Methods, systems and computer program products for the automated discovery of a services menu

A method for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message;
• receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system;
• providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device;
• receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device;
• and
• revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.

A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising:

• means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message;
• means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system;
• and
• means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.

A system for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising:

• means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message;
• means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system;
• means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device;
• means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device;
• and
• means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.

A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message;
• computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system.

A computer program product for discovering the service directory of a data processing system connected to a network, comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for broadcasting to a plurality of devices connected to the network, a Request Services Menu message;
• computer-readable program code means for receiving, in response to the broadcast Request Services Menu message, a services menu associated with the data processing system;
• computer-readable program code means for providing the received services menu to a user of the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is a pervasive computing device;
• computer-readable program code means for receiving a Services Menu Update message containing information associated with a modification to the services menu of the pervasive computing device;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for revising the services menu displayed to the user to incorporate the modifications to the services menu contained in the Services Menu Update message.