A possible extension for iDTV platform to support interactions with home appliances

Extensions to interactive digital TV (iDTV) platforms enabling interaction of iDTV applications with devices in the home network may create additional value for consumers. Recently, CableLabs has issued a specification for an OCAP Home Networking Extension that describes Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to enable sharing of content between OCAP compliant devices in a home network. The next logical step is to expand the capabilities of this home networking extension to enable iDTV applications to interact with other types of devices connected to the home network. In this paper we propose a framework, called the DTV Home Networking Framework (DTV-HNF), that provides mechanisms for interaction with devices in the home network in a manner that is independent of device functionality and underlying network technology. The approach is illustrated by implementation of prototypes demonstrating interaction of iDTV applications with devices connected using OSGi and UPnP home networking frameworks.