Method and apparatus for utility computing in ad-hoc and configured peer-to-peer networks

• US 7,716,286 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zerotouchdigital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zerotouchdigital Incorporated
• Inventors: Heins, Douglas B., Morey, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US12/496,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/204, 709/205, 709/220, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 717/174
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Executing a program structure by leveraging a peer-to-peer network comprises generating a program structure comprising a plurality of program instructions. A first of a plurality of network peers then executes a portion of the program instructions which initiates the execution of code hosted by said first network peer, where said portion comprising fewer than all program instructions. The first network peer then migrates one or more of the program instructions, together with any requisite data, to at least one other of the plurality of network peer. The at least one other network peer then continues execution of the program structure until one or more of the objections of the program structure are achieved.

Claims

1. A method of executing a program structure by leveraging a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising:

generating a non-compiled program structure comprising a plurality of non-compiled program instructions, wherein one or more of said program instructions comprises meta-data that provides information relating to the functional capabilities required to carry-out said one or more program instructions, said meta-data being readable by each of a plurality of network peers;

executing a portion of fewer than all of the non-compiled program instructions in a first of said plurality of network peers which initiates the execution of compiled code hosted by said first network peer, wherein executing said portion comprises reading meta-data and determining whether said first network peer hosts said compiled code;

migrating one or more of the non-compiled program instructions, together with any requisite data, to at least one other of the plurality of network peers; and

continuing execution of the non-compiled program structure in said at least one other network peer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one program instruction itself comprises one or more other program structures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first network peer migrates the entire program structure, together with any requisite data, to the at least one other network peer for continued execution of said program structure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising writing and inserting one or more program instructions into the program structure after the program structure has begun execution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one program instruction does not invoke the execution of code, but rather controls the manner in which said program structure is executed, said at least one program instruction comprising constraints, said constraints comprising one or more of a time to perform, a cost to perform, a priority to perform, and a location to perform one or more program instructions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one program instruction causes the insertion or deletion of one or more program instructions into the program structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the migrating step comprises:

said first network peer querying one or more network peers to identify the at least one other network peer; and

transferring one or more program instructions, together with any requisite data, to said at least one other network peer,

wherein said first network peer comprises a network peer in possession of the program structure and wherein said at least one other network peer comprises a network peer identified as capable of continuing execution of the transferred program instructions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first network peer, in response to said querying step, receives information relating to one or more capabilities of one or more of the plurality of network peers, the method further comprising:

creating and storing a record of said capabilities; and

evaluating said record to identify said at least one other network peer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the migrating step until one or more objectives of the program structure are achieved.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network peer encounters at least one program instruction that calls for the execution of code that is not hosted by said first network peer, and wherein the at least one other network peer is identified as hosting and as being capable of executing said code, the method further comprising:

migrating said at least one program instruction together with any requisite data, to said at least one other network peer,

said at least one other network peer executing the code called for by said at least one program instruction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network peers comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of personal computers, servers, mobile telephones, pagers, personal digital assistant (PDA), radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, data sensors, kiosks, automatic teller machines (ATMs), wireless fidelity (WiFi) access points, routers, embedded multi-dimensional barcodes, global positioning (GPS) devices, gaming devices, multi-media devices, cable set-top boxes, digital still and motion cameras, surveillance equipment, healthcare monitoring equipment, medical imaging devices, and assembly line components.

12. A system for executing a program structure by leveraging a peer-to-peer network, the system comprising:

a plurality of network peers in communication with each other, each of said network peers comprising a memory for storing code, and a processor for executing said code, at least a first of said network peers comprising code that when executed causes said first network peer to;

generate a non-compiled program structure comprising a plurality of non-compiled program instructions, wherein one or more of said program instructions comprises meta-data that provides information relating to the functional capabilities required to carry-out said one or more program instructions, said meta-data being readable by each of the plurality of network peers;

read meta-data and determine whether said first network peer hosts the compiled code needed to carry-out one or more of said non-compiled program instructions;

execute at least a portion of the non-compiled program instructions which initiate the execution of additional compiled code hosted by said first network peer;

migrate one or more of the non-compiled program instructions, together with any requisite data, to at least one other of the plurality of network peers; and

continue execution of the one or more non-compiled program instructions received from any other of the network peers.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said network peers comprises code that when executed, causes said network peer to write and insert one or more program instructions into the program structure to control the manner in which said program structure is executed, said program instructions comprising constraints, said constraints comprising one or more of a time to perform, a cost to perform, a priority to perform, and a location to perform one or more program instructions.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the program instructions initiates the insertion or deletion of one or more program instructions into or out of the program structure after the program structure has begun execution.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein at least said first network peer further comprises code that when executed, causes said first network peer to query one or more network peers to identify at least one other network peer;

and to transfer one or more program instructions, together with any requisite data, to said at least one other network peer,

wherein said at least one other network peer comprises a network peer identified as capable of continuing execution of transferred program instructions.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first network peer, in response to said querying step, receives information relating to one or more capabilities of one or more of the plurality of network peers, at least said first network peer further comprising:

code that when executed, causes said first network peer to create and store a record of said capabilities; and

evaluate said record to identify said at least one other network peer.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one program instruction itself comprises one or more other program structures.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of network peers comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of personal computers, servers, mobile telephones, pagers, personal digital assistant (PDA), radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, data sensors, kiosks, automatic teller machines (ATMs), wireless fidelity (WiFi) access points, routers, embedded multi-dimensional barcodes, global positioning (GPS) devices, gaming devices, multi-media devices, cable set-top boxes, digital still and motion cameras, surveillance equipment, healthcare monitoring equipment, medical imaging devices, and assembly line components.