Creating a system on the fly and applications thereof
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for creating a system of wireless-enabled components (WECs). Such a system includes a server and a plurality of wireless-enabled component (WECs). Each WEC includes a functional resource (e.g., a processing resource and/or a memory resource) and is configured for wireless communication with the server and one or more other WECs. A first WEC is configured to wirelessly upload, to the server, an availability of the functional resource of the first WEC. The first WEC is further configured to wirelessly download, from the server, a linking resource for linking with one or more of the plurality of WECs. The plurality of WECs may be located on a single chip, on multiple chips of a single device, or on multiple chips of multiple devices.
1. A method implemented in a wireless-enabled component (WEC), comprising:
wirelessly uploading, to a server, an availability of a functional resource of the WEC;
wirelessly downloading, from the server, a linking resource for linking with one or more other WECs, wherein the WEC and the one or more other WECs are located within one or more chips within a common device, and wherein the linking resource comprises an availability of a functional resource of the one or more other WECs;
sending a borrowing request, from the WEC, to the one or more other WECs to request usage of the functional resource of the one or more other WECs;
receiving, at the WEC, a borrowing permission from the one or more other WECs indicating an allotted usage time for the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs; and
borrowing, by the WEC, the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs to perform one or more required tasks, based on the borrowing permission and the availability of the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server comprises the WEC.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional resource comprises one of a processing resource and a memory resource.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the linking resource comprises an identification of the one or more other WECs to which the WEC may link.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, by the WEC, information about past links with the one or more other WECs.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the linking resource includes at least one of a driver and software.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the borrowing the requested functional resource is performed in accordance with a cost-based function.
8. A wireless-enabled component (WEC), comprising:
a functional resource; and
a wireless communications module configured to:
wirelessly upload, to a server, an availability of the functional resource,
wirelessly download, from the server, a linking resource for linking with one or more other WECs, wherein the WEC and the one or more other WECs are located within one or more chips within a common device, and wherein the linking resource comprises an availability of a functional resource of the one or more other WECs,
send a borrowing request to the one or more other WECs to request usage of the functional resource of the one or more other WECs,
receive a borrowing permission from the one or more other WECs indicating an allotted usage time for the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs, and
borrow the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs, as needed, to perform one or more required tasks, based on the borrowing permission and the availability of the requested functional resource of the one or more other WECs.
9. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the functional resource comprises one of a processing resource and a memory resource.
10. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the linking resource comprises an identification of the one or more other WECs to which the WEC may link.
11. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the functional resource comprises at least one of a location resource, a communication protocol, a security code, and a desired linking resource.
12. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the functional resource is configured to store information about past links with the one or more other WECs.
13. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the linking resource includes at least one of a driver and software.
14. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the wireless communications module is further configured to borrow the requested functional resource in accordance with a cost-based function.
15. A system, comprising:
a server; and
a plurality of wireless-enabled component (WECs), each configured for wireless communication with the server and one or more other WECs, wherein each of the plurality of WECs includes a functional resource;
wherein a first WEC of the plurality of WECs is configured to wirelessly upload, to the server, an availability of the functional resource of the first WEC,
wherein the first WEC is configured to wirelessly download, from the server, a linking resource for linking with one or more of the plurality of WECs, wherein the first WEC and one or more of the plurality of WECs are located within one or more chips within a common device, and wherein the linking resource comprises an availability of a functional resource of one or more of the plurality of WECs,
wherein the first WEC is configured to send a borrowing request to one or more of the plurality of WECs to request usage of the functional resource of the one or more of the plurality of WECs,
wherein the first WEC is configured to receive a borrowing permission from the one or more of the plurality of WECs indicating an allotted usage time for the requested functional resource of the one or more of the plurality of WECs, and
wherein the first WEC is configured to borrow the requested functional resource of the one or more of the plurality of WECs, as needed, to perform one or more required tasks, based on the borrowing permission and the availability of the requested functional resource of one or more of the plurality of WECs.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the server comprises one of the plurality of WECs.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the functional resource comprises one of a processing resource and a memory resource.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the linking resource comprises an identification of a subset of the plurality of WECs to which the first WEC may link.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein an additional WEC is added to the system on the fly when the additional WEC comes into communication range of the system.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein a WEC from the plurality of WECs is dropped from the system on the fly when the WEC moves out of communication range of the system.
21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the functional resource comprises at least one of a location resource, a communication protocol, a security code, and a desired, linking resource.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional resource comprises at least one of a location resource, a communication protocol, a security code, and a desired linking resource.
23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first WEC is further configured to store information about past links with the one more of the plurality of WECs.
24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the linking resource includes at least one of a driver and software.
25. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first WEC is configured to borrow the requested functional resource in accordance with a cost-based function.