Processor sharing between in-range devices

• US 8,452,847 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D., Seshadri, Nambi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US10/885,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,248 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and method for processor sharing between in-range devices. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a wireless communication link between a first system and a second system, for example, utilizing respective communication modules. A processing capability of the second system that is available for use with the first system may be identified, for example, by respective processing capability identification modules. An indication of the identified processing capability may be output, for example, by respective output modules of at least one of the first and second systems. A request for utilizing the identified processing capability of the second system with the first system may be received, for example, by respective interface modules of at least one of the first and second systems. The requested processing capability of the second system may be utilized with the first system, for example, by respective processing modules of the systems.

Claims

1. In a first system, a method for utilizing processing of a second system by the first system, the method comprising:

initiating, by the first system, establishment of a wireless communication link with the second system;

identifying, by the first system, a processing capability of the second system that is available for use by the first system, wherein said identifying takes place prior to any utilization of said identified processing capability by the first system, and said identifying comprises;

receiving information from the second system regarding computer applications that the second system is capable of executing; and

identifying a computer application on the second system that is capable of being utilized by the first system, where a reduced-capability version of the identified computer application resides on the first system;

communicating, by the first system, to the second system, a request for utilizing the identified processing capability; and

utilizing, by the first system, the requested processing capability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified computer application is a word-processing application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the processing capability comprises:

receiving, by the first system, security information from the second system, the security information comprising information related to one or both of how data from the first system is stored by the second system and how data from the first system is deleted by the second system; and

determining, based at least in part on the security information, whether the processing capability is available for use with the first system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the processing capability comprises:

communicating information of communication capability with the second system; and

determining, based at least in part on the information of communication capability, whether the processing capability is available for use by the first system.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising outputting an indication of the identified processing capability, wherein the outputting comprises outputting a human-perceivable indication of the identified processing capability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating of the request for utilizing the identified processing capability with the first system comprises communicating the request from a user of the first system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the utilizing of the requested processing capability by the first system comprises the first system controlling execution of the requested processing capability on the second system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the utilizing of the requested processing capability by the first system comprises communicating to the second system one or both of:

data to be processed by the requested processing capability; and

information of the location of data to be processed by the requested processing capability.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the first system, instructions from the second system regarding remedying a compatibility issue between the first system and the second system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said identifying, receiving configuration information from a user related to automatic generation of said request upon determination that the particular processing capability is available for use with the first system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said utilizing, interacting wirelessly directly with a third system to perform a function, and wherein utilizing the requested processing capability with the first system comprises utilizing the second system to interact wirelessly directly with the third system to perform the function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third system comprises a wireless-capable audio device, and the function comprises utilizing the third system to output music.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises outputting an indication of the identified processing capability.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying of said processing capability is based at least in part on a level of encryption/decryption capability available at the second system.

15. A portable wireless device that operates to utilize processing of a second system by the portable wireless device, the portable wireless device comprising:

at least one module comprising hardware, said at least one module operating to, at least perform;

initiating, by the portable wireless device, establishment of a wireless communication link with the second system;

receiving information from the second system regarding computer applications that the second system is capable of executing;

identifying, by the portable wireless device, a processing capability of the second system that is available for use by the portable wireless device by, at least in part, identifying a computer application on the second system that is capable of being utilized by the portable wireless device, wherein a reduced-capability version of the identified computer application resides on the portable wireless device, and wherein said identifying takes place prior to any utilization of said identified processing capability by the portable wireless device;

communicating, by the portable wireless device, to the second system, a request for utilizing the identified processing capability; and

utilizing, by the portable wireless device, the requested processing capability.

16. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the identified computer application is a word-processing application.

17. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the second system, the security information comprising information related to one or both of how data from the portable wireless device is stored by the second system and how data from the portable wireless device is deleted by the second system; and

determine, based at least in part on the security information, whether the processing capability is available for use with the portable wireless device.

18. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate information of communication capability with the second system; and

determine, based at least in part on the information of communication capability, whether the processing capability is available for use with the portable wireless device.

19. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to output a human-perceivable indication of the identified processing capability.

20. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to receive a request from a user of the portable wireless device for utilizing the identified processing capability of the second system with the portable wireless device.

21. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to utilize the requested processing capability by, at least in part, controlling the performance of the requested processing capability on the second system.

22. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to utilize the processing capability by, at least in part, communicating to the second system one or both of:

data to be processed by the requested processing capability; and

information of the location of data to be processed by the requested processing capability.

23. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is integrated into a single integrated circuit.

24. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module further operates to receive instructions from the second system regarding remedying a compatibility issue between the portable wireless device and the second system.

25. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module further operates to, prior to said operating to identify, receive configuration information from a user related to automatic generation of said request upon determination that the particular processing capability is available for use with the portable wireless device.

26. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module further operates to, prior to said operating to utilize, interact wirelessly directly with a third system to perform a function, and wherein the at least one module operates to utilize the requested processing capability with the portable wireless device by, at least in part, operating to utilize the second system to interact wirelessly directly with the third system to perform the function.

27. The portable wireless device of claim 26, wherein the third system comprises a wireless-capable audio device, and the function comprises utilizing the third system to output music.

28. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the second system, the security information comprising information related to encryption/decryption capabilities of the second system; and

refuse, based at least in part on the security information, to use the processing capabilities of the second system in response to determining that the encryption/decryption capabilities of the second system are below a particular level.

29. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the second system, the security information comprising information related to storing data of the portable wireless device in non volatile memory of the second system; and

refuse, based at least in part on the security information, to use the processing capabilities of the second system in response to determining that the second system would store data of the portable wireless device in non volatile memory of the second system.

30. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the second system, the security information comprising information related to purging data of the portable wireless device after use of the processing capabilities of the second system; and

refuse, based at least in part on the security information, to use the processing capabilities of the second system in response to determining that the second system does not purge data of the portable device after use of the processing capabilities of the second system.

31. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the second system, the security information comprising information related to locking out other users while the portable wireless device uses the processing capabilities of the second system; and

refuse, based at least in part on the security information, to use the processing capabilities of the second system in response to determining that the second system does sufficiently lock out other users while using the processing capabilities of the second system.

32. In a second system, a method for utilizing processing of the second system by a first system, the method comprising:

initiating, by the second system, establishment of a wireless communication link with the first system;

identifying, by the second system, a processing capability of the second system that is available for use by the first system, wherein said identifying takes place prior to any utilization of said identified processing capability by the first system, and wherein said identifying comprises;

sending information, by the second system, to the first system regarding computer applications that the second systems is capable of executing; and

identifying a computer application on the second system that is capable of being utilized by the first system, where a reduced-capability version of the identified computer application resides on the first system; and

receiving, by the second system, from the first system, a request for utilizing the identified processing capability by the first system.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the identified computer application is a word-processing application.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the identifying of the processing capability comprises:

sending, by the second system, security information to the first system, the security information comprising information related to one or both of how data from the first system is stored by the second system and how data from the first system is deleted by the second system; and

determining, based at least in part on the security information, whether the processing capability is available for use with the first system.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the identifying of the processing capability comprises:

sending, by the second system, information of communication capability to the first system; and

determining, by the second system, based at least in part on the information of communication capability, whether the processing capability is available for use by the first system.

36. The method of claim 32, comprising outputting, by the second system, an indication of the identified processing capability, wherein the outputting comprises outputting a signal to the first system indicative of the identified processing capability.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the receiving of the request for utilizing the identified processing capability by the first system comprises the second system receiving a signal indicative of the request from the first system.

38. The method of claim 32, comprising utilizing the requested processing capability by the first system, wherein the utilizing comprises receiving, by the second system from the first system, at least one or both of:

data to be processed using the requested processing capability; and

information of the location of data to be processed using the requested processing capability.

39. A computer system that provides processing for utilization with a portable wireless device, the computer system comprising:

at least one module comprising hardware, said at least one module operating to, at least perform;

initiating, by the computer system, establishment of a wireless communication link with the portable wireless device;

sending information, by the computer system, to the portable wireless device regarding computer applications that the computer system is capable of executing;

identifying, by the computer system, a processing capability of the computer system that is available for use with the portable wireless device by, at least in part, identifying a computer application on the computer system that is capable of being utilized by the portable wireless device, wherein a reduced-capability version of the identified computer application resides on the portable wireless device, and wherein the identifying takes place prior to any utilization of the identified processing capability by the portable wireless device;

receiving, by the computer system, from the portable wireless device, a request for utilizing the identified processing capability of the computer system with the portable wireless device; and

performing, by the computer system, the requested processing capability.

40. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the identified computer application is a word-processing application.

41. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate security information with the portable wireless device, the security information comprising information related to one or both of how data from the portable wireless device is stored by the computer system, and how data from the portable wireless device is deleted by the computer system; and

determine by the computer system, based at least in part on the security information, whether the processing capability is available for use by the portable wireless device.

42. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module operates to:

communicate information of communication capability of the computer system with the portable wireless device; and

determine, based at least in part on the information of communication capability, whether the processing capability is available for use by the portable wireless device.

43. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module operates to output a signal indicative of the identified processing capability to the portable wireless device.

44. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module operates to receive a signal from the portable wireless device, the signal indicative of the request for utilizing the identified processing capability by the portable wireless device.

45. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module operates to receive, from the portable wireless device, one or both of:

data to be processed using the requested processing capability; and

information of the location of data to be processed using the requested processing capability.

46. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the at least one module is integrated in a single integrated circuit.

47. A method for utilizing processing of a second system by a first system, the method comprising:

initiating, by the first system, establishment of a wireless communication link between the first system and the second system;

identifying, by the first system, a processing capability of the second system that is available for use by the first system, wherein said identifying takes place prior to any utilization of said identified processing capability by the first system, and said identifying comprises;

receiving information from the second system regarding computer applications that the second system is capable of executing; and

identifying a computer application on the second system that is capable of being utilized by the first system, where a reduced-capability version of the identified computer application resides on the first system;

communicating, by the first system, to the second system, a request for utilizing the identified processing capability; and

utilizing, by the first system, the requested processing capability.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the identified computer application is a word-processing application.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the identifying of the processing capability comprises:

communicating security information between the first and second systems, the security information comprising information related to one or both of how data from the first system is stored by the second system and how data from the first system is deleted by the second system; and

determining, based at least in part on the security information, whether the processing capability is available for use with the first system.