses a database to determine whether said utilization of said at least one software application in conjunction with said at least one hardware feature should be enabled. ### Claim 64 A method of operating a content delivery network having a multiple systems operator (MSO) and a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) coupled thereto, said method comprising: configuring said CPE with one or more non-standardized hardware options; disposing entries relating to said one or more options within a hardware registry associated with said CPE, said entries having at least one standardized interface associated therewith; and operating an MSO application on said CPE, said MSO application accessing said one or more non-standardized options via said standardized interface.