HARDWARE AND PROCESSING REQUEST BROKERAGE

• US 20060258375A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wilbrink, Tijs I., Kelley, Edward E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Methods, brokerage systems and program products for enabling a mobile electronic device communicate with another electronic device for accomplishing a requested task without interrupting a user of the other electronic device. A task is requested at the mobile device and a transmission signal locates other electronic devices within a receivable range of the transmission signal. A number of scenarios of various combinations of located other devices is built, whereby each scenario is capable of accomplishing the requested task. One of these scenarios is selected, information relating to the task is sent to the electronic devices within such scenario, and then the requested task is performed by such selected electronic devices. Upon completion of the task, deliverables may be transmitted from the selected electronic device to a predetermined destination. Owners of the selected electronic devices may be rewarded for usage of their devices.

Claims

1. A method for performing a requested task between electronic devices comprising:

providing a mobile electronic device;

requesting a task at said mobile electronic device;

transmitting a signal corresponding to said task from said mobile electronic device;

locating an electronic device within a receivable transmission range of said signal, said electronic device being capable of accomplishing said task;

transmitting information relating to said task from said mobile electronic device to said electronic device; and

accomplishing said task at said electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

determining whether said mobile electronic device is capable of accomplishing said task; and

locating said electronic device if it is determined that said mobile electronic device is not capable of accomplishing said task.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of locating said electronic device comprises:

determining all available wireless connection interfaces on said mobile electronic device;

searching for said determined available wireless connection interfaces on other electronic devices within said receivable transmission range of said mobile electronic device;

identifying said electronic device from said other electronic devices, whereby said electronic device has at least one of said determined available wireless connection interfaces that is capable of accomplishing said task; and

receiving an identification of said electronic device at said mobile electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of electronic devices are located within said receivable transmission range of said mobile electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said plurality of electronic devices are selected from the group consisting of mobile devices, stationary devices, wireless devices, non-wireless devices, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of:

determining the amount of resources required to process and accomplish said task;

determining compatible electronic devices from said plurality of electronic devices that are compatible with said mobile electronic device; and

building a plurality of electronic device scenarios, each being capable of accomplishing said task, using said determined amount of resources required to process and accomplish said task in combination with said determined compatible electronic devices.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of determining said compatible electronic devices comprises:

analyzing resource capabilities and capacities of each of said plurality of electronic devices;

identifying said compatible electronic devices having at least one wireless connection interface that is compatible with a wireless interface of said mobile electronic device using said analyzed resource capabilities and capacities data;

storing a list of said compatible electronic devices on said mobile electronic device; and

building said plurality of electronic device scenarios capable of accomplishing said task using said stored list of compatible electronic devices.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of built electronic device scenarios comprise a compatible electronic device that is capable of accomplishing said task.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of built electronic device scenarios comprise a plurality of compatible electronic devices that together are capable of accomplishing said task.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of built electronic device scenarios are capable of accomplishing said task within an imposed time constraint for completing said task.

11. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of:

determining the availability of each said compatible electronic device within each of said electronic device scenarios; and

updating said plurality of built electronic device scenarios based on said availability results to include only those built electronic device scenarios having compatible electronic devices allowing said task to be accomplished.

12. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of:

selecting a built electronic device scenario from said plurality of electronic device scenarios;

transmitting a set of instructions for said task from said mobile electronic device to each of said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario; and

accomplishing said task by said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario.

13. The method of claim 12 further including transmitting deliverables from said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario to a preselected destination upon completion of said task.

14. The method of claim 12 further including rewarding owners of said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario upon completion of said task.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said task is completed without interrupting end users of said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario.

16. The method of claim 12 further including providing said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario with a default command for informing end users of said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario that said task is being performed thereon, thereby enabling completion of said task.

17. A brokerage system for performing a requested task between a mobile electronic device and another electronic device comprising:

a request system for requesting a task at a mobile electronic device;

a first transmission system for transmitting a signal corresponding to said task from said mobile electronic device;

a location system for locating at least one electronic device within a receivable transmission range of said signal, said at least one electronic device being capable of accomplishing said task;

a second transmission system for transmitting information relating to said task from said mobile electronic device to said at least one electronic device; and

a performance system for accomplishing said task at said at least one electronic device.

18. The brokerage system of claim 17 wherein a plurality of electronic devices are located, said brokerage system further including:

a building system for building a plurality of electronic device scenarios, each being capable of accomplishing said task,

a selection system for selecting a built electronic device scenario from said plurality of electronic device scenarios;

said second transmission system for transmitting a set of instructions for said task from said mobile electronic device to each of said electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario; and

said performance system for accomplishing said task by said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario.

19. The brokerage system of claim 18 further including a third transmission system for transmitting deliverables from said compatible electronic devices within said selected built electronic device scenario to a preselected destination upon completion of said task.

20. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for performing a requested task between a mobile electronic device and an electronic device, said computer program product having;

computer readable program code means for transmitting a signal corresponding to said requested task from said mobile electronic device;

computer readable program code means for locating said electronic device within a receivable transmission range of said signal, said electronic device being capable of accomplishing said task;

computer readable program code means for transmitting information relating to said requested task from said mobile electronic device to said electronic device; and

computer readable program code means for enabling accomplishment of said requested task at said electronic device.