METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR OPERATIONAL ROUTING BETWEEN PROXIMATE DEVICES

• US 20130237147A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Dearman, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,936,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/502 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are herein provided for operational routing between proximate devices. A method may include receiving an indication that a second device is proximate a first device. The method may further include receiving an indication of at least one functional capability of the second device. The method may further include causing, by a processor, transfer of an operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a second device is proximate a first device;

receiving an indication of at least one functional capability of the second device; and

causing, by a processor, transfer of an operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein causing transfer of the operation comprises:

determining a first capability value of the first device based at least in part on at least one functional capability of the first device and the operation;

determining a second capability value for the second device based at least in part on the at least one functional capability of the second device and the operation; and

causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device in an instance in which the second capability value exceeds the first capability value.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the second capability value of the second device further comprises determining the second capability value based on a user defined preference and wherein determining the first capability value of the first device further comprises determining the first capability value based on the user defined preference.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing performance of the operation on the first device prior to receiving an indication that the second device is proximate the first device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein causing transfer of the operation comprises causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device in an instance in which a user defined setting indicates that transfer of the operation is enabled.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein causing transfer of the operation comprises automatically causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing a user to be prompted as to whether the operation should be transferred from the first device to the second device, and wherein causing transfer of the operation comprises causing transfer of the operation in an instance in which the user indicates that the operation should be transferred from the first device to the second device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operation comprises one of receiving a call, initiating a call, receiving a text message, sending a text message, executing an application, or playing a video.

9. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication that a second device is proximate a first device;

receive an indication of at least one functional capability of the second device; and

cause transfer of an operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause transfer of the operation by:

determining a first capability value of the first device based at least in part on at least one functional capability of the first device and the operation;

determining a second capability value for the second device based at least in part on the at least one functional capability of the second device and the operation; and

causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device in an instance in which the second capability value exceeds the first capability value.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to determine the second capability value of the second device by further determining the second capability value based on a user defined preference and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to determine the first capability value of the first device by further determining the first capability value based on the user defined preference.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause performance of the operation on the first device prior to receiving an indication that the second device is proximate the first device.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause transfer of the operation by causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device in an instance in which a user defined setting indicates that transfer of the operation is enabled.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause transfer of the operation by automatically causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause a user to be prompted as to whether the operation should be transferred from the first device to the second device, and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause transfer of the operation by causing transfer of the operation in an instance in which the user indicates that the operation should be transferred from the first device to the second device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the operation comprises one of receiving a call, initiating a call, receiving a text message, sending a text message, executing an application, or playing a video.

17. Computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions means stored thereon, the program code portions being a computer readable medium and configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to:

receive an indication that a second device is proximate a first device;

receive an indication of at least one functional capability of the second device; and

cause transfer of an operation from the first device to the second device based on at least one functional capability of the first device and the at least one functional capability of the second device and further based on the operation.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the program code portions are further configured, when run on a computer or network device, to cause transfer of the operation by:

determining a first capability value of the first device based at least in part on at least one functional capability of the first device and the operation;

determining a second capability value for the second device based at least in part on the at least one functional capability of the second device and the operation; and

causing transfer of the operation from the first device to the second device in an instance in which the second capability value exceeds the first capability value.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the program code portions are further configured, when run on a computer or network device, to determine the second capability value of the second device by further determining the second capability value based on a user defined preference and wherein the program code portions are further configured, when run on a computer or network device, to determine the first capability value of the first device by further determining the first capability value based on the user defined preference.

20. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the program code portions are further configured, when run on a computer or network device, to cause performance of the operation on the first device prior to receiving an indication that the second device is proximate the first device.