APPARATUS AND METHODS OF CONFIGURABLE SYSTEM EVENT AND RESOURCE ARBITRATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20090119773A1
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: PARK, David C., D'AMORE, Tianyu Li, BALASUBRAMANIAN, Srinivasan, BABBAR, Uppinder Singh
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for management and arbitration of dedicated mobile communication resources for mobile applications are provided. Mobile applications can be given a priority level that establishes an importance with respect to one or more other mobile applications and at least one mobile resource. If competing applications attempt to access the mobile resource concurrently, access can be provided to an application having higher priority level. Furthermore, control of a resource can be taken away from an application having lower priority in order to affect control of such resource for a higher priority application. In one aspect, a privilege code of an application can be verified prior to establishing control of the resource for the application, to mitigate a likelihood of inappropriate transfer of resources. Accordingly, the subject disclosure provides for management of dedicated resources for a mobile processing environment to effect important device functions with minimum delay.

Claims

1. A method of providing resource allocation for mobile device applications, comprising:

associating a first privilege code or a first priority level with a first mobile application of a mobile device;

associating a second privilege code or a second priority level with a second mobile application of the mobile device; and

allowing or denying access to a mobile device system resource for the first mobile application, based at least in part on whether the first priority level is higher than the second priority level, if the first mobile application and the second mobile application attempt to control the resource concurrently.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing access to the mobile device system resource if the resource is not utilized by another application or if a competing request associated with a higher priority level is not concurrently received.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling customization of the first and second privilege codes or priority levels associated with the first mobile application and second mobile application, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

defining a service provider level of access and a consumer level of access that each enable distinct degrees of customization of the first and second privilege codes or priority levels;

receiving a request to customize the first or second privilege code or priority level that specifies a service provider or consumer level of access; and

enabling customization of the first or second privilege code or priority level to an extent defined by a degree of customization that matches the specified level of access.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditioning allowance of access to the resource for the first mobile application at least in part upon verification of the first privilege code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a default set of priority levels or privilege codes for a set of predetermined mobile applications.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising enabling customization of the priority levels or privilege codes of the default set.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising revoking access to the resource for the first mobile application if a competing mobile application having higher priority level requests access to the resource while the first mobile device is controlling the resource.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

allowing access to the resource for the first mobile application once the competing mobile application terminates access to the resource;

or

periodically requesting access to the resource for the first mobile application after access to the resource is revoked.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the first privilege code, second privilege code, or the first privilege code and the second privilege code, based on a concurrent state of an operating environment (OE) of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing an audio decoder or a packet data protocol (PDP) context as the mobile device system resource.

12. An apparatus that manages resource allocation for mobile communication device applications, comprising:

a policy database configured to associate a privilege code, a priority level, or the privilege code and the priority level, with a mobile application of a mobile device; and

a policy management module configured to approve or deny access to a device or network resource (resource) for the mobile application based at least on the priority level or the privilege code.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a configuration module configured to provide customization of privilege code or priority level information for one or more mobile applications.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a custom configuration database configured to store a predetermined privilege code or priority level relationship for a set of predetermined mobile applications.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an authentication module configured to verify the privilege code of the mobile application, the policy management module conditions access to the resource upon proper privilege code verification.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

an access module configured to define at least a network provider level of access and a consumer level of access for customization of information within the policy database;

an assignment module configured to accord a network provider or consumer level of access to a user; and

an input module configured to receive information pertaining to user level of access.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the access module provides a different degree of customization for consumer level access and network provider level access.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the policy management module approves access to the resource for the mobile application if the priority level of the mobile application is higher than a second priority level of a competing application.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the policy management module denies access to the resource for the mobile application if the priority level of the mobile application is lower than a second priority level of a competing application.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an application scheduler configured to re-initiate a resource request for the mobile application if access to the resource is denied for the mobile application.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the mobile application initiates a request for the resource that includes an application ID and the privilege code;

the policy management component utilizes the application ID to identify the priority level within the policy database;

or

the configuration module is further configured to dynamically update the priority level of the mobile application based on a concurrent state of a mobile OE of the mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an access termination module configured to remove access to the resource if the policy management component receives a request for the resource from a second mobile application having higher priority level than the mobile application.

23. At least one processor configured to manage allocation of resources for mobile device applications, comprising:

a first module for associating a privilege code, a priority level, or the privilege code and the priority level, with a mobile application of a mobile device; and

a second module that approves or denies access to a system resource for the mobile application, the approval or denial being based at least on the priority level, the privilege code, or the priority level and the privilege code.

24. An apparatus that manages allocation of resources for mobile device applications, comprising:

means for associating a privilege code, a priority level, or the privilege code and the priority level, with a mobile application of a mobile device; and

means for approving or denying access to a system resource for the mobile application, the approval or denial being based at least on the priority level, the privilege code, or the priority level and the privilege code.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium containing instructions for managing allocation of system resources for mobile device applications, the instructions comprising;

at least one instruction for associating a privilege code, a priority level, or the priority level and the privilege code with a mobile application of a mobile device; and

at least one instruction for approving or denying access to a system resource for the mobile application, approval or denial being based at least on the priority level, the privilege code, or the priority level and the privilege code.

