Mechanism to control compilation and communication of the client-device profile by using unidirectional messaging over a broadcast channel

• US 20020174172A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hatalkar, Atul N.
• Application Number:
  US09/823,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174172A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

In an embodiment, a communication system may include a system host that transmits messages to a number of client devices, which may be dynamically grouped. The target client(s) may receive the message, compile the requested information, initiate a connection with the host over a back channel, and transmit the requested information to the host.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

formatting a request message including a group identifier and a request;

transmitting the request message to a plurality of client devices over a first communication channel; and

receiving a response to the request message from client devices identified by the group identifier over a second communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically grouping two or more of said clients into a second group having a second group identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting the second group identifier to the plurality of client devices; and

storing the second group identifier at each client in the second group.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

formatting a second request message including the second group identifier and a request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request message comprises broadcasting the request message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgement signal over the second communication channel to the clients that transmitted the response.

7. A method comprising:

storing a group identifier identifying membership in a group of two or more clients;

receiving a request message from a host over a first communication channel, said request message including the group identifier and a request; and

transmitting a response to the request message to the host over a second communication channel.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

waiting for an acknowledgement signal from the host over the second communication channel; and

retransmitting the response over the second communication channel in response to not receiving the acknowledgement signal within a time period.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the request message comprises a request for client profile information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising compiling the requested client profile information,

wherein transmitting the response comprises transmitting the requested client profile information.

11. An article comprising a machine-readable medium which stores machine-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine to:

format a request message including a group identifier and a request;

transmit the request message to a plurality of client devices over a first communication channel; and

receive a response to the request message from client devices identified by the group identifier over a second communication channel.

12. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions causing the machine to:

dynamically group two or more of said clients into a second group having a second group identifier.

13. The article of claim 12, further comprising instructions causing the machine to:

transmit the second group identifier to the plurality of client devices; and

store the second group identifier at each client in the second group.

14. The article of claim 12, further comprising instructions causing the machine to:

format a second request message including the second group identifier and a request.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein the instructions which cause the machine to:

transmit the request message comprise instructions causing the machine to broadcast the request message.

16. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions causing the machine to:

transmit an acknowledgement signal over the second communication channel to the clients that transmitted the response.

18. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions causing the machine to:

wait for an acknowledgement signal from the host over the second communication channel; and

retransmit the response over the second communication channel in response to not receiving the acknowledgement signal within a time period.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the request message comprises a request for client profile information.

20. The article of claim 19, further comprising instructions causing the machine to compile the requested client profile information,

wherein the response comprises the requested client profile information.

17. An article comprising a machine-readable medium which stores machine-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine to:

store a group identifier identifying membership in a group of two or more clients;

receive a request message from a host over a first communication channel, said request message including the group identifier and a request; and

transmit a response to the request message to the host over a second communication channel.

21. An system comprising:

a broadcast communication channel;

a back communication channel;

a host including

a message generator operative to generate a request message comprising a target identifier in a first portion and a request in a second portion, and

a transmitter to transmit the request message to a plurality of clients over the broadcast communication channel; and

a client including a memory operative to store client profile information,

a client profile agent to compile profile information in response to receiving the request message, and

a transmitter to transmit the compiled profile information to the host over the back communication channel.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the host further comprises a group generator operative to generate a group including two or more clients and a corresponding group identifier, said target identifier comprising the group identifier.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the client further comprises:

a membership file to store a membership identifier; and

a receiver controller operative to discard the request message in response to the membership identifier not matching the group identifier.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the broadcast communication channel comprises at least one of a wireless communication link and a transmission line.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the back communication link comprises a bi-directional communication link.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the back communication link has a lower bandwidth than the broadcast communication link.

27. A system of claim 21, wherein the broadcast communication channel comprises a wireless communication link and the second communication channel comprise a transmission line.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the message generator is further operative to include a target date/time in a third portion of the request message, and

wherein the client further comprises a transmission controller operative to transmit the requested profile information before the target date/time.