Method and apparatus for automatically using a predefined peer-to-peer group as a context for an application

• US 20030208540A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawahara, Hideya, Rochetti, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/505 Clust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5033 considering data affinity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1053 with pre-configuration of logical or physical connections with a determined number of other peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates automatically using a predefined networking group, such as a peer-to-peer group as a context for an application. The system starts by executing the application on behalf of a peer. During execution of the application, the system determines if the peer is a member of a networking group, and if so, the system uses the networking group as a context for the application.

Claims

1. A method for automatically using a predefined networking group as a context for an application, comprising:

executing the application on behalf of a peer;

during execution of the application, looking up a predefined networking group to which the peer belongs; and

during subsequent execution of the application, using the predefined networking group as the context for the application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an attribute of the predefined networking group, wherein the attribute may include one of a membership criteria, a special interest, an access level, a compression algorithm, and an encryption key.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring the application with the attribute of the predefined networking group.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically selecting the predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to select a predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the context of the application to facilitate sharing the application with a member of the predefined networking group.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined networking group can include one of:

a JXTA group;

an NFS group or domain;

a multicast group; and

a networking domain.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application can include one of:

a chat program;

a search engine;

a media player;

a business application;

a web browser; and

a game.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for automatically using a predefined networking group as a context of an application, the method comprising:

executing the application on behalf of a peer;

during execution of the application, looking up a predefined networking group to which the peer belongs; and

during subsequent execution of the application, using the predefined networking group as the context for the application.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises determining an attribute of the predefined networking group, wherein the attribute may include one of a membership criteria, a special interest, an access level, a compression algorithm, and an encryption key.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises configuring the application with the attribute of the predefined networking group.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises automatically selecting the predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises allowing a user to select a predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises using the context of the application to facilitate sharing the application with a member of the predefined networking group.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the predefined networking group can include one of:

a JXTA group;

an NFS group or domain;

a multicast group; and

a networking domain.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the application can include one of:

a chat program;

a search engine;

a media player;

a business application;

a web browser; and

a game.

17. An apparatus for automatically using a predefined networking group as a context of an application, comprising:

an execution mechanism configured to execute the application on behalf of a peer;

an lookup mechanism configured to look up a predefined networking group to which the peer belongs; and

a configuration mechanism configured to use the predefined networking group as the context for the application.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a determination mechanism configured to determine an attribute of the predefined networking group, wherein the attribute may include one of a membership criteria, a special interest, an access level, a compression algorithm, and an encryption key.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the configuration mechanism configures the application with the attribute of the predefined networking group.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the configuration mechanism is further configured to select the predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the configuration mechanism is further configured to allow a user to select a predefined networking group from a list of predefined networking groups.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the configuration mechanism is further configured to use the context of the application to facilitate sharing the application with a member of the predefined networking group.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predefined networking group can include one of:

a JXTA group;

an NFS group or domain;

a multicast group; and

a networking domain.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the application can include one of:

a chat program;

a search engine;

a media player;

a business application;

a web browser; and

a game.

25. A means for automatically using a predefined networking group as a context for an application, comprising:

an execution means for executing the application on behalf of a peer;

a lookup means, wherein during execution of the application, the lookup means looks up a predefined networking group to which the peer belongs; and

a context means, wherein during subsequent execution of the application, the context means uses the predefined networking group as the context for the application.