System and method for distributing proximity information using a two-tiered bootstrap process

• US 7,143,129 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barillaud, Franck
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/918,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/222, 709/217, 709/224, 717/168
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and method for using an adaptable agent for downloading information to a handheld device in conjunction with the admittance to an event is presented. When a person attends an event, a generic bootstrap agent is downloaded into the persons'"'"' handheld device. The bootstrap agent downloads a lifecycle control agent that is the primary agent that requests and receives information corresponding to the event. Both agents monitor each other and restart each other if an agent is determined to not be operating properly. The agent is temporary and is removed when the event concludes. Information, or content, that is downloaded to the user'"'"'s handheld device may be stored for later retrieval after the event, or the information may be removed following a certain time limit as determined by the information vendor.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging data between computing devices, said method comprising:

identifying a receiving device;

sending a receiving agent to the receiving device, wherein the receiving agent identifies download data, and wherein the receiving agent includes a bootstrap agent and a lifecycle control agent that monitor each other while executing on the receiving device; and

downloading the identified download data to the receiving device.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

admitting a user of the receiving device to an event, wherein the sending is performed in response to the admitting.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising;

determining whether the receiving agent is operational; and

reinitializing the receiving agent in response to the determination.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a class of service; and

sending content information corresponding to the class of service to the receiving device.

5. The method as described on claim 4 wherein the class of service is selected from the group consisting of text only, video, video plus, and audio.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the receiving agent includes a service time;

setting a timer corresponding to the service time; and

de-activating the receiving agent in response to the timer reaching the service time.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying an event with an event identifier;

selecting event data corresponding to the event identifier; and

downloading selected event data to the receiving device.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a network interface for communicating with other information handling systems;

one or more nonvolatile storage areas accessible by the processors; and

a data exchange tool for sending and receiving wireless information, the data exchange tool including;

means for identifying a receiving device;

means for sending a receiving agent to the receiving device, wherein the receiving agent identifies download data, and wherein the receiving agent includes a bootstrap agent and a lifecycle control agent that monitor each other while executing on the receiving device; and

means for downloading the identified download data to the receiving device.

9. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for admitting a user of the receiving device to an event, wherein the sending is performed in response to the admitting.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for determining whether the receiving agent is operational; and

means for reinitializing the receiving agent in response to the determination.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for identifying a class of service; and

means for sending content information corresponding to the class of service to the receiving device.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 11 wherein the means for the class of service is selected from the group consisting of text only, video, video plus, and audio.

13. The information handling system as described in claim 8 wherein the means for the receiving agent includes a service time;

means for setting a timer corresponding to the service time; and

means for de-activating the receiving agent in response to the timer reaching the service time.

14. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for identifying an event with an event identifier;

means for selecting event data corresponding to the event identifier; and

means for downloading selected event data to the receiving device.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer operable medium for exchanging data between computing devices, said computer program product comprising:

means for identifying a receiving device;

means for sending a receiving agent to the receiving device, wherein the receiving agent identifies download data, and wherein the receiving agent includes a bootstrap agent and a lifecycle control agent that monitor each other while executing on the receiving device; and

means for downloading the identified download data to the receiving device.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising:

means for admitting a user of the receiving device to an event, wherein the sending is performed in response to the admitting.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising:

means for determining whether the receiving agent is operational; and

means for reinitializing the receiving agent in response to the determination.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising:

means for identifying a class of service; and

means for sending content information corresponding to the class of service to the receiving device.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 18 wherein the means for the class of service is selected from the group consisting of text only, video, video plus, and audio.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 15 wherein the means for the receiving agent includes a service time;

means for setting a timer corresponding to the service time; and

means for de-activating the receiving agent in response to the timer reaching the service time.

21. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising:

means for identifying an event with an event identifier;

means for selecting event data corresponding to the event identifier; and

means for downloading selected event data to the receiving device.