Interaction among items connected to a network
View Patent ↗Particular embodiments provide interaction between items in a network. For example, lists of content may be shared between items connected through a network. A user may use a first item to select a second item in which content should be outputted. Instead of sending the content to the second item, the first item may generate and send a list of content to the second item instead of the content. A messaging infrastructure is used to allow the items to communicate the list of content between each other. The second item can then process the list and then determine how to access the item. This allows two different items to share content without the transfer of content between them. In another example, an item may be used to interact with a user interface of a second item. For example, an input device on a first item is used to provide input to a second item.
1. A method for processing messages at a second item using a messaging infrastructure, the method comprising:
receiving, at the second item, from a router, a message including an object field specifying an object that is associated with the second item to control and a list of content specified by a first item, wherein the object field is used to control a plurality of objects associated with the second item;
parsing, by the second item, the message to determine the list of content and an action to perform based on the object that is specified, the messaging infrastructure allowing the second item to receive and parse the message to determine the list of content and the action to perform without the second item being configured to communicate peer to peer with the first item;
determining capabilities of the second item;
determining at least a portion of content in the list of content to output based on a capability to output the at least a portion of the content;
determining a location of the at least a portion of the content;
determining, by the second item, an access method for accessing the at least a portion of the content based on an identifier for the content;
accessing, by the second item, the at least a portion of the content from the determined location;
determining, by the second item, an output method for the accessed content based on the determined action and a configuration of the second item, wherein the configuration of the second item includes configuration information specific to an interface of the second item and the capability to output the second item, and wherein the message in the messaging infrastructure does not include information on how to output the accessed content; and
outputting, by the second item, the accessed content based on the output method.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the at least a portion of the content comprises:
generating a request for the at least a portion of the content;
sending the request for the at least a portion of the content; and
receiving the at least a portion of the content in response to sending the request.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of content comprises a link associated with the content.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second item is configured to output the accessed content using a different output method from the first item.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface is specific to a user interface of the second item.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first input device for the first item is used to provide an input of the list of content, the first input device providing an input function not being provided by a second input device for the second item.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the output method, accessing the content, and outputting the content is automatically performed by the second item upon receiving the message.
8. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
parsing the message to determine which object in the plurality of objects is specified, wherein the second item determines the output method from a plurality of output methods based on the object specified.
9. A method for routing messages from a first item to a second item using a messaging infrastructure, the method comprising:
receiving, at a router, a first message from the first item using the messaging infrastructure, the first message including an object field specifying an object associated with the second item to control and a list of content specified by the first item;
determining a second message using the messaging infrastructure, the second message including the object field specifying the object and the list of content, wherein the object field is used to control a plurality of objects associated with the second item; and
sending the second message to the second item, wherein the second message allows the second item to parse the message to determine an action to perform based on the object that is specified and the list of content, determine capabilities of the second item; determine at least a portion of content in the list of content to output based on a capability to output the at least a portion of the content, determine an access method for accessing the at least a portion of the content, and determine an output method for outputting the content based on the list of content, the action to perform and a configuration of the second item, wherein the configuration of the second item includes configuration information specific to an interface of the second item and the capability to output the second item, and wherein the second message in the messaging infrastructure does not include information on how to output the accessed content,
wherein the messaging infrastructure allows the router to send the second message to the second item for parsing to determine the list of content and the action to perform without the second item being configured to communicate peer to peer with the first item.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
analyzing the first message to determine a destination of the second item; and generating an event to trigger sending the second message to the second item.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising broadcasting the second message to a plurality of items including the second item.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method for processing messages at a second item using a messaging infrastructure, the method comprising:
receiving, at the second item, from a router, a message including an object field specifying an object that is associated with the second item to control and a list of content specified by a first item, wherein the object field is used to control a plurality of objects associated with the second item;
parsing, by the second item, the message to determine the list of content and an action to perform based on the object that is specified, the messaging infrastructure allowing the second item to receive and parse the message to determine the list of content and the action to perform without the second item being configured to communicate peer to peer with the first item;
determining capabilities of the second item;
determining at least a portion of content in the list of content to output based on a capability to output the at least a portion of the content;
determining a location of the at least a portion of the content;
determining, by the second item, an access method for accessing the at least a portion of the content based on an identifier for the content;
accessing, by the second item, the at least a portion of the content from the determined location;
determining, by the second item, an output method for the accessed content based on the determined action and a configuration of the second item, wherein the configuration of the second item includes configuration information specific to an interface of the second item and the capability to output the second item, and wherein the message in the messaging infrastructure does not include information on how to output the accessed content; and
outputting, by the second item, the accessed content based on the output method.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein accessing the at least a portion of the content comprises:
generating a request for the at least a portion of the content;
sending the request for the at least a portion of the content; and
receiving the at least a portion of the content in response to sending the request.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the list of content comprises a link associated with the content.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the second item is configured to output the accessed content using a different output method from the first item.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the interface is specific to a user interface of the second item.