Trusted application level resource advisor

• US 20030009769A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OpenTV Corp. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV Corp. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Menand, Jean-Rene, Pierre, Ludovic, Hensgen, Debra, Szymanski, Steven
• Application Number:
  US10/179,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software

Abstract

A method and mechanism for managing resources in a receiving device. A privileged application-level resource advisor may be included in individual receivers which are manufactured by different hardware manufacturers, each possibly having different resources, and each possibly running operating systems and/or middleware written by different vendors. The advisor is configured to communicate with the middleware and/or operating system of a receiving device in order to affect resource usage. Subsequent to detecting a resource contention problem, the resource advisor may determine how to resolve the contention problem. Subsequent to being authenticated by the middleware and/or operating system, the resource advisor may then affect the resolution by itself, or it may affect the resolution by providing input to the operating system, middleware, or other resource managing component of the IRD. Network operators may supply a single version of the resource advisor which is manufactured to a single interface specification. The same resource advisor may be used to allocate resources on each of the receivers in a heterogeneous collection.

Claims

1. A method for controlling resources in a receiving device, the method comprising:

authenticating a resource advisor in the receiving device;

initiating execution of the resource advisor;

said resource advisor detecting resource contention within the device;

said resource advisor formulating a solution to the resource contention; and

conveying an indication of the solution to an OS/middleware of the device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising downloading said resource advisor to said receiving device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said receiving device comprises a set-top box coupled to download said resource advisor via a broadcast signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the resource advisor comprises application code executing at an application level.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the resource advisor is accompanied by a credential corresponding to a network operator, wherein authenticating the resource advisor comprises verifying the credential.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the solution is selected from the group consisting of:

denying a request for a new resource;

pausing a currently executing application;

terminating a currently executing process;

beginning execution of a different version of a currently execution application;

removing a resource from a process that currently has it;

requesting that a currently owning process release a resource;

notifying a head-end server or load balancer.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the resource contention corresponds to a first application and a second application, wherein the first application and second application were not written to arbitrate with each other for resources.

8. A trusted, application level resource advisor for use in a receiving device, the resource advisor comprising:

a contention detection component configured to detect resource contention within the receiving device;

a contention resolution component coupled to receive data corresponding to the detected resource contention, wherein the resolution component is configured to formulate a resolution to the detected resource contention; and

a policy component configured to convey an indication of the resolution to an OS/middleware.

9. The resource advisor as recited in claim 8, further comprising a resource status query component configured to determine a status of resources corresponding to the receiving device.

10. The resource advisor as recited in claim 8, further comprising a process status query component configured to determine a status of an application process in the receiving device.

11. The resource advisor as recited in claim 8, wherein the resource advisor comprises application code including a credential which corresponds to a network operator.

12. The resource advisor as recited in claim 11, wherein the credential comprises a digitally signed permission.

13. The resource advisor as recited in claim 11, wherein the contention detection component comprises a listener, wherein said advisor is configured to register the listener with the OS/middleware to be notified of resource contention within the device.

14. The resource advisor as recited in claim 11, wherein the resource advisor comprises application code downloaded to the receiving device from a network operator.

15. The resource advisor as recited in claim 14, wherein the policy component is configured by the network operator to affect resource usage in accordance with the desires of the network operator.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the first source is configured to convey the resource advisor via a broadcast signal.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the receiving device is configured to authenticate the resource advisor prior to allowing the resource advisor to affect resource usage with the receiving device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the resource advisor is configured for execution at an application level, and wherein the resource advisor is configured to be executed on each of a heterogeneous collection of receivers.

16. A system for controlling resource usage comprising:

a first source configured to convey a resource advisor, the resource advisor comprising application instructions for execution within a receiving device, the application instructions being executable to;

detect resource contention within the receiving device;

formulate a resolution to the detected resource contention; and

convey an indication of the resolution to an OS/middleware component of the receiving device.

20. A carrier medium comprising application instructions, wherein the application instructions are executable to:

detect resource contention within a receiving device;

formulate a resolution to the detected resource contention; and

convey an indication of the resolution to an OS/middleware component of the receiving device.

21. The carrier medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the application instructions are further executable to register with the OS/middleware to be notified of the resource contention within the receiving device.

22. The carrier medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the application instructions are executable to affect resource usage in accordance with the desires of a network operator.

23. The carrier medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the application instructions comprise a corresponding credential, and wherein the receiving device is configured to authenticate the credential prior to allowing the program instructions to affect resource usage within the receiving device.