Abstract:
A remote wake-up method is used between a first host, a second host, a server and the internet. The remote wake-up method includes the following steps. Firstly, the first host communicates with the server through the internet and an identity register procedure is performed. Then, the second host communicates with the server through the internet, an identity authentication procedure is implemented, and the server is triggered to issue a wake-up packet to the first host when the first host is in a wake-up waiting status. Afterwards, the first host enters a normal working status in response to the wake-up packet.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a remote wake-up method, a host to be remotely awaked and a wake-up management server, and more particularly to a remote wake-up method, a host to be remotely awaked and a wake-up management server for use with an internet. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    With rapid expansion of network bandwidth and universality of internet infrastructure, the use of internet to transmit audio/video streaming signal or even TV programs is now gaining in popularity. For example, Slingbox™ is a kind of a set-top box with TV streaming function that enables users to remotely watch their TV programs from internet-enabled computers.  FIG. 1  is a schematic functional block diagram of a conventional audio/video streaming signal sharing system. The conventional audio/video streaming signal sharing system has a TV streaming device  91  such as Slingbox™, which is interconnected between a TV signal source  90  and an internet  9 . By the TV streaming device  91 , the TV signals from the TV signal source  90  are converted into network audio/video streaming signals. The network audio/video streaming signals can be transmitted to any computer that communicates with the internet  9 . For example, after the TV streaming device  91  communicates with internet  9 , the TV streaming device  91  can redirect the TV signals to a notebook computer  92  or a desktop computer  93 , which is running SlingPlayer software. In other words, the TV signals can be transmitted from the TV streaming device  91  to the users computers located anywhere in the world through internet connection. Furthermore, the users can remotely control the TV signal source  90  connected to the TV streaming device  91  by the internet-enabled computer. An example of the TV signal source  90  includes but is not limited to a cable box, a satellite receiver or a digital video recorder. 
         [0003]    The conventional audio/video streaming signal sharing system, however, still has some drawbacks. For example, for a purpose of connecting the TV streaming device  91  to internet  9 , the far-end user should firstly realize the IP address of the TV streaming device  91  or set up a user account. The user having an authenticated password can access the TV steaming device  91  to receive the network audio/video streaming signals as described above. In addition, only one computer can access the TV steaming device  91  at a time. Under this circumstance, the conventional audio/video streaming signal sharing system is not an effective way for sharing resources. 
         [0004]    For solving the above drawbacks, a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,231 is disclosed, which is entitled “Audio/video streaming signal provision method and sharing system” and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0005]    According to the disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,231, a service management server is connected to the internet. Through the internet connection, the user hardware device can download user software or sharer software from the service management server so as to install the user software or the sharer software in personal computers. The personal computer containing the installed user software (also referred as user computer) and the personal computer containing the installed sharer software (also referred as sharer computer) could communicate with the service management server and perform a register process through the internet connection. By means of the register process, the service management server could acquire the identification data of the user computer and the sharer computer. Moreover, the sharer computer is a personal computer having a built-in TV tuner card or a TV tuner box for receiving a TV signal and converting the TV signal into an audio/video streaming signal. The audio/video streaming signals could be transmitted to any remote user computer that communicates with the internet. 
         [0006]    In a case that the personal computer having a built-in TV tuner card or TV tuner box is powered off, the remote user computer fails to view TV programs by the audio/video streaming signal sharing system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,231. Nowadays, remote wake-up technologies are developed for allowing the remote user computer to view the TV programs that are shared by the sharer computer. The common remote wake-up technologies are generally classified into two types. The first type of remote wake-up technology is a Wake on Ring (WOR) technology or a Wake on Modem (WOM) technology. Via a telephone wire, the user computer could issue a specific signal to the modulator-demodulator (modem) of the computer to be awaked. Since the modulator-demodulator is gradually replaced, a telephone wire and a wire linkage are required and no user authentication mechanism is employed, the first type of remote wake-up technology is inconvenient and unsafe. The second type of remote wake-up technology is Wake on LAN (WOL) technology. When a computer to be awaked is in a hibernation status or a power-off status, the user will transmit a network wake-up packet (also referred as a magic pocket) to a network interface card of the computer to be awaked through a local area network (LAN). When the network wake-up packet is received by the network interface card, the network interface card will determine whether the format of the network wake-up packet is accurate and the contents of the network wake-up packet involve the wake-up event. Once the format of the network wake-up packet is accurate and the contents of the network wake-up packet involve the wake-up event, the computer will be awaked. As known, the WOL technology needs to change the settings of the motherboard, the network interface card and the operating system of the computer in the wake-up waiting mode. The use of the interface is inconvenient. In addition, the WOL technology could only be used in the LAN environment. For most users, the audio/video streaming signal sharing system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,231 will not be operated in the LAN environment, and thus the WOL technology fails to effectively awake the computer in such audio/video streaming signal sharing system. 
