Live non-av content over a dlna network

Abstract

A Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) aliasing apparatus includes a DLNA interface, a non-DLNA interface, and aliasing logic coupled to the DLNA interface and non-DLNA interface. The aliasing apparatus also includes a processor coupled to the aliasing logic wherein the processor is arranged to execute software instructions. The software instructions establish a communications link with a non-DLNA device via the non-DLNA interface, retrieve at least one static datum from the non-DLNA device, convert the at least one static datum to a multimedia format file, and communicate the multimedia format image via the DLNA interface to a DLNA-enabled device.

1 . A Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) aliasing apparatus, comprising:
 a DLNA interface;   a non-DLNA interface;   aliasing logic coupled to the DLNA interface and non-DLNA interface; and   a processor coupled to the aliasing logic and arranged to execute software instructions to:
 establish a communications link with a non-DLNA device via the non-DLNA interface; 
 retrieve at least one static datum from the non-DLNA device; 
 convert the at least one static datum to a multimedia format file; and 
 enable sharing of the multimedia format file via a DLNA protocol. 
   
     
     
         2 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the DLNA apparatus is embedded in a weather station device. 
     
     
         3 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the multimedia format file conforms to at least one Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) image file format. 
     
     
         4 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the multimedia format file conforms to at least one Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) video encoding protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the processor coupled to the aliasing logic is further arranged to execute software instructions to:
 communicate the multimedia format file via the DLNA interface to a DLNA-enabled device via a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network. 
 
     
     
         6 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the DLNA-enabled device is configured as a Digital Media Player (DMP) or Mobile Digital Media Player (M-DMP) device. 
     
     
         7 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the processor coupled to the aliasing logic is further arranged to execute software instructions to:
 expose a file system structure to DLNA-enabled devices coupled to the UPnP network. 
 
     
     
         8 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the processor coupled to the aliasing logic is further arranged to execute software instructions to:
 automatically transmit a DLNA acknowledgement message in response to a received DLNA message. 
 
     
     
         9 . The DLNA aliasing apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the processor coupled to the aliasing logic is further arranged to execute software instructions to:
 expose the DLNA aliasing apparatus as a Digital Media Server (DMS) apparatus at a first time; and 
 expose the DLNA aliasing apparatus as at least one of a Digital Media Player (DMP), a Digital Media Renderer (DMR), and a Digital Media Controller (DMC) at a second time. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method to communicate, comprising:
 receiving, with a DLNA aliasing apparatus, data from a non-DLNA device;   formatting the received data into a DLNA file, the DLNA file conforming to a DLNA media class;   exposing the DLNA file on a network; and   communicating the DLNA file to a DLNA-enabled device.   
     
     
         11 . The method to communicate of  claim 10 , comprising:
 receiving, with the DLNA aliasing apparatus, input data from the DLNA-enabled device;   parsing the input data; and   communicating at least some of the parsed data to the non-DLNA device.   
     
     
         12 . The method to communicate of  claim 10  wherein the act of exposing the DLNA file on the network includes managing a file system in a memory of the DLNA aliasing apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method to communicate of  claim 10  wherein the act of formatting the received data into the DLNA file includes generating at least one file that conforms to a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) image file format. 
     
     
         14 . The method to communicate of  claim 10  wherein the data from the non-DLNA device is received via the network. 
     
     
         15 . The method to communicate of  claim 10  wherein the data from the non-DLNA device is received via a non-networked communication medium. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) compatible network;   a DLNA aliasing apparatus coupled to the DLNA compatible network; and   a non-DLNA compatible device.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the non-DLNA compatible device is a weather station. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the non-DLNA compatible device is an electronic device selected from the group of a refrigerator, a laundry machine, and a device configured to cook food. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the non-DLNA compatible device is an electronic device associated with an automobile. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the DLNA aliasing apparatus is integrated within the non-DLNA compatible device.