Pervasive, distributed provision of services such as product brokerage

• US 20030187916A1
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kulack, Frederick Allyn, Dettinger, Richard Dean
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A client-server computing system suited particularly for homogenous clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client'"'"'s capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Claims

1. A method of providing an information handling capability to a client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising the following steps performed at a server computer system:

identifying factors relevant to provision of said information handling capability by said client computer,

selecting one of at least a first and a second service to be uploaded to said client computer based upon said factors, said first and second services comprising different executable code for providing said information handling capability, and

delivering said selected service to said client computer system, so that said information handling capability may be realized by said client computer upon execution of code within said selected service at said client computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said services comprise data in addition to executable code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said factors comprise one or more of:

the operating system used by said server computer system,

the operating system used by said client computer system,

the bandwidth of a communications connection between said client and server computer system,

the date and/or time of day,

the cost of a communications connection between said client and server computer system, and

the location of said client and/or server computer system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing brokerage information to a user of said client computer system

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said brokerage information comprises product information and pricing.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said product is real estate property.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said product is chattel property.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said product is an automobile.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing scheduling information to a user of said client computer system

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing financial information to a user of said client computer system

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing transportation service information to a user of said client computer system

12. A server in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, said server comprising

a processor,

a communications interface for connecting to a client computer system, and

storage for executable code,

said processor executing said executable code to provide an information handling capability to a client computer system by the steps of identifying factors relevant to provision of said information handling capability by said client computer, selecting one of at least a first and a second service to be uploaded to said client computer based upon said factors, said first and second services comprising different executable code for providing said information handling capability, and delivering said selected service to said client computer system, so that said information handling capability may be realized by said client computer upon execution of code within said selected service at said client computer system.

13. The server of claim 12 wherein said services comprise data in addition to executable code.

14. The server of claim 12 wherein said factors comprise one or more of:

the operating system used by said server computer system,

the operating system used by said client computer system,

the bandwidth of a communications connection between said client and server computer system,

the date and/or time of day,

the cost of a communications connection between said client and server computer system, and

the location of said client and/or server computer system.

15. A program product for a server in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, the program product comprising

executable code for providing an information handling capability to a client computer systems by the steps of identifying factors relevant to provision of said information handling capability by said client computer, selecting one of at least a first and a second service to be uploaded to said client computer based upon said factors, said first and second services comprising different executable code for providing said information handling capability, and delivering said selected service to said client computer system, so that said information handling capability may be realized by said client computer upon execution of code within said selected service at said client computer system, and

a computer-readable media storing the executable code.

16. The program product of claim 15 wherein said services comprise data in addition to executable code.

17. The program product of claim 15 wherein said factors comprise one or more of:

the operating system used by said server computer system,

the operating system used by said client computer system,

the bandwidth of a communications connection between said client and server computer system,

the date and/or time of day,

the cost of a communications connection between said client and server computer system, and

the location of said client and/or server computer system.

18. The program product of claim 15 wherein said media comprises a transmission type media.

19. The program product of claim 15 wherein said media comprises a storage media.

20. A method of providing an information handling capability to a client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising the following steps executed at a client computer system

storing executable code for providing said information handling capability,

performing an analysis of usage of said information handling capability by said client computer system to determine whether said executable code ought to be retained in storage by said client computer system, and

in response to a determination that said executable code ought not be retained by said client computer system, unloading said executable code from storage in said client computer system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said analysis comprises determining a period of disuse of said information handling capability by said client computer system.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said analysis comprises determining the presence of a connection between said client computer system and a server computer system involved in provision of said information handling capability.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing brokerage information to a user of said client computer system

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said brokerage information comprises product information and pricing

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said product is real estate property.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said product is chattel property.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said product is an automobile.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing scheduling information to a user of said client computer system

29. The method of claim 20 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing financial information to a user of said client computer system

30. The method of claim 20 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing transportation service information to a user of said client computer system

31. A client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising:

a processor,

storage for executable code, and

a communications interface for connecting to a server computer system,

said processor executing said executable code to provide an information handling capability in conjunction with a server computer system, and further performing an analysis of usage of said information handling capability by said client computer system to determine whether said executable code ought to be retained in storage by said client computer system, and, in response to a determination that said executable code ought not be retained by said client computer system, unloading said executable code from storage in said client computer system.