         [0007]    Therefore, there is a need of providing a remote wake-up method to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote wake-up method for use between a first host, a second host, a server and an internet. The remote wake-up method includes the following steps. Firstly, the first host communicates with the server through the internet and an identity register procedure is performed. Then, the second host communicates with the server through the internet, an identity authentication procedure is implemented, and the server is triggered to issue a wake-up packet to the first host when the first host is in a wake-up waiting status. Afterwards, the first host enters a normal working status in response to the wake-up packet. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the first host is a sharer computer having an installed application program and a built-in image source device, the sharer computer is connected to the internet through a router, and the application program implements an identity register procedure in the sharer computer. The identity register procedure includes steps of: directing the sharer computer to a specified port number of the router according to a universal plug and play technology; performing a setting operation on a dynamic domain name service of the router; and transmitting a user identification data of the sharer computer to the server and storing the user identification data in the server, thereby implementing the identity register procedure. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the identity authentication procedure includes steps of: allowing the second host to communicate with the server by executing a browser program in the second host to access the internet; inputting the user identification data through the browser program and transmitting the user identification data to the server; and finishing the identity authentication procedure if the server confirms that the user identification data transmitted from the second host complies with the user identification data stored in the server. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the wake-up waiting status includes a standby status, a hibernation status or a power-off status. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host to be remotely awaked. The host communicates with a second host, a server and an internet. The host includes a host main body, an application program and an image source device. The host main body is connected to the server through the internet. The second host communicates with the server through the internet, implements an identity authentication procedure and triggers the server to issue a wake-up packet to the host main body. The host main body is switched from a wake-up waiting status to a normal working status in response to the wake-up packet. The application program is executed in the host main body to implement an identity register procedure in the server. The image source device is electrically connected to the host main body for generating and transmitting an image signal to the second host through the internet under control of the application program. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment, the host main body is a personal computer communicating with the internet through a router, and the image source device is a TV tuner card or a TV tuner box. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the identity register procedure implemented in the personal computer by the application program includes steps of: directing the personal computer to a specified port number of the router according to a universal plug and play technology; performing a setting operation on a dynamic domain name service of the router; and transmitting a user identification data of the personal computer to the server and storing the user identification data in the server, thereby implementing the identity register procedure. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the identity authentication procedure implemented by the second host includes steps of: allowing the second host to communicate with the server by executing a browser program in the second host to access the internet; inputting the user identification data through the browser program and transmitting the user identification data to the server; and finishing the identity authentication procedure if the server confirms that the user identification data transmitted from the second host complies with the user identification data stored in the server. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the wake-up waiting status includes a standby status, a hibernation status or a power-off status. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment, the information associated with a schedule time of the image source device is automatically transmitted to the server by the application program and stored in the server. The server awakes the host main body before the schedule time so as to execute a scheduled recording task corresponding to the schedule time. 
