Application control in peer-to-peer ad-hoc communication networks
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a memory device including a distributed application directory, the directory listing at least all applications resident in the wireless device; and
a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to an application program in the device, the processor configured to;
exchange distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing;
choose a selected application from a list of application programs in the combined distributed applications directory;
assign a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device;
examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with the selected prioritized application; and
determine a behavior for the selected application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system, method, and computer program product for controlling access to an application program in a wireless device connected to an ad-hoc communications network. The method comprises sending an inquiry message to the network, receiving a response, choosing a selected application, and examining control parameters associated with the selected application. The control parameters dictate a behavior of the selected application such as allowing or refusing communication with the selected application. When a nearby wireless device includes a matching application, connecting the selected application and the matching application further comprises sending a connection request, receiving connection response, launching the selected application, and sending a service request. When the selected application closes, the method further comprises erasing the selected application. To choose the selected application, the method further comprises retrieving an entry from a distributed application directory or selecting the application based on a priority assigned to the entry.
166 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a memory device including a distributed application directory, the directory listing at least all applications resident in the wireless device; and a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to an application program in the device, the processor configured to; exchange distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; choose a selected application from a list of application programs in the combined distributed applications directory; assign a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with the selected prioritized application; anddetermine a behavior for the selected application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system, comprising:
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a memory device including a distributed application directory in a middleware layer, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network; and a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to an application program in the device, the processor configured to; send an inquiry message to the ad-hoc communications network; receive a response to the inquiry message from a nearby wireless device; choose a selected application from a list of prioritized application programs in the distributed applications directory by retrieving an entry from the distributed application directory stored in the middleware layer portion of the memory device, the entry associating the selected prioritized application and the nearby device and including said at least one control parameter; and examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states; user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the selected prioritized application, wherein said at least one control parameter dictates a behavior of the selected prioritized application; wherein the choice of the selected application is based on a priority assigned to the entry, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and the corresponding application priority to the nearby device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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exchanging distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; choosing a selected application from a list of application programs in the combined distributed applications directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in the ad-hoc network; assigning a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examining at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with the selected application for controlling access to the selected application; anddetermining a behavior for the selected application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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sending an inquiry message to the ad-hoc communications network; receiving a response to the inquiry message from a nearby wireless device; choosing a selected application from a list of prioritized application programs in a distributed applications directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network; examining at least one control parameter associated from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications with the selected application for controlling access to the selected application, wherein said at least one control parameter dictates a behavior of the selected application; andretrieving an entry from the distributed application directory stored in the middleware layer portion of a memory device, the entry associating the selected application and the nearby device and including said at least one control parameter; wherein the choice of the selected application is based on a priority assigned to the entry, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and the corresponding application priority to the nearby device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, comprising:
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a computer readable medium storing; program code for exchanging distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; program code for choosing a selected application from a list of application programs in the combined distributed applications directory; program code for assigning a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; program code for examining at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with the selected application for controlling access to the selected prioritized application; andprogram code for determining a behavior for the selected application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A system, comprising:
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a memory device including a distributed applications directory; and a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to a selected prioritized application in the device, the processor configured to; receive a service request from a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network to connect to an application; exchange distributed application directory information with the nearby wireless device for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; assign a priority for the requested application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with a matching application program in the nearby device for connection to the requested prioritized application; anddetermine a behavior for the requested application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method comprising:
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receiving a service request from a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network to connect to an application exchanging distributed application directory information with the nearby wireless device for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; assigning a priority for the requested application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examining at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with a matching application program for the requested prioritized application for controlling access to the requested prioritized application. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, comprising:
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a computer readable medium storing; program code for receiving a service request from a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network to connect to an application; program code for exchanging distributed application directory information with the nearby wireless device for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; program code for assigning a priority for the requested application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; program code for examining at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with a matching application program for the requested prioritized application. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A system, comprising:
