Access from the scripting environment and other programming environment to a service that is hosted by the device

摘要

An arrangement for exposing self-describing device-hosted services on a client device to a host application or processes over MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) is provided by which an MTP extension comprising new MTP commands enables the device-hosted services to be backwards and forward compatible with existing MTP implementations. The new MTP commands in the extension enable discovery by the host of device-hosted services provided by a connected client device. In an illustrative example, the device-hosted services include storage services, functional device services, and information services. These device-hosted services advantageously enable richer communication between the host and client device. A set of methods is further provided for taking any such device-hosted service present on a device and exposing the functionality, for example, to web-based client applications, as well as other thin-client solutions, through utilization of a scriptable or other programming environment.