Patent ID: 6952715

Claim:
A method for enabling a client device to communicate with a server device over a communications link, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a communicative connection with the server device; after establishing the communicative connection, transmitting to the server device a use-command requesting the server device to provide use information that describes how to invoke a specified one of multiple services offered by the server device; receiving the use information for the specified service from the server device, the use information including a description of one or more parameters that can be used when invoking the specified service; and after receiving the use information, transmitting a service-command to the server device requesting the server device to invoke the specified service, the service-command specified in a manner based on the description included in the received use information and so as to include a specified value for each of one or more of the described parameters, the included values for those described parameters for use by the server device with the invoking of the specified service.