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a memory device; and a processor disposed in communication with the memory device, the processor configured to; maintain a local information database including a distributed directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network in each said at least one device, the local information database associating at least one prioritized application program with at least one control parameter, said at least one application program including said at least one prioritized application program, and said at least one prioritized application program including a preferred application program; conduct an inquiry of the ad-hoc communications network to discover at least one nearby device in said at least one device, the inquiry including an indication that said at least one nearby device may include a middleware layer; exchange distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over the wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; access the combined distributed application directory listing to identify the preferred application program in said at least one prioritized application program; assign a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; and access the local information database to examine in the combined distributed applications directory said at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the preferred application program. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method, comprising:
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maintaining a local information database including a distributed application directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network in each said at least one device, the local information database associating at least one prioritized application program with at least one control parameter, said at least one application program including said at least one prioritized application program, and said at least one prioritized application program including the preferred application program; conducting an inquiry of the ad-hoc communications network to discover at least one nearby device in said at least one device, the inquiry including an indication that said at least one nearby device may include a middleware layer; exchanging distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over the wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; accessing the combined distributed application directory listing to identify the preferred application program in said at least one prioritized application program; assigning a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; and accessing the local information database to examine in the combined distributed applications directory said at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the preferred application program. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, comprising:
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a computer readable medium storing; program code for maintaining a local information database including a distributed application directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network in each said at least one device, the local information database associating at least one prioritized application program with at least one control parameter, said at least one application program including said at least one prioritized application program, and said at least one prioritized application program including the preferred application program; program code for conducting an inquiry of the ad-hoc communications network to discover at least one nearby device in said at least one device, the inquiry including an indication that said at least one nearby device may include a middleware layer; program code for exchanging distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over the wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; program code for accessing the combined distributed application directory listing to identify the preferred application program in said at least one prioritized application program; program code for assigning a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; and program code for accessing the local information database to examine in the combined distributed applications directory said at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the preferred application program.
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52. A system, comprising:
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means for maintaining a local information database including a distributed applications directory, the directory listing all applications resident in each device in an ad-hoc network in each said at least one device, the local information database associating at least one prioritized application program with at least one control parameter, said at least one application program including said at least one prioritized application program, and said at least one prioritized application program including the preferred application program; means for conducting an inquiry of the ad-hoc communications network to discover at least one nearby device in said at least one device, the inquiry including an indication that said at least one nearby device may include a middleware layer; means for exchanging distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over the wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; means for accessing the combined distributed application directory listing to identify the preferred application program in said at least one prioritized application program; means for assigning a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; and means for accessing the local information database to examine in the combined distributed applications directory said at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the preferred application program.
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53. A wireless device, comprising:
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a memory device including at least one application program, operating system software, and a distributed application directory in a middleware layer; said distributed applications directory listing each application that is resident in each device in an ad-hoc communications network; a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to an application program in the device, the processor configured to; exchange distributed application directory information with a nearby wireless device over a wireless ad-hoc communications network for providing a combined distributed application directory listing; choose a selected application from a list of application programs in the combined distributed applications directory; assign a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications in the combined distributed applications directory associated with the selected prioritized application; andlaunch the selected prioritized application to enable the wireless device and the nearby wireless device to communicate via the selected prioritized application. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for launching an application runnable in a wireless device and a nearby device connected to an ad-hoc communication network and enabling the wireless device to communicate with the nearby device via the application and perform the following method:
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at start, determining if an application to be launched is in the wireless device; if not, copy and install permanently or temporarily in the wireless device, the application; from the nearby device and return to start; determining if the application is in the nearby wireless device; if not, copy the application from the wireless device to the nearby wireless device, and return to start; determining if the application running in the nearby device; if yes, let the wireless device and the nearby wireless device communicate via the application until terminated and return to start; if not, determine if the application is running in the wireless device; if yes, return to start, and if not, start the application in the wireless device and return to start.
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63. A system, comprising:
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a memory device including a distributed application directory in a middleware layer, the directory listing all applications resident in each wireless device in an ad-hoc network; and a processor disposed in communication with the memory device for controlling access to an application program in the device, the processor configured to; choose a selected application from a list of application programs in the distributed applications directory; assign a priority for the selected application based on the combined distributed applications directory, wherein the priority is calculated from a local application priority and corresponding application priority of the nearby device; examine at least one control parameter from the group comprising application states;
user-defined application settings and macros, wherein the macros comprise (i) auto-download, (ii) downloadable, (iii) auto-launch-everything and (iv) transfer and state indications associated with the selected application; anddetermine a behavior for the selected application based on the assigned priority and the at least one control parameter.
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Specification