System and method for embedding multimedia controls and indications in a webpage

A system for embedding multimedia controls and indications in a webpage wherein the webpage has controls associated with multimedia content objects that are accessible via the internet, the system comprising:

• a first control associated with a first multimedia content object;
• a first device in a local network wherein the first device retrieves the webpage and the controls from a web server located outside of the local network and displays the webpage and the controls to a user wherein the user invokes the first control using the first device;
• a second device in the local network wherein the first device sends a message to the second device in response to the user invoking the first control;
• and
• a rendering device in the local network wherein the second device communicates with the rendering device in response to the message and the rendering device renders the first multimedia content object in response to the communication.

A method for embedding multimedia controls and indications in a webpage wherein the webpage has controls associated with multimedia content objects that are accessible via the internet, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first device in a local network connected to the internet;
• sending a registration message from the first device to a registration server via the internet;
• processing the registration message with the registration server to determine a first network ID that identifies the local network in which the first device resides and a local address of the first device within the local network;
• storing the first network ID and the local address of the first device in a registration record associated with the first device on the registration server;
• sending a request message from a second device in the local network to a web server via the internet;
• processing the request message with the web server to determine a second network ID that identifies the local network in which the second device resides;
• querying the registration server with the web server using the second network ID wherein the registration server determines that the second network ID matches the first network ID and the registration server returns the local address of the first device to the web server in response to the query;
• and
• returning a webpage to the second device from the web server in response to the request message wherein the webpage has controls and wherein invocation of the controls by a user of the second device causes the second device to communicate with the first device using the local address of the first device.

A method for embedding multimedia controls and indications in a webpage wherein the webpage has controls associated with multimedia content objects that are accessible via the internet, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a request message from a first device to a proxy server wherein the request message requests a webpage;
• retrieving the webpage from a remote web server via the internet using the proxy server;
• inserting controls into the webpage using the proxy server wherein the controls are associated with internet multimedia content objects accessible using the webpage and wherein a first control is associated with a first internet multimedia content object;
• providing the webpage and the controls from the proxy server to the first device in response to the request message;
• displaying the webpage and the controls to a user of the first device using a web browser on the first device wherein the user invokes the first control using the web browser on the first device;
• and
• transmitting a message from the web browser to a second device in response to the user invoking the first control wherein the message identifies the first multimedia content object.

A system for embedding multimedia controls and indications in a webpage wherein the webpage has controls associated with multimedia content objects that are accessible via the internet, the system comprising:

• a webpage that provides access to internet multimedia content objects;
• an active element executed by a web browser wherein the active element analyzes the webpage and displays controls in the webpage wherein the controls are associated with the internet multimedia content objects;
• a webpage source separate from the active element wherein the webpage source includes links to the internet multimedia content objects;
• and
• markup text in the webpage source wherein the markup text indicates for each of the internet multimedia content objects whether the internet multimedia content object is allowed to be redirected to a rendering device wherein the active element displays a redirection control for a first internet multimedia content object if the markup text indicates that the first internet multimedia content object is allowed to be redirected to a rendering device.