Method for enabling interaction between two home networks of different software architectures

An information processing system comprising:

• a first home network of a first software architecture;
• and
• a second home network of a second software architecture that is different from the first software architecture;
• wherein:
• the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the first software architecture;
• the system has a reference generator for creating a reference of the first software representation through interaction with the look-up service, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;
• the system has a software element generator for creating an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture;
• and
• a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.

A software component for use on a home environment system, comprising:

• a first network of a first software architecture, and a second home network of a second software architecture different from the first software architecture;
• the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the first software architecture;
• a reference generator for creating a reference to the first software representation through interaction with the look-up service, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;
• a container for storing the reference;
• a software element generator configured to retrieve the reference from the container and create an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture;
• and
• a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.

A software component for use on a home environment system, comprising:

• a first network of a first software architecture, and a second network of a second software architecture different from the first software architecture;
• the first network has a look-up service for detecting a first software representation of a first device or of a first service that is registered in the first network, the first software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API that enables software applications within the first network to control interaction with a first respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service;
• the first network has a reference to the first software representation, the reference comprising information defining the functionalities performed by the device or service that are relevant to the second network;
• the component has a software element generator for creating an at least partly functionally equivalent second software representation based on the reference, the second software representation being comprised of a device or service-specific API for controlling interaction with a second respective set of one or more functionalities of the first device or first service in accordance with the second software architecture;
• and
• a second look-up service associated with the second network and configured to register the second software representation such that software applications within the second network are enabled to interact with the device or service in accordance with the second software architecture using the second software representation.