Systems and methods for connecting networked devices

A method of reserving a connection between devices within a digital network of devices wherein the services and functions of the devices and sub-devices of the devices are represented as a plurality of logical units and wherein the logical units comprise one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a single physical device, one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of one or more sub-devices of a single physical device, one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a sub-device of a single physical device, and one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, comprising the steps of

• communicating a request for a reservation from a source logical unit to a sink logical unit, wherein the source logical unit controls a plurality of source sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, and the sink logical unit controls a plurality of sink sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device,
• checking the reservation of the request for a reservation for conflicts wherein the sink logical unit checks the request for a reservation against reservations stored in its reservation database, each reservation stored in the reservation database is assigned a unique reservation ID,
• assigning a first reservation ID to the reservation of the request for a reservation,
• communicating a request for a connection having a second reservation ID from the source logical unit to the sink logical unit,
• comparing the second reservation ID in the connection request with the reservation IDs of reservations stored in the reservation database of the sink logical unit, and
• making a connection if the second reservation ID in the connection request matches one of the reservation IDs of reservations stored in the reservation database of the sink logical unit.

In a method for time shift viewing (TSV) within a digital network of devices wherein the services and functions of the devices and sub-devices of the devices are represented as a plurality of logical units and wherein the logical units comprise one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a single physical device, one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of one or more sub-devices of a single physical device, one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a sub-device of a single physical device, and one or more logical units that represent the services and control the functions of a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, the improvement comprising the steps of

• presenting a list of source and sink logical units from the plurality of logical units to a user,
• identifying a logical unit that supports TSV,
• communicating a first connection request from a control logical unit to a first logical unit selected by the user to be a first source logical unit of a first connection, the request including an identification of a TSV logical unit to be a first sink logical unit in a first leg of a TSV connection, wherein the first source logical unit controls a plurality of source sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, and wherein the TSV logical unit identified to be the first sink logical unit controls a plurality of sink sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device,
• identifying a source sub-device to be used in the first leg of the TSV connection, wherein the first source logical unit determines which of the plurality of source sub-devices it controls is available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection,
• appending the identity of the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection to the connection request,
• communicating the first connection request from the first source logical unit to the TSV logical unit,
• identifying a TSV sink sub-device for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection, wherein the TSV logical unit determines which of the plurality of sink sub-device it controls is available for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection,
• connecting the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection to the TSV sink sub-device determined to be available for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the first leg of the TSV connection,
• assigning a first TSV connection ID to the first leg of the TSV connection,
• communicating a second connection request from the control logical unit to the TSV logical unit to be a second source logical unit of a second connection, the request identifying a second logical unit to be a second sink logical unit in a second leg of the TSV connection and identifying the connection of the first leg of the TSV connection, wherein the TSV logical unit controls a plurality of source sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, and wherein and the second sink logical unit controls a plurality of sink sub-devices comprising more than one sub-device of a single physical device or a plurality of sub-devices of more than one physical device, and wherein,
• identifying a source sub-device to be used in the second leg of the TSV connection, wherein the TSV logical unit determines which of the plurality of source sub-devices it controls is available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection,
• appending the identity of the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection to the second connection request,
• communicating the second connection request from the TSV logical unit to the second sink logical unit,
• identifying a sink sub-device for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection, wherein the second sink logical unit determines which of the plurality of sink sub-devices it controls is available for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection,
• connecting the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection to the sink sub-device determined to be available for connection to the source sub-device determined to be available for connection in the second leg of the TSV connection.