WIRELESS DEVICE FOR GROUP ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT

• US 20110055901A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: BENNETT, JAMES D., KARAOGUZ, JEYHAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1012 to domains
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A system and method for establishing a group of wireless devices having shared media stored thereupon associates each group member device of the group of wireless devices, communicates with at least some of the group member devices of the group of wireless devices to identify shared media and upon receiving a request transmitted by a group member device of the group of wireless devices, supports access to shared media. The shared media may be stored on a different group member device, upon a managing server computer, or a media server. Upon a successful validation, the group member device that made the request is notified to facilitate the access to the shared media. The notification includes access information.

Claims

1. A wireless hand held group member device, comprising:

a communications interface operable to communicate with each of the plurality of group member devices via at least one wireless network;

memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and the memory, wherein the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to;

associate each of a plurality of devices with each other to a create a plurality of group member devices;

receive a request message from a second group member device to access at least one of shared media, services, and resources wherein the shared media comprises at least one of discrete media content and streaming media; and

communicate with the second group member device to support the requested access.

2. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is further operable to download the shared media from one of a media source or from a third group member device and to transmit the shared media to the second group member device.

3. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to transmit the shared media to the second group member device based on an authorization received from a media source.

4. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

receive access information from a third group member device, a media source, or a network service provider; and

forward the access information to the second group member device.

5. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to transmit access information to the second group member device comprising an encryption key.

6. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to decrypt at least a portion of the shared media prior to transmitting the shared media to the second group member device.

7. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

identify content stored on each of the group member devices;

transmit a content request message to a third group member device to request the shared media identified on the content list stored;

receive the requested shared media from the third group member device; and

transmit the requested shared media to the second group member device.

8. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

receive a request from the second group member device to share a resource;

transmit a permission message to the second group member device to allow access to the resource, the permission message specifying one of a plurality of tiered permissions that are based upon at least one the second group member device identity, capability, and group associations;

receive a response from the second group member device; and

operate according to commands received from the second group member device.

9. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

receive a request for a web server web page that offers authorized services from the second group member device over a first communication channel;

communicate with the web server associated with the requested web page over a second communication channel to receive a first response from the web server;

generate and transmit corresponding display information to the second group member device;

receive a second response from the second group member device; and

transmit the second response from the second group member device to the web server.

10. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 9, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

determine at least one web server address that corresponds to the requested web page;

determine the second group member device is authorized to access the at least one web server;

retrieve at least one Internet Protocol address for the web server to support operations associated with the second group member device request for the web page;

determine whether buffering, formatting, or protocol conversion is necessary; and

if required, buffer, format or perform a protocol conversion for transmissions between the web server and the second group member device.

11. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 9, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to transmit to the second group member device at least one of:

usage instructions;

methods of interaction with the web server; and

a busy indication.

12. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 1, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to:

maintain a billing record of fee based access to at least one of shared media, shared services and shared resources for each of the group member devices; and

transmit the billing record to a remote device to support billing operations.

13. A method for controlling access performed by a first wireless transceiver device, comprising:

receiving, in a processing circuitry coupled to a communications interface and a memory, a request message from a second wireless transceiver device to access a service, a resource or shared media, wherein the resource comprises at least one of hardware resources, software resources, stored data and content, and account and access information and logic; and

supporting the requested access by sending any one of an approval indication, the access information, or at least one signal that correspond to the requested access.

14. The method of claim 13 further including:

receiving an access request in the request message for resources of the first wireless transceiver device to enable the second wireless transceiver device to use wireless transceiver circuitry of the first wireless transceiver device; and

allowing the second wireless transceiver member device to use wireless transceiver circuitry of the first wireless transceiver device to make a call, wherein;

the first wireless transceiver device and the second wireless transceiver device communicate over one of a wireless local area network protocol, a personal area network protocol or a wired connection while the second wireless transceiver device is using the wireless transceiver circuitry of the first wireless transceiver device.

