Method for providing network resources

• US 20070168471A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spisak, Michael, Kumhyr, David, Childress, Rhonda
• Application Number:
  US11/333,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168471A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A method of providing network resources for performing a target task includes determining a set of network accessible devices located at a location where the target task is to be accomplished and determining required user interface input/output hardware capabilities needed to accomplish the target task. The method further includes determining a target system configuration needed to accomplish the target task, selecting at least one of the network accessible devices based on the required user interface input/output hardware capabilities and the determined target system configuration, and providing configuration instructions to the selected device based on the device determination.

Claims

1. A method of providing network resources for performing a target task, the method comprising:

determining a set of network accessible devices located at a location where the target task is to be accomplished;

determining required user interface input/output hardware capabilities needed to accomplish the target task;

determining a target system configuration needed to accomplish the target task;

selecting at least one of the network accessible devices based on the required user interface input/output hardware capabilities and the determined target system configuration; and

providing configuration instructions to the selected device based on the device determination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing device configuration instructions comprises determining a data state of at least one determined device and storing the data state at a server.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining target system configuration comprises:

determining a current network utilization; and

comparing the current network utilization to a predetermined threshold utilization.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining network accessible devices comprises establishing an ad hoc peer-to-peer network, and wherein determining capabilities of the devices comprises polling the devices for device capabilities.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising aggregating the determined devices into the ad hoc peer-to-peer network and deploying the determined devices within the ad hoc peer-to-peer network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein deploying the determined devices comprises comparing the aggregated determined devices to a predetermined system configuration and accepting the aggregated determined devices.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

requesting configuration approval from the determined devices.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the target task includes at least one user interaction.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the location is a retail store and the target system configuration is a cash register configuration.

10. A method of device aggregation, the method comprising:

determining network accessible devices at a location where a target task is to be performed and user interface input/output capabilities of the network accessible devices;

determining a target system configuration required to perform the task;

determining required user interface input/output capabilities to perform the target task based on the target system configuration;

requesting configuration approval from the determined devices based on the target system configuration and required user interface input/output capabilities; and

providing configuration instructions to the devices based on configuration approval; and

aggregating the devices to perform the target task using the user interface input/output capabilities of the network accessible devices.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the target system configuration comprises:

determining a current network utilization; and

comparing the current network utilization to a predetermined threshold utilization.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein aggregating the devices comprises determining a data state of at least one determined device and storing the data state at a server.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising comparing the aggregated determined devices to a predetermined system configuration and accepting the aggregated determined devices.

14. A computer readable medium including computer readable code for device aggregation, the medium comprising:

computer readable code for determining network accessible devices at a location where a target task is to be performed and user interface input/output capabilities of the network accessible devices;

computer readable code for determining a target system configuration required to perform the target task;

computer readable code for determining required user interface input/output capabilities to perform the target task based on the target system configuration;

computer readable code for requesting configuration approval from the determined devices based on the target system configuration and required user interface input/output capabilities; and

computer readable code for providing configuration instructions to the devices based on configuration approval; and

computer readable code for aggregating the devices to perform the target task using the user interface input/output capabilities of the network accessible devices.

15. The medium of claim 14 wherein computer readable code for determining target system configuration comprises:

means for determining a current network utilization; and

means for comparing the current network utilization to a predetermined threshold utilization.

16. The medium of claim 14 wherein the location is a retail store and the target system configuration is a cash register configuration and wherein the computer readable code for providing configuration instructions includes computer readable code for programming a personal digital assistant to use a infrared communications device as a scanner.

17. The medium of claim 14 wherein the configuration instructions include computer readable code to repurpose the input/output hardware.