1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an audio/video (AV) task calculation and, more particularly, to an AV task calculation method, a method of providing summary information for an AV task calculation, and an apparatus using the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
A home network consists of various network devices such as intelligent products, wireless devices and computing devices, which enable a user to control the various network devices as a single connected network. Network devices composing the home network provide services using middleware creating a virtual distributed computing environment. Middleware such as Home Audio Visual Interoperability (HAVi), Universal Plug and Play control device (UPnP), Java intelligent network infra-structure (Jini), and Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi) have been used to date.
In the home network, a user can receive various AV services such as movies, music, and photo-printing. Technologies for receiving media data between home network devices are disclosed in Korean Unexamined Patent No. 10-2003-0058395: Home Network Device, Home Network Control Device, and Method of Downloading Media data in Home Network, which enable a user to use media at home regardless of location.
A user can search for the type of AV service available in a home network via a control device that controls home network devices; the control device calculates an AV task.
The AV task refers to an operation for determining whether an AV service is available. Media data, a storage device that stores the media data and a player to play the media data are needed in order to use the AV service. The control device searches for the media data and the device needed for the AV service, thereby providing a user with information on the type of AV service provided in a home network.
To calculate the AV task, it has to be determined whether the storage device, the media data, and the player are in the home network as described above. In the related art, when media data stored in a storage device is retrieved, metadata of the media data is cached. If metadata of all media data in the home network is cached, large amounts memory and time are consumed. Since most users have large amounts of media data, this becomes a serious problem.