Domestic system resource access priority management method and device for the implementation thereof

• US 6,981,044 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Coez, Fabienne, Fannechère, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/719,149
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-226, 709/229, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a process for managing priorities of access of applications to resources of devices linked by a communication network.

The process is characterized in that the said process comprises the steps:

• • of allocating, to each application, a level of priority of access to the resources of the network, the said levels comprising at least the following levels:
    • (a) a first access priority level for an application which is not under the direct control of a user,
    • (b) a second access priority level for an application which can be commanded directly by a user,
    • of authorizing preemption by a first application of access to a resource, which access was obtained previously by a second application, as a function of the respective access priorities of the first and second applications.

Claims

1. Process for managing priorities of access of applications to resources of devices linked by a communication network, the process comprising:

allocating, to each application, a level of priority of access to the resources of the network, the said levels comprising at least two levels of priority,

a negotiation phase during which a first application requests abandonment, for the benefit of the first application, of a resource by a second application, wherein the second application agrees to abandon the resource or refuses to abandon the resource, and

a preemption phase during which the first application preempts access to the resource by the second application as a function of the respective priorities of the first and second applications and as a function of the result of the negotiation.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein a resource simultaneously allows accesses by at least N applications, N being greater than or equal to 1.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein said priority levels include a first level for applications not under the direct control of a user and a second level for applications which can be controlled directly by a user.

4. Process according to claim 3, wherein a phase of preemption of an application having the second priority level by an application having the first priority level is always preceded by a negotiation phase.

5. Process according to claim 3, wherein a phase of preemption of an application having the second priority level by an application having the second priority level is always preceded by a negotiation phase.

6. Process according to claim 3, wherein there are provided at least three priority levels, the third priority level being higher than the second priority level, the latter being higher than the first priority level, there is a negotiation phase if the priority level of the first application is identical to or lower than the priority level of the second application.

7. Process according to claim 3, wherein there is preemption directly without negotiation if the security level of the first application is higher than the security level of the second application.

8. Process according to claim 2, wherein an application making an attempt to reserve access for a resource already reserved by N client applications is placed in a queue, standing by for the freeing of the resource by one of the N client applications.

9. Process according to claim 8, wherein an application is placed on standby in a queue only if this is specified by this application in its access request.

10. Process according to claim 1 furthermore including the steps:

of allocating a primary level of rights of access, for a given resource, to an application having requested access to this resource first,

of allocating a secondary level of rights of access to other applications reserving the said resource, the rights of access of the secondary level being such that they do not interfere with the rights of access of the primary level.

11. Process according to claim 10, wherein, following a command transmitted by an application having a secondary level right of access to a resource, the resource itself determines whether this command does or does not interfere with the access rights of the primary level.

12. Process according to claim 10, wherein a resource agrees to any command received from the application having a primary level right of access to this resource, even if the execution of the command interferes with the commands previously received from an application having a secondary level of right of access.

13. Process according to claim 10, wherein preemption and, as appropriate negotiation, is authorized only so as to force abandonment of an access held by an application having a primary access level.

14. Process according to claim 3, further comprising the step of requesting authorization of a user to abandon or not to abandon a resource reserved by an application of the second priority level during the negotiation step.