15. The method of claim 13 further including:

establishing an association of group member devices with the second wireless transceiver device transceiver device wherein the first wireless transceiver device transceiver device is a first group member device and the second wireless transceiver device transceiver device is a second group member device;

receiving, in the request message, a request to access shared media or a shared service;

based on an identity of the second group member device and characteristics of the requested shared media or service identified in the request message, determining at least one of;

whether at least one hardware resource is required to be shared with the second group member device to support the authorized access;

whether a software resource is required to be shared with the second group member device to support the authorized access; and

whether account or access information is required to be shared with the second group member device to support the authorized access.

16. The method of claim 15 further including transmitting access information to the second group member device comprising an encryption key.

17. The method of claim 13 further including decrypting at least a portion of the shared media prior to transmitting the shared media to the second group member device.

18. The method of claim 15 further including:

identifying content stored on each of the group member devices;

transmitting a content request message to a third group member device and requesting the shared media identified on the content list stored; and

receiving the requested shared media from the third group member device and delivering the received shared media to the second group member device.

19. The method of claim 15 further including:

receiving a request to share a hardware resource from the second group member device;

transmitting display information to the second group member device;

receiving a response from the second group member device; and

operating according to commands received from the second group member device.

20. The method of claim 15 further including:

receiving a request from the second group member device over a first communication channel for a web server web page that offers authorized services;

communicating with the web server associated with the requested web page over a second communication channel to receive content from the web server;

generating and transmitting corresponding display information to the second group member device;

receiving a response from the second group member device; and

transmitting the response from the second group member device to the web server.

21. The method of claim 15 further including transmitting to the second group member device at least one of:

usage instructions;

methods of interaction with the web server;

testing related parameters; and

requests for authorization of currently unauthorized functionality.

22. The method of claim 15 further including:

determining at least one web site address that corresponds to the requested web page;

determining the second group member device is authorized to access the at least one web site; and

retrieving at least one Internet Protocol address for the at least one web site to support operations associated with the second group member device request for the web page.

23. A wireless hand held group member device for managing a group of wireless devices, the wireless hand held group member device comprising:

a communications interface operable to communicate with each of the group of wireless devices via at least one of a wired and a wireless network;

memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and the memory, wherein the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface and memory, is operable to;

communicate with at least some of the group of wireless devices to establish an associated group of member devices;

receive a request transmitted by a requesting group member device to access at least one of a shared service, media or resource; and

communicate with the requesting group member device to facilitate the access by, at least one of;

transmit at least one of an approval indication or access information;

allow the requesting group member device to use hardware or software resources of the wireless handheld group member device;

forward streaming media to the requesting group member device; and

transmit shared media to the requesting group member device.

24. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry further operable to maintain a content list of shared media content stored in the each group member device of the group of wireless devices and to transmit the content list to at least one of the group member devices.

25. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface, is further operable to:

receive a content request message originated by the requesting group member device for shared media previously delivered to a another group member device;

authorize the requesting group member device to access to the shared media that was previously delivered to the other group member device; and

transmit access information to at least one of the requesting and other group member devices to enable the requesting group member device to access shared media stored on the other group member device.

26. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface, is further operable to retrieve the shared media from one of a media source or another group member device for access by or delivery to the requesting group member device.

27. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry further operable to support different levels of access for at least two of the group member devices.

28. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry further operable to:

monitor a number of times shared media or service is accessed by one or more group member devices; and

deny access after the shared media or service has been accessed a specified number of times the one or more group member devices.

29. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 28, the processing circuitry further operable to:

maintain a billing record for fee based access to shared media or services by the group member devices of the group of wireless devices.

30. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface, is further operable to:

buffer shared media that is received from the media source; and

transmit the buffered shared media to the group member device.

31. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface, is further operable to:

determine a required format or protocol for the shared media for the group member device based upon device capabilities of the group member device;

format the shared media to correspond with the required format or protocol; and

transmit the shared media in the required format or protocol to the group member device.

32. The wireless hand held group member device of claim 23, the processing circuitry, in combination with the communications interface, is further operable to transmit access information including an encryption key to the group member device or to at least partially decrypt the shared media content prior to allowing access to the shared media content by the group member device.