Temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes to perform function

• US 8,924,570 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Mark B., Wilson, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US12/953,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

That a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes has occurred is detected. In response, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network is created via intercommunication among the hardware nodes. After the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has been created, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network performs a given function. A particular hardware node within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network can perform a roll call request so that it ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network. Performing the roll call request can include ascertaining that a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing computer-executable code executable by a given hardware node to perform a method comprising:

detecting that a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes including the given hardware node has occurred;

initiating creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring, to result in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes; and

,

participating in the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes so that the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes performs a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in the creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes,

wherein the hardware nodes comprise a plurality of different functional types of hardware nodes, each different functional type associated with a different functionality,

wherein the given function associated with the trigger comprises a function that uses the different functionality of each different functional type of the hardware nodes and that cannot be performed by any of the hardware nodes individually,

wherein the trigger comprises a number of a particular type of at least some of the nodes being greater than a predetermined static number greater than two, the given function being associated with having the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes being greater than the predetermined static number,

and wherein the given function cannot be performed unless the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes is greater than the predetermined static number.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises performing a roll call request so that the given hardware node ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of claim 2, wherein performing the roll call request comprises ascertaining a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

4. A hardware node comprising:

a hardware communication mechanism to communicate with one or more other hardware nodes;

first logic to detect that a trigger for creating a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes including the other hardware nodes has occurred, and to initiate creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring via communicating with the other hardware nodes using the hardware communication mechanism, to result in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes; and

,

second logic to participate in the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes so that the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes performs a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in the creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network of hardware nodes,

wherein the hardware nodes comprise a plurality of different functional types of hardware nodes, each different functional type associated with a different functionality,

wherein the given function associated with the trigger comprises a function that uses the different functionality of each different functional type of the hardware nodes and that cannot be performed by any of the hardware nodes individually,

wherein the trigger comprises a number of a particular type of at least some of the nodes being greater than a predetermined static number greater than two, the given function being associated with having the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes being greater than the predetermined static number,

and wherein the given function cannot be performed unless the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes is greater than the predetermined static number.

5. The hardware node of claim 4, further comprising third logic to ascertain a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network.

6. The hardware node of claim 5, wherein the third logic is to ascertain a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.

7. A system comprising:

a plurality of hardware nodes organizable as a temporary collaborative ad-hoc network,

wherein a first hardware node of the plurality of hardware nodes is to detect that a trigger for creating the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has occurred,

wherein the hardware nodes are to create the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network via intercommunication among the hardware nodes responsive to the trigger occurring, and

wherein after the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network has been created, the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network is to perform a given function associated with the trigger that resulted in creation of the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network,

wherein the hardware nodes comprise a plurality of different functional types of hardware nodes, each different functional type associated with a different functionality,

wherein the given function associated with the trigger comprises a function that uses the different functionality of each different functional type of the hardware nodes and that cannot be performed by any of the hardware nodes individually,

wherein the trigger comprises a number of a particular type of at least some of the nodes being greater than a predetermined static number greater than two, the given function being associated with having the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes being greater than the predetermined static number,

and wherein the given function cannot be performed unless the number of the particular type of the at least some of the nodes is greater than the predetermined static number.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a second hardware node of the plurality of hardware nodes is to perform a roll call request so that the second hardware node ascertains a list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network,

and wherein the second hardware node is to ascertain a correctness of the list of the hardware nodes within the temporary collaborative ad-hoc network that satisfies a threshold, such that the correctness of the list of the hardware nodes is not necessarily completely correct.