32. The client computer system of claim 31 wherein said analysis comprises determining a period of disuse of said information handling capability by said client computer system.

33. The client computer system of claim 31 wherein said analysis comprises determining the presence of a connection between said client computer system and a server computer system involved in provision of said information handling capability.

34. A program product for a client in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, the program product comprising

executable code for causing a client computer system to provide an information handling capability, and executable code for performing an analysis of usage of said information handling capability by said client computer system to determine whether said executable code ought to be retained in storage by said client computer system, and, in response to a determination that said executable code ought not be retained by said client computer system, unloading said executable code from storage in said client computer system, and

a computer-readable media storing the executable code.

35. The program product of claim 34 wherein said analysis comprises determining a period of disuse of said information handling capability by said client computer system.

36. The program product of claim 34 wherein said analysis comprises determining the presence of a connection between said client computer system and a server computer system involved in provision of said information handling capability.

37. The program product of claim 34 wherein said media comprises a transmission type media.

38. The program product of claim 34 wherein said media comprises a storage media.

39. A method of providing an information handling capability to a client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising the following steps executed at a client computer system:

receiving from a server computer system, executable code for providing said information handling capability,

receiving from a server computer system, state information relating to a prior interaction of said client computer system and server computer system,

utilizing said state information while executing said executable code at said client to provide said information handling capability.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing brokerage information to a user of said client computer system

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said brokerage information comprises product information and pricing.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said product is real estate property.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein said product is chattel property.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said product is an automobile.

45. The method of claim 39 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing scheduling information to a user of said client computer system

46. The method of claim 39 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing financial information to a user of said client computer system

47. The method of claim 39 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing transportation service information to a user of said client computer system

48. A client computer system for providing an information handling capability in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising

a processor,

a communications interface for connecting to a server computer system, and

storage for executable code,

said processor executing said executable code to provide said information handling capability, and to receive from a server computer system, state information relating to a prior interaction of said client computer system and server computer system, and to use said state information while executing said executable code to provide said information handling capability.

49. A program product for a client in a networked computer system comprising, client and server computer systems, the program product comprising

executable code for receiving from a server computer system further executable code for providing an information handling capability, and for receiving from a server computer system, state information relating to a prior interaction of said client computer system and server computer system, and for using utilizing said state information while executing said executable code at said client to provide said information handling capability, and

a computer-readable media storing the executable code.

50. The program product of claim 49 wherein said media comprises a transmission type media.

51. The program product of claim 49 wherein said media comprises a storage media.

52. A method of providing an information handling capability to a client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising the following steps executed at a server computer system:

selecting, in response to a request to provide an information handling capability by a client computer system, a service to be executed by said server computer system, from at least first and second services available to said server computer system for providing said information handling capability, and

executing said executable code in said selected service to provide said information handling capability.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing brokerage information to a user of said client computer system

54. The method of claim 53 wherein said brokerage information comprises product information and pricing.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein said product is real estate property.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein said product is chattel property.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein said product is an automobile.

58. The method of claim 52 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing scheduling information to a user of said client computer system

59. The method of claim 52 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing financial information to a user of said client computer system

60. The method of claim 52 wherein said information handling capability comprises providing transportation service information to a user of said client computer system

61. A server providing an information handling capability to a client computer system in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, comprising:

a processor,

a communications interface for connecting to a client computer system, and

storage for executable code,

said processor executing said executable code to select, in response to a request to provide an information handling capability by a client computer system, a service to be executed by said server computer system, from at least first and second services available to said server computer system for providing said information handling capability, and then executing executable code in the selected service.

62. A program product for a server in a networked computer system comprising client and server computer systems, the program product comprising

executable code for selecting, in response to a request to provide an information handling capability by a client computer system, a service to be executed by said server computer system, from at least first and second services available to said server computer system for providing said information handling capability, and executing said executable code in said selected service to provide said information handling capability, and

a computer-readable media storing the executable code.

63. The program product of claim 62 wherein said media comprises a transmission type media.

64. The program product of claim 62 wherein said media comprises a storage media.