A Standard Method-Based User-Oriented Integrated Architecture for Supporting Interoperability among Heterogeneous Home Network Middlewares

Although there exist many middlewares such as Havi, Jini, LonWorks, UPnP, and SLP, new middlewares specialized for diverse information appliances are expected to appear continuously as home networks evolve. In this paper, we first investigate an integrated architecture for supporting interoperability among heterogeneous middlewares on home networks. We then propose and implement a user-oriented integrated architecture based on standard methods for efficient home network. HOMI(HOmenetwork Middleware for Interoperability) architecture proposed in this paper provides an interface for identifying and utilizing services among heterogeneous devices using standard methods in order to support interoperability among heterogeneous middlewares. Non-standard methods provide interfaces that allows users to build and/or modify interoperable service scenarios using a script language called HOMIL(HOMI Language). Different from existing integrated middleware architectures, HOMI allows users to build and organize their scenarios through the interfaces. By allowing heterogeneous devices to control each other or to transfer data to others using standard methods, HOMI improves efficiency and convenience of interoperation between heterogeneous appliances for home network. Applying modified scenarios immediately to a home network environment, HOMI provides users with seamless services without installing new applications, updating the server, or rebooting in order to install new scenarios. Lastly, the overhead occurred in a centralized and integrated middleware architecture can be reduced by distributing agents into multiple devices. Keyword: Home Network, Home Server, Home Gateway, Scenario