METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHARING AND MANAGING RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

• US 20120265874A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hoh, Baik, Tracton, Kenneth, Lee, Juong-Sik, Tingxin, Yan, Deepak, Ganesan
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An example approach is provided for sharing and managing resource availability information. One or more resource availability information is received. Further, one or more requests to access the one or more resource availability messages are received from at least one consuming device. Access to the one or more resource availability messages is reserved based, at least in part, on the one or more requests.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal;

the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based at least in part on the following;

one or more resource availability messages from one or more contributing devices;

one or more requests to access the one or more resource availability messages from at least one consuming device; and

at least one determination to reserve access to the one or more resource availability messages based, at least in part, on the one or more requests.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to cause at least in part a transmission of the one or more resource availability messages to the at least one consuming device based, at least in part, on the reserved access.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

one or more resource consumption messages from the at least one consuming device, wherein the one or more resource consumption messages include, at least in part, information regarding when the at least one consuming device intends to access at least one resource referenced in the resource message.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination of progress information that indicates, at least in part, progress made by the at least one consuming device towards accessing the at least one resource, by the contributing device towards making the at least one resource available, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to award or to deduct one or more points, one or more credits, monetary value, or a combination thereof to the at least one contributing device, the at least one consuming device, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the resource availability message, the request, the reserved access, a status of accessing at least one resource referenced in the resource availability message, or a combination thereof.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein at least one resource referenced in the one or more resource availability messages includes, at least in part, a location-based resource.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

a processing of one or more sensor information associated with the one or more contributing devices to determine one or more locations associated with the location-based resource; and

a determination of at least one geo-fence encompassing the one or more locations,

wherein the one or more resource availability messages are initiated based, at least in part, on a monitoring of location information associated with the one or more contributing devices with respect to the at least one geo-fence.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

a processing of the one or more sensor information to determine one or more activity states, one or more transitions between the one or more activity states, or a combination thereof,

wherein the determination of the one or more locations, the at least one geo-fence, or a combination thereof is further based, at least in part, on the one or more activity states.

9. A method of claim 7, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

a processing of the sensor information to determine a reentry of the one or more contributing devices within the at least one geo-fence; and

a determination of an estimated time from the reentry to an end of accessing of the location-based resource by the one or more contributing devices.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

a transmission of a notification regarding the location-based resource based, at least in part, on the estimated time.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive one or more resource availability messages from one or more contributing devices;

receive one or more requests to access the one or more resource availability messages from at least one consuming device; and

determine to reserve access to the one or more resource availability messages based, at least in part, on the one or more requests.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to transmit the one or more resource availability messages to the at least one consuming device based, at least in part, on the reserved access.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

receive one or more resource consumption messages from the at least one consuming device, wherein the one or more resource consumption messages include, at least in part, information regarding when the at least one consuming device intends to access at least one resource referenced in the resource message.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine progress information that indicates, at least in part, progress made by the at least one consuming device towards accessing the at least one resource, by the contributing device towards making the at least one resource available, or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to award or to deduct one or more points, one or more credits, monetary value, or a combination thereof to the at least one contributing device, the at least one consuming device, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the resource availability message, the request, the reserved access, a status of accessing at least one resource referenced in the resource availability message, or a combination thereof.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one resource referenced in the resource availability message includes, at least in part, a location-based resource.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of one or more sensor information associated with the one or more contributing devices to determine one or more locations associated with the location-based resource; and

determine at least one geo-fence encompassing the one or more locations,

wherein the one or more resource availability messages are initiated based, at least in part, on a monitoring of location information associated with the one or more contributing devices with respect to the at least one geo-fence.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more sensor information to determine one or more activity states, one or more transitions between the one or more activity states, or a combination thereof,

wherein the determination of the one or more locations, the at least one geo-fence, or a combination thereof is further based, at least in part, on the one or more activity states.

19. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the sensor information to determine a reentry of the one or more contributing devices within the at least one geo-fence; and

determine of an estimated time from the reentry to an end of accessing of the location-based resource by the one or more contributing devices.

20. An apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a transmission of a notification regarding the location-based resource based, at least in part, on the estimated time.

21-57. -57. (canceled)