APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MOBILE DEVICE SERVERS

• US 20120084342A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: BROWN, WILLIAM A., Meuninck, Troy C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving at a media resource center a first pairing key from a first mobile device server and enabling the first mobile device to access at least one media device based on the first pairing key, where the at least one media device is operably coupled with the media resource center, where the first mobile devices provides media services by executing a web server application that utilizes the at least one media device, and where the first mobile device communicates with a second mobile device server to provide the media services. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A first portable communication device, comprising a controller to:

communicate with a second portable communication device; and

execute a web server application in the first portable communication device, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center when the first portable communication device is roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with at least one media device;

establish communications with the media resource center; and

transmit a first pairing key to the media resource center to enable media services that utilize the at least one media device,

wherein the first and second portable communication devices are in a master-slave arrangement for providing the media services.

2. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to arbitrate utilization of the at least one resource between the second portable communication device and a third communication device, and wherein the arbitration comprises determining another resource with a similar capability to the at least one resource and providing one of the second portable communication device and the third communication device with access to the another resource.

3. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first pairing key identifies a master device among the first and second portable communication devices.

4. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first pairing key identifies a billing plan to be applied to the media services.

5. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to:

detect a software application of the second portable communication device; and

adjust the media services based on execution of the software application by the second portable communication device.

6. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one media device is a plurality of media devices, wherein the first and second portable communication devices have access to a group of the plurality of media devices that is less than all of the plurality of media devices, and wherein the first pairing key is utilized to identify the group of the plurality of media devices.

7. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein a software application is executed by at least one of the first and second portable communication devices, wherein the software application is configured for providing a plurality of services utilizing the web server application, and wherein only a group of services of the plurality of services that is less than all of the plurality of services is enabled based on the first pairing key.

8. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first portable communication device executes a software application associated with the media services, and wherein the first portable communication device assigns tasks to the second portable communication device to execute the software application.

9. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein a master device selected from among the first and second portable communication devices determines an amount of time that each of the first and second portable communication devices utilizes the at least one media device.

10. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center receives a second pairing key associated with the second portable communication device to enable the second portable communication device to access the at least one media device.

11. The first portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed to:

receive the second pairing key from the second portable communication device; and

transmit the second pairing key to the media resource center.

12. The first portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to provide voice communication services with other communication devices.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable in a first mobile device server, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions to:

communicate with a second mobile device server, wherein the first mobile device server is associated with a first pairing key, and wherein the second mobile device server is associated with a second pairing key; and

execute a web server application in the first mobile device server, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center that is operably coupled with at least one media device; and

establish communications with the media resource center,

wherein at least one of the first and second pairing keys is used to enable media services that utilize the at least one media device, and wherein the first and second mobile device servers provide the media services using the at least one media device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions to transmit at least one of the first and second pairing keys to the media resource center to enable the media services that utilize the at least one media device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions to arbitrate utilization of the at least one media device for providing the media services.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first and second mobile device servers provide the media services based on a coordination plan established prior to the first mobile device server establishing communications with the media resource center.

17. A method comprising:

receiving at a media resource center a first pairing key from a first mobile device server; and

enabling the first mobile device server to access at least one media device based on the first pairing key, wherein the at least one media device is operably coupled with the media resource center, wherein the first mobile device server provides media services by executing a web server application that utilizes the at least one media device, and wherein the providing of the media services is based on communication between the first mobile device server and a second mobile device server.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising enabling the second mobile device server to access the at least one media device based on a second pairing key associated with the second mobile device server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second mobile device servers are in a master-slave arrangement for providing the media services.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the providing of the media services is based on coordination between the first and second mobile device servers according to a pre-determined coordination plan.