Apparatus and method for managing mobile device servers

• US 9,654,366 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• 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: Meuninck, Troy, Brown, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US13/944,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• 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 method, comprising:

establishing, by a processing system comprising a processor, communications with a first portable communication device and second portable communication device;

detecting, by the processing system, a media resource center proximate to the processing system, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with a first media device;

establishing, by the processing system, communications with the media resource center;

transmitting, by the processing system, a first pairing key to the media resource center to enable the first portable communication device to access a first media service from the first media device;

transmitting, by the processing system, a second pairing key that is associated with the second portable communication device to the media resource center to enable the second portable communication device to access the first media service from the first media device;

receiving, by the processing system, a request for access to the first media service from the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device;

arbitrating, by the processing system, access to the first media service of the first media device by the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device by requesting a concession for access to the first media service from the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device, and receiving the concession for access to from one of the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device; and

arbitrating, by the processing system, according to a first priority indicator of the first pairing key that is associated with the first portable communication device, according to a second priority indicator of the second pairing key that is associated with the second portable communication device, and the received concession from one of the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining, by the processing system, a second media device operably coupled to the media resource center;

and

arbitrating, by the processing system, utilization of the first media service of the first media device by selectively providing the first portable communication device with access to a second media service of the second media device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending, by the processing system, a third pairing key associated with the first portable communication device to enable the first portable communication device to access the second media service of the second media device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, by the processing system, the third pairing key from the second portable communication device; and

transmitting, by the processing system, the second pairing key to the media resource center.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the processing system, voice communication services to other communication devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the arbitrating, by the processing system, comprises selectively providing access to the first media service to the second portable communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, by the processing system, a second media service of the media resource center; and

providing, by the processing system, access to the second media service to one of the second portable communication device or a third device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pairing key identifies a master device for accessing the first media service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pairing key identifies a billing plan to be applied to the first media service.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the processing system, a software application of the first portable communication device; and

adjusting, by the processing system, the first media service based on execution of the software application by the first portable communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pairing key is utilized to identify a plurality of media devices.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing, by the processing system, a software application for performing operations comprising providing a plurality of services utilizing a web server application.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing, by the processing system, a software application associated with the first media service, wherein the software application assigns tasks to the first portable communication device.

14. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor;

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a first pairing key from a first mobile device server and a second pairing key from a second mobile device server;

receiving a request for access to a media service of a media device from the first mobile device server and the second mobile device server;

arbitrating access to the media service of the media device between the first mobile device server and the second mobile device server by requesting a concession for access to the media service from the first mobile device server and the second mobile device server, and receiving the concession for access to the media service from one of the first mobile device server and the second mobile device server; and

arbitrating according to a first priority indicator of the first pairing key that is associated with the first mobile device server, according to a second priority indicator of the second pairing key that is associated with the second mobile device server, and the received concession from one of the first mobile device server and second mobile device server.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing system further performs operations comprising enabling the second mobile device server to access the media device based on the second pairing key associated with the second mobile device server.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first mobile device server and the second mobile device server are in a master-slave arrangement for providing the media service to the second mobile device server.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the first mobile device server provides the media service to the second mobile device server according to a pre-determined coordination plan.

18. A computer-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

receiving, from a media resource center, a request to enable communications with a first portable communication device, wherein the request to enable communications is received according to the media resource center receiving a first pairing key associated with the first portable communication device;

transmitting the first pairing key to the media resource center to enable the first portable communication device to access a media service;

providing the media service to a second portable communication device as directed by the first portable communication device;

receiving a request for access to the media service from the first portable communication device and a third portable communication device;

arbitrating access to the media service between the first portable communication device and the third portable communication device by requesting a concession for access to the media service from the first portable communication device and the third portable communication device, and receiving the concession for access to the media service from one of the first portable communication device and the third portable communication device; and

arbitrating according to a priority indicator of the first pairing key that is associated with the first portable communication device and according to the concession from one of the first portable communication device and the third portable communication device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein access to the media service is further arbitrated by the first portable communication device selectively providing the second portable communication device with access to a second media service.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the processor to further perform operations comprising providing the second media service to the second portable communication device as directed by the first portable communication device.