RESOURCE AGGREGATION IN AN OPPORTUNISTIC NETWORK

• US 20080299951A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Karkanias, Chris Demetrios, Hodges, Stephen Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A wireless opportunistic network that can facilitate resource aggregation by way of interconnected devices is disclosed. In accordance with this opportunistic network, a mobile device can effectively ‘dock’ into the network thereby enabling resources to be shared between devices within the network. In this manner, the docked mobile device can leverage resources available in each of the individual devices of the network. This functionality can be used in many scenarios related to heath from, monitoring patients and analyzing basic diagnostic data to identifying bioterrorism by way of collaborating resources between devices within the network.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates allocation of computational resources via an opportunistic network, comprising:

a resource aggregation component that establishes a link of a mobile device to a support device wherein a resource from the support device is shared by way of the opportunistic network; and

a profile management component that identifies a plurality of user-specific parameters which are employed to manage the resource via the support device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein identification of the support device dynamically changes as a function of at least one of location or context.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the link is determined based upon acuteness or severity of a health-related situation.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network analysis component that identifies a plurality of devices within the opportunistic network; and

a connection management component that selects a subset of the plurality of devices based upon resources available in each of the subset of devices, wherein the support device is one of the subset of devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the connection management component determines the subset of devices as a function of at least one of availability, location, functionality, context or policy criteria.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a device discovery component that locates the plurality of devices within the opportunistic network; and

a device analysis component that analyzes each of the plurality of devices, wherein the resource aggregation component employs the analysis to select the support device.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising a context analysis component that identifies a context, wherein the support device is selected based upon the context.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising a device selection component that analyzes the mobile device and context and selects the support device.

9. The system of claim 4, further comprising a device connection component that routes data to/from the resource.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device criteria component that maintains information related to a plurality of devices within the opportunistic network, wherein the support device is selected from the plurality of devices based upon a subset of the information.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an application criteria component that maintains information related to a plurality of applications, wherein the information is employed to render data by way of the support device.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component that automatically selects the support device based upon at least one of a probabilistic or a statistical-based analysis.

13. A computer-implemented method of pooling resources between a plurality of devices in an opportunistic network, comprising:

receiving health-related data from at least one device in the wireless opportunistic network; and

employing a resource in a disparate device in the opportunistic network to one of process or render the health-related data based upon a heath-related protocol.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising establishing a network connection with the opportunistic network.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising determining a resource requirement, wherein the resource requirement is employed to identify the disparate device that includes a resource capable of processing or rendering the health-related data.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising selecting the disparate device from the plurality of devices in the opportunistic network based upon context.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising establishing one of a wired or wireless link between the at least one device and the disparate device, wherein the link facilitates use of the resource.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining capability of each of the plurality of devices; and

selecting the disparate device as a function of the capability in view of the health-related protocol.

19. A computer-executable system that facilitates docking a mobile device within an opportunistic networking framework, comprising:

means for establishing the opportunistic networking infrastructure by occasional or periodic interconnection of a plurality of mobile devices;

means for analyzing the mobile device; and

means for pooling data or resources between the mobile device and a subset of the plurality of devices within the opportunistic networking infrastructure.

20. The computer-executable system of claim 19, further comprising means for inferring the subset of the plurality of devices as a function of content or context of a health related situation.