26. A method of facilitating management of a dedicated network resource for mobile device applications, comprising:

receiving a request to activate a dedicated network resource for a mobile application;

establishing the dedicated network resource for the mobile application;

receiving a request to establish the dedicated network resource to a second mobile application;

referencing a priority level or privilege code of the second mobile application; and

allowing or denying transfer of the dedicated network resource to the second mobile application based at least in part upon the priority level or privilege code.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising at least one of:

affiliating an application ID of the mobile application with the dedicated network resource upon establishing such resource for such application;

affiliating a second application ID of the second mobile application if transfer of the dedicated network resource to the second mobile application is allowed;

or

removing affiliation of the application ID of the mobile application and the dedicated network resource if the transfer of the dedicated network resource is allowed.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a request to access the dedicated network resource from the mobile application if the transfer was allowed; and

allowing access to the dedicated network resource for the mobile application if the dedicated network resource is not in use.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising employing a packet data protocol (PDP) context session or a voice data decoder as the dedicated network resource.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising conditioning transfer of the dedicated network resource on verifying a privilege code of the second mobile device application.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising conditioning transfer of the dedicated network resource on a comparison of the priority level of the second mobile application and an additional priority level of the mobile application.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising employing a user customized privilege code or priority level for the privilege code or priority level, respectively, of the second mobile application.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising including a default set of privilege codes and priority levels for a set of predetermined mobile applications, the privilege code or priority level of the second mobile application being chosen from the default set.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising allowing customization of one or more of the privilege codes or program levels of the default set, the privilege code or priority level of the second mobile application being customized by a user.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising querying the mobile application, if the transfer was allowed, to re-establish the dedicated network resource for the mobile application once the second mobile application has released control of such resource.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising querying the second mobile application, if the transfer was denied, to establish the dedicated network resource for the second mobile application once the mobile application has released control of the resource.

37. An apparatus that facilitates management of a dedicated network resource for mobile device applications, comprising:

an input interface configured to receive a request to establish access to a dedicated network resource for a mobile application;

memory containing at least an activation module configured to establish control of a dedicated network resource for the mobile application and a priority module configured to reference a priority level or privilege code of the mobile application if establishing control of the resource requires transfer of the resource from a second mobile application; and

a processor that executes the priority module to determine a priority of the mobile application or the activation module so as to allow or deny transfer of the dedicated network resource based at least in part on the priority level.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the activation module affiliates an application ID of the mobile application with the dedicated network resource upon establishing such resource for such application.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the activation module removes an affiliation between the dedicated network resource and an application ID of the second mobile application if the resource is transferred from the second mobile application to the mobile application.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the activation module establishes control of the dedicated network resource for the mobile application if the resource is not in use.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the dedicated network resource is a PDP context, a voice codec, or data decoder.

42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the priority module verifies at least a privilege code of the mobile application prior to the activation module establishing control of the dedicated network resource for the mobile application.

43. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the priority module compares the priority level of the mobile application to a second priority level of the second mobile application if establishing control of the dedicated network resource for the mobile application requires transfer of the resource from the second mobile application.

44. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the memory further contains a customization module configured to enable user customization of at least the priority level or privilege code of the mobile application.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, the customization module further establishes at least a network service provider level of customization or a consumer level of customization for network service providers or consumers, respectively, to set priority levels or privilege codes for mobile applications.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, the customization module includes a default set of privilege codes or priority levels for a predetermined set of mobile applications.

47. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the input interface receives a request to establish the dedicated network resource for the second mobile application if the resource was transferred from the second mobile application to the mobile application.

48. At least one processor that facilitates management of a dedicated network resource for mobile device applications, comprising:

a first module that receives a request to establish access to a dedicated network resource for a mobile application;

a second module that establishes control of a dedicated network resource for the mobile application; and

a third module that references a priority level or privilege code of the mobile application if establishing control of the resource requires transfer of the resource from a second mobile application.

49. An apparatus that facilitates management of a dedicated network resource for mobile device applications, comprising:

means for receiving a request to establish access to a dedicated network resource for a mobile application;

means for establishing control of a dedicated network resource for the mobile application; and

means for referencing a priority level or privilege code of the mobile application if establishing control of the resource requires transfer of the resource from a second mobile application.

50. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium containing instructions for facilitating management of a dedicated network resource for mobile device applications, the instructions comprising;

at least one instruction for receiving a request to establish access to a dedicated network resource for a mobile application;

at least one instruction for establishing control of a dedicated network resource for the mobile application; and

at least one instruction for referencing a priority level or privilege code of the mobile application if establishing control of the resource requires transfer of the resource from a second mobile application.