Distributed system and brokering method using context

• US 20040177017A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawano, Katsumi, Yamamoto, Hidenori, Sameshima, Shigetoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/731,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177017A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A distributed system in which a plurality of devices are coupled to each other through a network, includes a service scenario which describes functions necessary to provide a service and relations between the functions in general description; a context which serves as a criterion for selecting devices to be used in providing the service; an extraction unit which extracts devices necessary for the service based on the service scenario; a detection unit which detects devices located in a site where the service can be provided to a service requester; and a service execution unit which executes the service for the service requester by linking the devices detected based on the context.

Claims

1. A distributed system in which a plurality of devices are coupled to each other through a network, comprising:

a service scenario which describes functions necessary to provide a service and relations between the functions in general description;

a context which serves as a criterion for selecting devices to be used in providing the service;

an extraction unit which extracts devices necessary for the service based on the service scenario;

a detection unit which detects devices located in a site where the service can be provided to a service requester; and

a service execution unit which executes the service for the service requester by linking the devices detected based on the context.

2. A distributed system according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit extracts the devices by inquiring a server holding a database concerning attribute information of the devices.

3. A distributed system according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the devices located in the site where the service can be provided by acquiring information on the devices extracted by the extraction unit.

4. A distributed system according to claim 3, wherein the service execution unit collects information from the devices detected by the detection unit and compares the collected information with context information to select available devices.

5. A distributed system according to claim 1, wherein when the context changes while the service is being executed, the detection unit redetects devices in accordance with the context having changed.

6. A distributed system according to claim 1, wherein, when it is detected, while the service is being executed, that there is a change in situations of the devices located in the site where the service can be provided to the service requester, the detection unit redetects devices.

7. A distributed system according to claim 1, wherein relations between the devices necessary to execute the service are held for each user requesting the service, and the devices are linked depending on the users.

8. A brokering method using a context in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are coupled to each other through a network, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a service scenario and a context, the service scenario describing functions necessary to provide a service and relations between the functions in general description, the context serving as a criterion for selecting devices to be used in providing the service;

extracting devices necessary for the service based on the service scenario;

detecting devices located in a site where the service can be provided to a service requester; and

executing the service for the service requester by linking the devices detected based on the context.

9. A brokering method using a context according to claim 8, wherein, in the extracting step, the devices are extracted by inquiring a server holding a database concerning attribute information of the devices.

10. A brokering method using a context according to claim 8, wherein, in the detecting step, the devices located in the site where the service can be provided are detected by acquiring information on the devices extracted in the extracting step.

11. A brokering method using a context according to claim 10, wherein, in the step of executing the service, information is collected from the devices detected in the detecting step, and the collected information is compared with context information to select available devices.

12. A brokering method using a context according to claim 8, wherein when the context changes while the service is being executed, devices are redetected in accordance with the context having changed.

13. A brokering method using a context according to claim 8, wherein when it is detected, while the service is being execute, that there is a change in situations of the devices located in the site where the service can be provided to the service requester, devices are redetected.

14. A brokering method using a context according to claim 8, wherein relations between the devices necessary to execute the service are held for each user requesting the service, and the devices are linked depending on the users.