         [0018]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wake-up management server for use between a first host, a second host and an internet. The wake-up management server includes a database module, a dynamic domain name service module and a wake-up packet generating module. The database module is used for recording a user identification data of the first host. The dynamic domain name service module is used for recording an IP address corresponding to the first host, wherein the dynamic domain name service module performs a data refreshing operation if the IP address corresponding to the first host is changed. The wake-up packet generating module is for determining whether the user identification data transmitted from the second host through the internet complies with the user identification data recorded in the database module to implement an identity authentication procedure. If the user identification data transmitted from the second host complies with the user identification data recorded in the database module, the wake-up packet generating module issues a wake-up packet to the first host. The first host is switched from a wake-up waiting status to a normal working status in response to the wake-up packet. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment, the first host is a sharer computer having an installed application program and a built-in image source device. The sharer computer is connected to the internet through a router. The IP address corresponding to the first host is a combination of an external IP address of the router and a specified port number of the router. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the wake-up waiting status includes a standby status, a hibernation status or a power-off status. 
         [0021]    In an embodiment, the user identification data includes a user name and a user password. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The above contents of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a schematic functional block diagram of a conventional audio/video streaming signal sharing system; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating a remote wake-up system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3A  is a flowchart illustrating a process for registering user identification data in the wake-up management server; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3B  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure for switching from a wake-up waiting status to a wake-up status in the sharer computer; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3C  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure for remotely activating the sharer computer by a user computer; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure used in the wake-up management server of the remote wake-up system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0029]    The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating a remote wake-up system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the remote wake-up system comprises an internet  1 , a sharer computer  11 , a router  12 , a wake-up management server  10  and a user computer  19 . The sharer computer  11  communicates with the internet  1  through the router  12 . The sharer computer  11  has a built-in image source device  119  such as a TV tuner card or a TV tuner box. An application program  110  is installed in the sharer computer  11 . After the application program  110  is executed, a process for registering user identification data in the wake-up management server  10  will be illustrated with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 3A . First of all, if the settings of the hardware or operating system of the sharer computer  11  are authenticated to have the capability to support a remote wake-up technology (Step  301 ), the application program  110  will determine whether the sharer computer  11  is directed to a specified port number of the router  12  according to a universal plug and play (UPnP) technology or another technology in order to pass through a network address translation (NAT) unit  120  of the router  12  (Step  302 ). Once the sharer computer  11  is directed to a specified port number of the router  12 , the computer (e.g. the user computer  19 ) that is connected to the internet  1  could communicate with the sharer computer  11  through the specified port number of the router  12 , thereby displaying the image signals generated by the image source device  119  of the sharer computer  11 . Next, if a setting operation on the dynamic domain name service (DDNS) of the router  12  is permitted (Step  303 ), a user identification data of the sharer computer  11  is transmitted to the wake-up management server  10  (Step  304 ). In a case that one of the conditions described in Steps  301 ,  302  and  303  is not satisfied, a troubleshooting procedure is performed (Step  305 ). 
         [0031]    For facilitating the user computer  19  to quickly communicate with the sharer computer  11 , the wake-up management server  10  is connected to the internet  1  and has a public IP address. The wake-up management server  10  includes one or more distributed server hosts. The sharer computer  11  executing the application program  110  could register user identification data in the wake-up management server  10  via the internet  1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the wake-up management server  10  comprises a database module  101 , a dynamic domain name service (DDNS) module  102  and a wake-up packet generating module  103 . The database module  101  is used for recording multiple user identification data of multiple sharer computers. Each of the user identification data includes a user name, a user password and the requisite conditions of the sharer computer. The requisite conditions of the sharer computer include a domain name of the sharer computer, the specified port number designated by the router  12 , and the like. The DDNS module  102  is used for recording the IP addresses corresponding to the domain names of the sharer computers. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the IP address of the router  12  corresponding to the sharer computer  11  could be recorded in the DDNS module  102 . If the IP address of the router  12  is changed, the DDNS module  102  performs a data refreshing operation. On the other hand, if the sharer computer  11  is directly connected to the internet and only has an IP address, the specified port number is not necessarily recorded in the DDNS module  102 . The wake-up packet generating module  103  is used for authenticating the user&#39;s identity and sending out a wake-up packet. 
