METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SHARED SERVICES

• US 20100210265A1
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Moloney, Seamus, Borzsei, Mihaly Laszlo
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer

Abstract

An approach is provided for shared mobile web services. A community including multiple mobile web servers providing a shared web service is designated. In the event one mobile web server is unavailable to service a request directed to the shared web service, another mobile web server is selected to provide the shared web service.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least perform the following steps:

designating a plurality of mobile servers as a community for sharing a service, wherein the shared service is provided by one of the mobile servers acting as a primary server;

detecting unavailability of the primary server to provide the shared service; and

selecting another one of the mobile servers in the community as a secondary server to provide the shared service.

2. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein each of the mobile servers is configured to provide a plurality of services including the shared service, and to maintain a service descriptor to specify data relating to the services.

3. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service descriptor includes a set of files corresponding to the services, a distribution list specifying which ones of the services are temporarily disabled, and a distribution rule specifying one or more rules relating to how the shared service is provided.

4. A computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

initiating creation of a subdomain for the community using the distribution rule.

5. A computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

initiating a dynamic domain name service process to create the subdomain.

6. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

initiating load balancing among the mobile servers of the community for the shared service.

7. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that if executed cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

designating a plurality of mobile servers as a community for sharing a service, wherein the shared service is provided by one of the mobile servers acting as a primary server;

detecting unavailability of the primary server to provide the shared service; and

selecting another one of the mobile servers in the community as a secondary server to provide the shared service.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the mobile servers is configured to provide a plurality of services including the shared service, and to maintain a service descriptor to specify data relating to the services.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the service descriptor includes a set of files corresponding to the services, a distribution list specifying which ones of the services are temporarily disabled, and a distribution rule specifying one or more rules relating to how the shared service is provided.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to initiate creation of a subdomain for the community using the distribution rule.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to initiate a dynamic domain name service process to create the subdomain.

12. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to initiate load balancing among the mobile servers of the community for the shared service.

13. A system comprising an apparatus of claim 7, the system further comprising:

a base station configured to communicate with the mobile servers.

14. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least perform the following steps:

initiating registration of a shared service with a gateway, wherein the shared service is provided over a wireless network;

initiating storage of service descriptor information about the shared service;

initiating updating or synchronization of the service descriptor information based on a control message received from the gateway; and

providing the shared service in response to the update or synchronization of the service description information.

15. A computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

initiating transmission of content associated with the shared service to a device requesting the shared service.

16. A computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

detecting a busy condition that triggers unavailability of the shared service; and

initiating redirection of a request for the shared service.

17. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that if executed cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

initiating registration of a shared service with a gateway, wherein the shared service is provided over a wireless network;

initiating storage of service descriptor information about the shared service;

initiating updating or synchronization of the service descriptor information based on a control message received from the gateway; and

providing the shared service in response to the update or synchronization of the service description information.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the mobile servers is configured to initiate transmission of content associated with the shared service to a device requesting the shared service.

19. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the mobile servers is configured to detect a busy condition that triggers unavailability of the shared service, and to initiate redirection of a request for the shared service.

20. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.