Method and device for the distributed execution of tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device in a low power radio network

• US 6,928,264 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Botteck, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/955,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20030054765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/517, 455/500, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and device for the distributed execution of tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device in a low power radio network. The invention utilizes a personal digital mobile device (PDMD), to store tasks until conditions are detected in which the task can be executed. In a first step a task to be executed is generated in the PDMD or transferred to the PDMD. What kind of task is generated or transferred is not important. The task is then stored in a memory in the PDMD. Then the PDMD checks all the devices it can access via LPRN, if they are able to execute the task. If such a device is found, the task will be transferred to that device for execution. The LPRN may be Bluetooth, WLAN, or something similar.

Claims

1. A method for the distributed execution of tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device (PDMD) in a low power radio network (LPRN), comprising the steps of:

generating a task in said PDMD;

storing the task in said PDMD;

establishing a link between said PDMD and said LPRN to detect a match of the task stored in PDMDs and the tasks executable by a device;

transferring said task stored in said PDMD to a device able to execute said task, if the ability to execute a task which matches the task stored in the PDMD is detected; and

executing said task in said device able to execute said task,

wherein said task is generated in said PDMD by transferring the task from a first device in the local range of said LPRN to said PDMD via said LPRN.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said link is established by said PDMD by broadcasting task related information.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of determining if said task stored in said PDMD is to be transferred to said device able to execute said task.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

6. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

8. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

9. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of determining if said task stored in said PDMD is to be transferred to said device able to execute said task.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

11. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

12. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said determination step comprises an authentication operation between the PDMD and said device able to execute said task.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein said authentication operation is performed by bonding.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

20. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein at least a part of the transfers between said PDMD and the device able to execute said task are encrypted.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

25. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein said confirmation comprises a result of the task.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the step of:

displaying said confirmation on said PDMD.

30. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

31. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

32. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

displaying said confirmation on said PDMD.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

34. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

35. A method according to claim 1, wherein said link is established by said devices able to execute tasks by broadcasting information related to their ability to execute tasks.

36. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of determining if said task stored in said PDMD is to be transferred to said device able to execute said task.

37. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

38. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

39. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

40. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

41. A method according to claim 40, further comprising the steps of displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

42. A method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of physically moving said PDMD.

43. An apparatus comprising a storage medium with a computer program stored therein for executing tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device (PDMD) in a low power radio network (LPRN), the computer program when executed on a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device, performing:

generating a task in said PDMD;

storing the task in said PDMD;

establishing a link between said PDMD and said LPRN to detect a match of the task stored in PDMDs and the tasks executable by a device;

determining if said task stored in said PDMD is to be transferred to said device able to execute said task;

transferring said task stored in said PDMD to a device able to execute said task, if the ability to execute a task which matches the task stored in the PDMD is detected; and

executing said task in said device capable of executing said task,

wherein said task is generated in said PDMD by transferring the task from a first device in the local range of said LPRN to said PDMD via said LPRN.

44. An apparatus according to claim 43, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform establishing said link by said PDMD by broadcasting task related information.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform determining if said task stored in said PDMD is to be transferred to said device able to execute said task.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said determining comprises an authentication operation between the PDMD and said device able to execute said task.

47. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said authentication operation is performed by bonding.

48. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein at least a part of the transfers between said PDMD and the device able to execute said task are encrypted.

49. An apparatus according to claim 44, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform transmitting a confirmation from said device executing said task to said PDMD.

50. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said confirmation comprises a result of the task.

51. An apparatus according to claim 49, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform displaying said confirmation on said PDMD.

52. An apparatus according to claim 44, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform physically moving said PDMD.

53. An apparatus according to claim 43, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform establishing said link by said devices able to execute tasks by broadcasting information related to their ability to execute tasks.

54. An apparatus according to claim 43, the computer program when executed further causing a personal digital mobile device, a computer or a network device to perform displaying status information of said device able to execute said task, and waiting for a user input for continuing or breaking off.

55. A personal digital mobile device, comprising:

low power radio transceiver to receive and transmit tasks from devices in a local range of a low power radio network;

storage means to store said tasks;

displaying means, to display status information of the device or the task;

computing means; and

detection means, to detect the location of other transceivers;

wherein the tasks are generated in the personal digital mobile device by receiving the tasks transferred from a first device in the local range of the low power radio network to the personal digital mobile device via the low power radio network.

56. A method for the distributed execution of tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device (PDMD) in a low power radio network (LPRN), comprising the steps of:

generating a task in said PDMD;

storing the task in said PDMD;

establishing a link between said PDMD and said LPRN to detect a match of the task stored in PDMDs and the tasks executable by a device;

transferring said task stored in said PDMD to a device able to execute said task, if the ability to execute a task which matches the task stored in the PDMD is detected; and

executing said task in said device able to execute said task,

wherein said task is generated in said PDMD after receiving a second task by said PDMD transferred from a first device in the local range of said LPRN via a network different than said LPRN.

57. A method for the distributed execution of tasks by means of a personal digital mobile device (PDMD) in a low power radio network (LPRN), comprising the steps of:

receiving a task transferred from a first device in the local range of said LPRN by said PDMD;

generating a second task in said PDMD, the second task being related to the received task;

storing the second task in said PDMD;

establishing a link between said PDMD and said LPRN to detect a match of the second task stored in PDMDs and the tasks executable by a device;

transferring said second task stored in said PDMD to a device able to execute said second task, if the ability to execute a task which matches the second task stored in the PDMD is detected; and

executing said second task in said device able to execute said second task,

wherein said second task is transferred by said PDMD and executed by said device automatically.