         [0032]    After the sharer computer  11  executing the application program  110  registers the user identification data in the wake-up management server  10  by using the identity register procedure as described in  FIG. 3A , the wake-up management server  10  has stored the user identification data of the sharer computer  11 . Moreover, a strategic decision procedure executable in the sharer computer  11  will be illustrated with reference to  FIG. 3B .  FIG. 3B  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure for switching from a wake-up waiting status to a wake-up status in the sharer computer  11 . After the application program  110  is executed in the sharer computer  11  (Step  311 ), the sharer computer  11  enters a wake-up waiting status such as a standby status, a hibernation status or a power-off status (Step  312 ). At the same time, the application program  110  executed in the sharer computer  11  will notify the wake-up management server  10  that the sharer computer  11  is in the wake-up waiting status through the internet  1 . As such, the wake-up management server  10  realizes that the sharer computer  11  could be remotely awaked and the wake-up management server  10  will have the newest conditions of the sharer computer  11 . If a wake-up packet issued from the wake-up management server  10  is received by the sharer computer  11  (Step  313 ), the sharing system is awaked (Step  314 ). 
         [0033]    For remotely awaking the sharer computer  11 , the user could utilize any computer that is connected to the internet  1  (e.g. the user computer  19 ).  FIG. 3C  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure for remotely activating the sharer computer  11  by a user computer  19 . Firstly, the user computer  11  communicates with the wake-up management server  10  through a browser program and the internet (Step  321 ). If the user identification data (e.g. the user name and the user password) are authenticated (Step  322 ), a user interface for awaking one or more sharer computers  11  corresponding to the user identification data will be created. Via the user interface, the remote user could input instructions to awake the sharer computers  11 . If the user decides to awake the sharer computers  11  (Step  323 ), the user computer  19  could select the domain name of the sharer computer  11 . According to the domain name, the wake-up management server  10  will acquire the IP address corresponding to the domain name of the sharer computer  11  from the DDNS module  102 . In addition, the wake-up management server  10  will acquire the specified port number of the router  12 . According to a combination of the IP address and the specified port number of the router  12 , the wake-up packet generating module  103  of the wake-up management server  10  is triggered to issue the wake-up packet to the sharer computer  11  (Step  324 ). Even if the user computer  19  and sharer computer  11  are connected to different local area networks, the sharer computer  11  could be successfully awaked by the remote wake-up method of the present invention. 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, the functions of the wake-up management server  10  are integrated into the service management server of the audio/video streaming signal sharing system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,231. Alternatively, the wake-up management server  10  is separate from the service management server. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a strategic decision procedure used in the wake-up management server  10  of the remote wake-up system. Firstly, if a message is received by the wake-up management server  10  (Step  41 ), the wake-up management server  10  will determine whether the message is authenticated (Step  42 ). Once the message is authenticated, the wake-up management server  10  will determine whether the message involves the identity register procedure of a specified sharer computer  11  (Step  43 ). Once the message involves the identity register procedure of the specified sharer computer  11 , the user identification data of the sharer computer is recorded in the database module  101  of the wake-up management server  10  (Step  44 ). If the message does not involve the identity register procedure of the specified sharer computer  11 , the wake-up management server  10  will determine whether the message is a wake-up message (Step  45 ). Once the message is a wake-up message, the user identification data of the sharer computer  11  that has been stored in the database module  101  of the wake-up management server  10  is read out and the wake-up management server  10  issues a wake-up packet to the sharer computer  11  (Step  46 ). In a case that one of the conditions described in Steps  41 ,  42  and  45  is not satisfied, the wake-up management server  10  enters a waiting mode to wait for a next message (Step  47 ). 
         [0036]    In practice, the personal computer used in the home environment could be set as a sharer computer that is permitted to be remotely awaked. When the user is not at home, the user could awake the sharer computer via any other user computer. By inputting the user identification data (e.g. the user name and the user password) into the user computer, the sharer computer is awaked through the wake-up management server. After the sharer computer is awaked, the functions of the TV tuner card or the TV tuner box are activated, and thus the user could view TV programs shared by the sharer computer. In some embodiments, the user could set a recording schedule related to the sharer computer and the application program could automatically transmit the scheduled time information to the wake-up management server for storage. The wake-up management server will awake the sharer computer before the schedule time, so that the sharer computer will execute a scheduled recording task corresponding to the schedule time. 
         [0037]    While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.