Networking cloud and method of using the same

• US 9,292,457 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Nimbuz, Inc.
• Inventors: Menon, Raghavan
• Primary Examiner(s): Alrobaye, Idriss N
• Assistant Examiner(s): MODO, RONALD T
• Application Number:
  US13/844,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• 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: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

A cloud computing network device is disclosed. The device is configured to generate output data based on input data, wherein the output data is indicative of the input data, cause data indicative of the input data to be stored in a memory, and respond to instructions to access the input data by accessing the data stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A cloud storage controller configured for use within a cloud computing network, the cloud computing network comprising:

the cloud storage controller,

a cloud storage device configured to store data, and

a plurality of network devices in communication with the cloud storage controller,

wherein the cloud storage controller comprises;

an input port configured to receive input data from the network devices;

an output port configured to transmit output data to the network devices; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether first input data from a first network device is to be stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the first input data is accessible to each of a plurality of network devices other than the first network device, wherein the determination is made based on a prediction regarding likelihood of use of the first input data by the other network devices,

cause data based on the first input data from a first network device to be stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the stored data is accessible to the other network devices, and wherein the data based on the first input data is stored in the cloud storage device as a result of the prediction,

respond to a request from a second network device to access the first input data by accessing the data stored in the cloud storage device,

generate first output data based on the data stored in the cloud storage device, and

cause the first output data to be transmitted to the second network device via the output port.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the prediction is made based on one or more of:

information about habits of users network devices other than the first network device;

information on whether the input data has been shared; and

information in the first input data.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

respond to a second request from the second network device to access other data by determining whether the other data is stored in the cloud storage device;

if the other data is stored in the cloud storage device, generate output data based on the other data stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the output data is indicative of the other data; and

if the other data is not stored in the cloud storage device, generate output data based on the other data stored in the first network device, wherein the output data is indicative of the other data, and wherein the first network device is part of a local network and not part of the cloud computing network.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to:

if the other data is not stored in the cloud storage device, request the other data from the first network device, receive the other data from the first network device, and transmit the other data to the second network device.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to respond to a second request from the second device to access other data by indicating to the second device that the other data is available directly from the first device.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to respond to a second request from the second device to change particular data stored in the cloud storage device by:

generating instructions causing the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed, and

generating instructions causing data on another network device corresponding to the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed.

7. The controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions causing the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed are executed substantially immediately, and the instructions causing the data on the other network device to be changed are executed after the other device becomes available following a time of the other device being unavailable.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the stored data comprises a low fidelity version of the input data.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the stored data comprises metadata of the input data.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to categorize the first input data to be stored in the cloud storage device and store the first input data in the cloud storage based on the categorization.

11. A method of using a cloud storage controller configured for use within a cloud computing network, the cloud computing network comprising:

the cloud storage controller,

a cloud storage device configured to store data, and

a plurality of network devices in communication with the cloud storage controller,

wherein the cloud storage controller comprises;

an input port configured to receive input data from the network devices;

an output port configured to transmit output data to the network devices; and

a processor,

wherein the method includes;

with the processor, determining whether first input data from a first network device is to be stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the first input data is accessible to each of a plurality of network devices other than the first network device, wherein the determination is made based on a prediction regarding likelihood of use of the first input data by the other network devices,

with the processor, causing data based on the first input data from a first network device to be stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the stored data is accessible to the other network devices, and wherein the data based on the first input data is stored in the cloud storage device as a result of the prediction,

with the processor, responding to a request from a second network device to access the first input data by accessing the data stored in the cloud storage device,

with the processor, generating first output data based on the data stored in the cloud storage device, and

with the processor, causing the first output data to be transmitted to the second network device via the output port.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the prediction is made based on one or more of:

information about habits of users network devices other than the first network device;

information on whether the input data has been shared; and

information in the first input data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, with the processor:

responding to a second request from the second network device to access other data by determining whether the other data is stored in the cloud storage device;

if the other data is stored in the cloud storage device, generating output data based on the other data stored in the cloud storage device, wherein the output data is indicative of the other data; and

if the other data is not stored in the cloud storage device, generating output data based on the other data stored in the first network device, wherein the output data is indicative of the other data, and wherein the first network device is part of a local network and not part of the cloud computing network.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, with the processor:

if the other data is not stored in the cloud storage device, requesting the other data from the first network device, receiving the other data from the first network device, and transmitting the other data to the second network device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising, with the processor, responding to a second request from the second device to access other data by indicating to the second device that the other data is available directly from the first device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising, with the processor, responding to a second request from the second device to change particular data stored in the cloud storage device by:

generating instructions causing the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed, and

generating instructions causing data on another network device corresponding to the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the instructions causing the particular data in the cloud storage device to be changed are executed substantially immediately, and the instructions causing the data on the other network device to be changed are executed after the other device becomes available following a time of the other device being unavailable.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the stored data comprises a low fidelity version of the input data.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the stored data comprises metadata of the input data.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising, with the processor, categorizing the first input data to be stored in the cloud storage device and store the first input data in the cloud storage based on the categorization.