Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an amount of buffer data in a receiver of a data communication system, and a method and apparatus for playing back streaming data stored in a buffer, using an adaptive clock synchronization unit. The apparatus for controlling an amount of buffer data in a receiver of a data communication system includes a buffer for temporarily storing data, an adaptive rate determination unit for determining a rate at which data is used using operating conditions of the receiver and an amount of data stored in the buffer, and a data utilization unit for utilizing the data stored in the buffer at the determined rate. The method for adaptively controlling an amount of buffer data in a receiver of a data communication system, comprising determining a rate at which data stored in a buffer are used, considering operating conditions of a receiver and an amount of data stored in a buffer, and utilizing the data stored in the buffer at the determined rate.

Abstract: A network connection device, network system and method for avoiding duplication of proxy functions. The network connection device includes a bridge module for relaying a communication module of a first communication mode and a communication module of a second communication mode, a proxy Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) service module, connected with the bridge module, for providing a proxy function of a network device of the second communication mode, and a duplicate proxy Universal Plug and Play service module, connected with the communication module of the first communication mode and the proxy Universal Plug and Play service module, for preventing the proxy function of the network device of the second communication mode from being duplicated and activated at a plurality of bridges.

Abstract: A method and data format for synchronizing contents. The method includes a content device downloading the contents from a source device, storing synch data required to synchronize the downloaded contents, determining a target device by interpreting the synch data, and executing the contents through the target device. The data format includes SynchTime for defining a time at which contents stored in a content device are executed in a target device, SynchAction for defining actions that are required to allow the content device to execute the contents in the target device, ContentInfo for defining the kinds of contents, PreferenceInfo for defining the basic information of an owner if the owner of the contents exists, and SelectDeviceInfo for defining a certain criterion to select a certain device if a plurality of devices providing the corresponding service exist at the time of synchronization.

Abstract: A home network system and method for providing cooperative work services. The home network system has a plurality of devices connected to a network, a negotiator module connected to the devices for determining cooperative work service roles of the devices by applying device descriptions collected from the devices to a predetermined election algorithm so that the cooperative work service can be performed in consideration of a function of a corresponding device, and a coordinator module for directly performing a control command transmitted from a control device according to the cooperative work service roles determined by the negotiator module.

Abstract: A network device and system for authentication and a method for authenticating network devices using the network device for authentication. The network system for authentication has a network device for authentication including an authentication information generation unit for generating the authentication information of the network device and an interface unit for transmitting the generated authentication information to the other network devices over the private network, and another network device for authentication including an interface unit for receiving the authentication information over the private network from a network device for requesting authentication and an authentication information registration unit for registering the received authentication information thereon.

Abstract: A home network apparatus including a monitoring module for capturing advertisement packets, which are transmitted by home network components when the components are connected to a home network, and extracting a first list of home network components residing on the home network, and a list compare module for comparing the first list of the home network components extracted by the monitoring module and a second list of home network components extracted through a discovery process and extracting a third list indicating differences between the first and second lists. The list of all controlled devices connected to the home network is compared with the list of controlled devices extracted by a control point, and then, a list of controlled devices that were not extracted by the control point is provided to the control point. Thus, there is an advantage in that all controlled devices connected to the home network can be correctly discovered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting digital content metadata received external to a network into digital content metadata peculiar to the network and a network system using the same. Particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for converting TV-Anytime metadata into UPnP CDS metadata and a network system using the same. The apparatus for converting digital content metadata according to the present invention includes a mapping module for converting the received external digital content metadata into the digital content metadata peculiar to the network, and a search module for locating a method of accessing a program in a predetermined manner using the unique identifier assigned to each program in the received external digital content metadata.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for connecting separate networks. The network connection apparatus of the present invention includes a join module for connecting a network, to which the join module belongs, with a first network in response to an inter-network connection request message transmitted from the first network, setting a security level of the connected first network, and controlling a network command message in response to the set security level. According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that mutual connection and control between devices present in the separate networks can be made by connecting the separate networks with one another.

Abstract: A network device having a message receiving module for receiving notify messages transmitted from controlled devices connected in a network, a device list management module for collecting information regarding the controlled devices connected in the network and creating and managing a list of service information of all the controlled devices connected in the network, and a control module for searching for service information of a specific controlled device, which has been requested by a control point, in the device list management module and transmitting the searched information. Since a controlled device has a list of other controlled devices connected thereto in a network, when a message searching for a specific controlled device has been received from a control point, another controlled device can transmit a response message to the control point on behalf of the specific controlled device even though the specific controlled device cannot receive the message from the control point.

Abstract: A method and system for constructing and utilizing home-state information, which systematically defines home-state information, that is, complicated information within a home generated with the development of a home network, and enables a user to utilize the home-state information. In order to accomplish the object of providing a method of constructing home-state information, the present invention comprises the steps of constructing a home-state set using home-state information sources, constructing home-state objects which are specific instances of the home-state set, and constructing home-state properties expressing properties of the home-state objects.

Abstract: A user interface support system and method. The user interface support system of the present invention includes a UI support module provided in a household electric appliance, for supporting UIs through input/output modules depending on the conditions of respective users; and an external UI support module provided in a web server or home server connected to the UI support module through a wired/wireless communication network, for managing the input/output modules depending on the conditions of the respective users transmitted through the UI support module and providing an input/output module requested by the UI support module.

Abstract: A network management method for wireless transmission/reception of data streams and a network system and apparatus using the same. The network apparatus for wireless transmission/reception of data streams includes management information on wireless channels used for the data streams transmitted in a wireless manner among apparatuses in a network. Upon occurrence of an event in the network, the network apparatus processes the event by transmitting an event response signal including the management information corresponding to the event or by updating the management information corresponding to the event, thereby managing the wireless channels for the data streams transmitted in the wireless manner among the apparatuses in the network.