Terminal device, information processing system, request target selection method and program

• US 9,594,552 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okamori, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US14/276,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709224-229, 709220-222, 718/105, 718/104, 718/102, 718/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• 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: G06F 9/5094 where the allocation takes into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The terminal device includes a processing section which performs a predetermined process; a connecting section which is configured for connection with an external apparatus capable of performing the predetermined process through a communication network; and a selecting section which selects the processing section or the external apparatus connected through the connecting section as a request target which is requested to perform the predetermined process, on the basis of a predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate with an external apparatus, the external apparatus being capable of performing a predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the external apparatus, the communication device being configured to detect a communication state between the device and the external apparatus; and

circuitry configured to;

perform the predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the device;

receive an indication of a version of the software stored in the external apparatus;

compare the indicated version of the software stored in the external apparatus and the version of the software stored in the device;

select the external apparatus to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the external apparatus, or the device to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the device, the selection being based at least in part on (1) a comparison result and (2) the detected communication state between the device and the external apparatus.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to output data for which the predetermined process is to be performed, and wherein if the device is selected to perform the predetermined process, to stop the data output and to obtain data necessary to continuously perform the predetermined process from the external apparatus.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

inquire of the external apparatus a timing when a processing subject is able to be changed from the external apparatus to the device; and

obtain information indicating the timing from the external apparatus; and

restart the data output at the timing indicated by the information obtained from the external apparatus.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to detect a load state of the device, and to select the external apparatus in communication with the device in a case where the load state of the device is high, and to select the device in a case where the load state of the device is low.

5. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the communication device is configured to detect whether high speed communication is available with the external apparatus, and

wherein the circuitry is configured to select the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the communication device detects that high speed communication is available with respect to the external apparatus.

6. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the communication device is configured to detect a bandwidth available for communication with the external apparatus, and

wherein the circuitry is configured to select the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the bandwidth detected by the communication device is larger than a predetermined threshold.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

store electric power used for at least an operation of the circuitry;

detect an amount of the electric power stored in the circuitry; and

select the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the amount of electric power detected is smaller than a predetermined value.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to select the external apparatus in a case where it is determined based at least in part on the comparison result that the version stored in the external apparatus is a newer version than the version of the software stored in the device.

9. An information processing system comprising:

an external apparatus capable of performing a predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the external apparatus; and

a device comprising;

a communication device configured to communicate with the external apparatus, the communication device being configured to detect a communication state between the device and the external apparatus; and

circuitry configured to;

perform the predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the device;

receive an indication of a version of the software stored in the external apparatus;

compare the version of the software stored in the external apparatus and the version of the software stored in the device; and

select the external apparatus to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the external apparatus, or the device to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the device, the selection being based at least in part on (1) a comparison result and (2) the communication state between the device and the external apparatus.

10. A selection method comprising an act performed by a device, the device comprising (1) a communication device configured to communicate with an external apparatus capable of performing a predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the external apparatus, and to detect a communication state between the device and the external apparatus;

and (2) circuitry configured to perform the predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the device, receive a version of the software stored in the external apparatus, and compare the version of the software stored in the external apparatus and the version of the software stored in the device;

the act comprising selecting the external apparatus to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the external apparatus, or the device to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the device, the selection being based at least in part on (1) a comparison result and (2) the communication state between the device and the external apparatus.

11. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to output data for which the predetermined process is to be performed, and the act of selecting comprises, if the device is selected to perform the predetermined process, stopping the data output and obtaining data necessary to continuously perform the predetermined process from the external apparatus.

12. The selection method according to claim 11, wherein the circuitry is configured to inquire of the external apparatus a timing when a processing subject is able to be changed from the external apparatus to the device and to obtain information indicating the timing from the external apparatus, and wherein the act of selecting comprises restarting the data output at the timing indicated by the information obtained from the external apparatus.

13. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to detect a load state of the device, and the act of selecting comprises selecting the external apparatus in communication with the device in a case where the load state of the device detected by the circuitry is high and selecting the device in a case where the load state of the device is low.

14. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the act of selecting comprises:

detecting, by the communication device, whether high speed communication is available with respect to the external apparatus; and

selecting, by the circuitry, the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the communication device detects that high speed communication is available with respect to the external apparatus.

15. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the act of selecting comprises:

detecting, by the communication device, a bandwidth available for communication with the external apparatus, and

selecting, by the circuitry, the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the bandwidth detected by the communication device is greater than a predetermined threshold.

16. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to store electric power used for at least an operation of the circuitry and to detect an amount of the electric power stored in the circuitry, and the act of selecting comprises selecting, by the circuitry, the external apparatus in communication with the communication device in a case where the amount of electric power detected by the circuitry is less than a predetermined amount.

17. The selection method according to claim 10, wherein the act of selecting comprises selecting the external apparatus in a case where it is determined based at least in part on the comparison result that the version of the software stored in the external apparatus is a newer version than the version of the software stored in the device.

18. At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform a method, the method comprising acts of:

communicating with an external apparatus capable of performing a predetermined process via execution of software, having a version, stored in the external apparatus, the communicating comprising detecting a communication state between the device and the external apparatus;

receiving the version of the software stored in the external apparatus;

comparing the version of the software stored in the external apparatus and a version of the software stored in the device; and

selecting the external apparatus to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the external apparatus, or the device to perform the predetermined process via execution of the software stored in the device, the selection being based at least in part on (1) a result of the comparing and (2) the detected communication state between the device and the external apparatus.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises stopping data output when the device is selected and obtaining data necessary for the device to continuously perform the predetermined process from the external apparatus.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the method comprises inquiring a timing of the external apparatus when a processing subject is able to be changed from the external apparatus to the device, obtaining information indicating the timing from the external apparatus, and restarting data output at the timing indicated by the information obtained from the external apparatus to allow the device to perform the predetermined process.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises selecting the external apparatus to perform the predetermined process in a case where the load state of the device is high, and selecting the device to perform the predetermined process in a case where the load state of the device is low.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises detecting whether high speed communication is available with respect to the external apparatus, and selecting the external apparatus in a case where it is detected that high speed communication is available with respect to the external apparatus.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim18, wherein the method comprises detecting a bandwidth available for communication with the external apparatus, and selecting the external apparatus in a case where the detected bandwidth is greater than a predetermined threshold.

24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises detecting an amount of electric power stored on the device, and selecting the external apparatus in a case where the detected amount of electric power is less than a predetermined amount.

25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises selecting the external apparatus in a case where it is determined based at least in part on the comparison result that the version stored in the external apparatus is newer than the version stored in the device.