Temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes to perform function

• US 20120131226A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Mark B., Wilson, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

That a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has occurred is detected. In response, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network is created via intercommunication among the hardware nodes. After the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has been created, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network performs a given function. A particular hardware node within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network can perform a roll call request so that it ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network. Performing the roll call request can include ascertaining that a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting that a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has occurred;

creating the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes via intercommunication among the hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring; and

, after the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has been created, performing a given function by the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the given function is associated with the trigger that resulted in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the given function is not preordained prior to the creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the trigger has occurred comprises one or more of:

determining by a particular hardware node that the given function is to be performed, such that the particular hardware node becomes one of the hardware nodes of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network;

determining that a plurality of hardware nodes are within geographical vicinity of one another, such that the plurality of hardware nodes become founding hardware nodes of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network;

evaluating one or more predefined criteria by the particular hardware node, where evaluation of the predefined criteria results in a determination that the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes including the given node is to be created.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a roll call request by a first hardware node within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network so that the first hardware node ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein performing the roll call request by the first hardware node comprises ascertaining a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the threshold is associated with one or more of:

the given function that is being performed by the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes, such that so long as the correctness of the list is sufficient for the given function being performed, greater correctness of the list is unnecessary;

a size of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network, such that the threshold decreases as the size increases;

an amount of bandwidth available for the hardware nodes to communicate with one another, such that the threshold decreases as the amount of bandwidth decreases.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein performing the roll call request by the first hardware node comprises:

sending by the first hardware node the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network as maintained at the first hardware node to a second hardware node;

at the second hardware node, comparing the list of the hardware nodes as maintained at the first hardware node with the list of the hardware nodes as maintained at the second hardware node;

in response to determining that the list of the hardware nodes as maintained at the second hardware node includes a third hardware node not present within the list of the hardware nodes as maintained at the first hardware node, sending an identity of the third hardware node from the second hardware node back to the first hardware node;

sending an indication that the second hardware node is still in the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network from the second hardware node back to the first hardware node; and

,

in response to the first hardware node receiving the identity of the third hardware node, sending by the first hardware node the list of hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network as maintained at the first hardware node to the third hardware node.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a first trigger, and the method further comprises, after the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has been created:

detecting that a second trigger for an additional hardware node to join the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has occurred; and

,

joining the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network by the additional hardware node responsive to the second trigger occurring.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting that the second trigger has occurred comprises one or more of:

determining by the additional hardware node that the additional hardware node is able to assist in performing the given function;

determining by the additional hardware node that the additional hardware node is within geographical vicinity of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network;

evaluating one or more predefined criteria by the additional hardware node, where evaluation of the predefined criteria results in a determination that the additional hardware node is to join the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a first trigger, and the method further comprises, after the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has been created:

detecting that a second trigger for an existing hardware node to leave the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has occurred; and

, leaving the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network by the existing hardware node responsive to the second trigger occurring.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting that the second trigger has occurred comprises one or more of:

determining by the existing hardware node that the existing hardware node is no longer needed in performing the given function;

determining by the existing hardware node that the existing hardware node is no longer within geographical vicinity of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network;

evaluating one or more predefined criteria by the existing hardware node, where evaluation of the predefined criteria results in a determination that the existing hardware node is to leave the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing computer-executable code executable by a given hardware node to perform a method comprising:

detecting that a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes including the given hardware node has occurred;

initiating creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring, to result in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes; and

,

participating in the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes so that the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes performs a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in the creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises performing a roll call request so that the given hardware node ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of claim 14, wherein performing the roll call request comprises ascertaining a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

16. A hardware node comprising:

a hardware communication mechanism to communicate with one or more other hardware nodes;

first logic to detect that a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes including the other hardware nodes has occurred, and to initiate creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring via communicating with the other hardware nodes using the hardware communication mechanism, to result in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes; and

,

second logic to participate in the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes so that the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes performs a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in the creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes.

17. The hardware node of claim 16, further comprising third logic to ascertain a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

18. The hardware node of claim 17, wherein the third logic is to ascertain a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

19. A system comprising:

a plurality of hardware nodes organizable as a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network,

wherein a first hardware node of the plurality of hardware nodes is to detect that a trigger for creating the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has occurred,

wherein the hardware nodes are to create the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network via intercommunication among the hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring, and

wherein after the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has been created, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network is to perform a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a second hardware node of the plurality of hardware nodes is to perform a roll call request so that the second hardware node ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network,

and wherein the second hardware node is to ascertain a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.