System and method for controlling an apparatus having a dedicated user interface from a browser

1. A system for controlling an apparatus having a dedicated user interface, parts of the dedicated user interface communicating with each other using a dedicated user interface message protocol, the system comprising

a browser adapted to display a generic user interface, to issue requests due to user interaction with the generic user interface and to accept notifications comprising data or events, and

a translation system configured

to receive issued requests, to translate the requests and to communicate them using the dedicated user interface message protocol to one of the parts of the dedicated user interface, and

to receive communications from the parts of the dedicated user interface using the dedicated user interface message protocol, to translate the communications into notifications and to pass them to the browser.

2. A system according to claim 1 , in which the browser includes a communications handler configured to accept notifications comprising data or events and to issue the requests due to user interaction with the generic user interface,

wherein the communications handler determines the request type and if the request relates to World Wide Web browsing the communications handler transmits the request to a World Wide Web server, otherwise the communications handler passes the request to the translation system.

3. A system according to claim 2 , in which the browser is a World Wide Web micro-browser.

4. A system according to claim 3 , in which the browser is an HDML micro browser.

5. A system according to claim 4 , in which requests issued due to user interaction with the generic user interface comprise HDML Get messages.

6. A system according to claim 5 , in which requests relating to the generic user interface comprise applicative messages embedded within the HDML Get messages.

7. A system according to claim 6 , in which the translation system is configured to retrieve the applicative message from the HDML Get messages, attach it to an electronic delivery envelope determined in dependence on the type of the applicative message in accordance with the dedicated user interface message protocol and to communicate it to one of the parts of the dedicated user interface.

8. A system according to claim 4 , in which notifications comprise HDML x-up-notify messages.

9. A system according to claim 8 , in which notifications relating to the generic user interface comprise applicative messages embedded within the HDML x-up-notify messages.

10. A system according to claim 9 , in which a received communication from the parts of the dedicated user interface comprise one or more applicative messages attached to an electronic delivery envelope in accordance with the dedicated user interface message protocol,

wherein the translation system is configured to retrieve the applicative message(s), embed them within an x-up-notify message and pass the message to the communications handler.

11. A system according to claim 10 , in which the communications handler includes a page generator,

wherein the communications handler passes received x-up-notify messages to the page generator which, in dependence on the embedded applicative message(s) generates an HDML page and passes the HDML page within an x-up-notify message to the browser for action.

12. A computer readable storage medium including a program of instructions encoding the system of claim 1 .

13. A method of controlling an apparatus having a dedicated user interface from a browser, parts of the dedicated user interface communicating with each other using a dedicated user interface message protocol, the method comprising the steps of

displaying a generic user interface on the browser;

issuing requests from the browser due to user interaction and accepting notifications comprising data or events;

translating and communicating requests using the dedicated user interface message protocol to one of the parts of the dedicated user interface; and,

receiving communications from the parts of the dedicated user interface using the dedicated user interface message protocol, translating the communications into notifications and passing them to the browser.

14. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of routing notifications and requests via a communications handler,

wherein the communications handler determines the request type and if the request relates to World Wide Web browsing the communications handler transmits the request to a World Wide Web server, otherwise the communications handler passes the request to a translation system.

15. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of generating HDML pages in dependence on received x-up-notify messages and passing the HDML pages within x-up-notify messages to the browser for action.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of issuing requests from the browser further comprises

determining a type for a request, and

transmitting the request to a World Wide Web server if the request is determined to relate to World Wide Web browsing.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein

the browser comprises an HDML browser,

requests issued from the browser comprise applicative messages embedded within HDML Get messages, and

the step of translating requests further comprises the steps of

retrieving the applicative message from the HDML Get message and

attaching it to an electronic delivery envelope determined in dependence on the type of the applicative message in accordance with the dedicated user interface message protocol.

18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein

the browser comprises an HDML browser,

the notifications comprise HDML x-up-notify messages,

the communications from the parts of the dedicated user interface comprises an applicative message attached to an electronic delivery envelope in accordance with the dedicated user interface message protocol, and

the step of translating communications into notifications further comprises

retrieving the applicative message, and

embedding the applicative message within an x-up-notify message.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein the step of translating communications into notifications further comprises

generating an HDML page in dependence on the retrieved applicative message, and

passing the HDML page to the browser within an x-up-notify message.

20. A computer readable storage medium including a program of instructions encoding the method of claim 13 .