Multimedia service apparatus and method for multimedia service providers outside home to UPnP devices inside home using home gateway and service gateway platform

A multimedia service apparatus, comprising:

• an external network interface for connection to a remote multimedia service provider via an external network;
• a home network interface for connection to a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) AV (audio/video) device via a home network;
• a service gateway platform;
• an external multimedia service bundle communicable with the remote multimedia service provider via the external network interface;
• a UPnP AV control point bundle managed in the service gateway platform for collecting and transmitting information on the UPnP AV device to the external multimedia service bundle through a service call of a service bundle or other ways;
• and
• a virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle initiated in the service gateway platform by the remote multimedia service provider based on the collected information forwarded from the external multimedia service bundle to the remote multimedia service provider;
• wherein
• the UPnP AV control point bundle is configured for detecting a change in number and/or kind of the UPnP AV device through the UPnP protocol and notifying the external multimedia service bundle of the detected change;
• and
• the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle being updatable by the remote multimedia service provider based on the detected change forwarded from the external multimedia service bundle to the remote multimedia service provider.

A multimedia service method, comprising:

• connecting a home gateway to a remote multimedia service provider via an external network and to a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) AV (audio/video) device via a home network;
• constructing, by the remote multimedia service provider, a virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle on the basis of information on the UPnP AV device detected by an external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway;
• downloading the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle to a service gateway platform of the home gateway and managing the downloaded virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle in the service gateway platform to provide a multimedia service to the UPnP AV device on the home network;
• detecting, by the external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway, a change in number and/or kind of the UPnP AV device through the UPnP protocol and notifying the remote multimedia service provider of the detected change;
• and
• updating the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle, by the remote multimedia service provider, based on the detected change.

A multimedia service method, comprising:

• connecting a home gateway to a remote multimedia service provider via an external network and to a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) AV (audio/video) device via a home network;
• constructing, by the remote multimedia service provider, an attribute of a virtual UPnP AV MediaServer on the basis of information on the UPnP AV device detected by an external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway;
• transmitting the attribute to the external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway;
• generating, by the external multimedia service bundle, a virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle in a service gateway platform of the home gateway;
• managing the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle by the service gateway platform to provide a multimedia service from the remote multimedia service provider to the UPnP AV device on the home network;
• detecting, by the external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway, a change in number and/or kind of the UPnP AV device through the UPnP protocol and notifying the remote multimedia service provider of the detected change;
• and
• updating the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle, by the remote multimedia service provider, based on the detected change.

A multimedia service method, comprising:

• connecting a home gateway to a remote multimedia service provider via an external network and to a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) AV (audio/video) device via a home network;
• transmitting multimedia content of the most suitable format from the remote multimedia service provider to a designated port of an external network interface of the home gateway, on the basis of information on the UPnP AV device as detected by an external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway and in response to a request of a virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle of the home gateway;
• transmitting the multimedia content from said virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle to an allocated port of a home network interface of the home gateway, to the UPnP AV device
• detecting, by the external multimedia service bundle of the home gateway, a change in number and/or kind of the UPnP AV device through the UPnP protocol and notifying the remote multimedia service provider of the detected change;
• and
• updating the virtual UPnP AV MediaServer service bundle, by the remote multimedia service provider, based on the detected change.