KR102072003B1 - Method and device for resource sharing between devices - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device and method are disclosed for communicating over a network with at least one of other devices in a group of electronic devices. Each electronic device may send and / or receive resource information over a network, the resource information identifying a resource identifier identifying a remote resource accessible through another electronic device and a source identifying a location from which the remote resource can be obtained. Contains information. The electronic device may select one of a plurality of resources including the remote resource, and in response to selecting the remote resource, requests the selected remote resource from the location identified by the resource information to share the remote resource.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RESOURCE SHARING BETWEEN DEVICES}

The present invention relates to a method and an electronic device for sharing resources between devices. In particular, the present invention relates to transmitting and receiving resource information for identifying a resource accessible through an electronic device of a network.

In recent years, advances in technology have increased the number of commercially available devices that include network capabilities. Originally limited to desktop computers, it is now common to include network interfaces in devices such as televisions and mobile phones ('smart phones'), and in consumer electronics such as refrigerators. In general, a central server or hub is configured to maintain a permanent network that is needed to manage devices in a home network and that the same security settings apply to communication between all devices in the network. As network connections become more common in mobile devices such as tablet computers, personal digital assistants, notebooks, and smartphones, they can respond to other devices that frequently join and leave the network, enabling efficient resource sharing between these devices. There is a need for a flexible approach to network management. The only way to add new features to your current device is to upgrade your device to a new version that includes the features you want, such as upgrading a non-Global Positioning System (GPS) digital camera to a GPS-enabled camera. There is one that enables tagging. The present invention is made in this context.

A method and an electronic device for sharing resources between devices according to an embodiment of the present disclosure provide a method and an electronic device for sharing resources between devices capable of communicating via a network with at least one of other devices in a group of electronic devices. do.

An electronic device in communication with at least one of the other devices in the group of devices according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a memory; And a processor, said processor broadcasting a resource information request comprising a group identifier identifying a group of said devices in said group of devices, and directly from at least one of said other devices in said group of devices; Receive resource information, the resource information including a resource identifier identifying a remote resource directly accessible through at least one of the other devices, and source information identifying a location from which the remote resource can be obtained, and The identifier includes a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through a first one of the at least one other device and a second identifier corresponding to a second remote resource accessible through the first device; First remote resource And in response to selecting one of the second remote resources, requesting to use the selected remote resource from the location identified by the source information, before the processor receives the resource information. Determine whether the group of devices exists; if the group of devices exists, request resource information directly from at least one of the other devices; if the group of devices does not exist, the other device Are further configured to broadcast a group setup message for joining at least one of the devices to the group of devices, and after the processor broadcasts the group setup message, the one of the other devices. In response to a request from a specific device, Authenticate the particular device, and if the authentication succeeds, send an authorization token to the particular device for the particular device to join the group, and the authentication token authenticates communications between devices in the same group. Can be used.

The processor, when determining whether the group of devices exists, broadcasts a group search message, the group of devices including a predetermined group identifier identifying the group of devices. If a response indicating the presence of the group of devices is not received from the network within a predetermined time, it may be determined that the group of devices does not exist.

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The processor, when determining whether the group of devices exists, obtains location information about the current location of the electronic device, and determines whether the group of devices exists based on the obtained location information. can do.

The processor is further configured to request the specific resource based on a predetermined criterion if one specific resource of the plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource is identified as obtainable from a plurality of different locations. Wherein the plurality of resources are each configured to select a preferred location from among a plurality of different locations, wherein each of the plurality of resources is at least one of information on time, current status, attribute score, or usage history since last access; Priority may be specified based on the.

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The resource information includes type information identifying a type of the remote resource, and the processor determines whether an alternative resource of the same type as the selected resource and having a higher rank than the selected resource is available based on the resource information. It can be further set to determine.

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The processor is further configured to transmit local resource information to at least one of the other devices in the group of devices, wherein the local resource information may include information about a resource accessible through the electronic device.

The processor stores the received resource information for a predetermined period, requests updated resource information to at least one of the other devices after the predetermined period expires, and the updated resource information is not received. In response, may be further configured to delete the stored resource information for at least one of the other device.

The processor may provide a user command with information regarding a plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource, and select a specific resource of the plurality of resources. Receiving may be further configured to select one particular resource of the plurality of resources in response to user input.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device communicating with at least one of the other devices in a group of devices includes a memory; And a processor, the processor generates resource information including a resource identifier identifying a remote resource directly accessible through the electronic device and source information identifying a location from which the remote resource can be obtained, The resource identifier includes a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through the electronic device and a second identifier corresponding to a second remote resource accessible through the electronic device, wherein the other device in the group of devices Transmit the generated resource information directly to at least one of the specific devices, and in response to receiving a request to use the remote resource from the specific device, provide the requested remote resource to the specific device; , Above A parser determines whether the group of devices exists, and if the group of devices exists, sends the generated resource information directly to the specific device, and if the group of devices does not exist or the specific When the group setting message is received from a device, the specific device is requested to join the group of devices, and if authentication for joining the electronic device to the group of devices by the specific device succeeds, the specific device. It is further configured to receive an authorization token from the certificate token, which can be used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.

The electronic device is configured to communicate over a first network according to a first network protocol and to communicate over a second network according to a second network protocol, wherein the group of devices is connected to another first device on the first network and the Another second device on a second network, the processor responsive to a request for resource information from the other first device, wherein the processor relates to a remote resource provided by the other second device and accessible through the electronic device. The resource information may be transmitted to the other first device.

The processor, upon receiving a resource information request including a group identifier identifying the group of devices from the specific device, identifies whether authentication is required in the group of devices, and if the authentication is requested, The device can be authenticated.

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According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for use in an electronic device communicating with at least one of other devices in a group of devices includes: broadcasting a resource information request including a group identifier identifying the group of devices; Receiving resource information directly from at least one of the other devices in the group of devices, the resource information being capable of obtaining a resource identifier and a remote resource identifying a remote resource directly accessible through the particular device; A source identifier identifying a location, wherein the resource identifier is a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through a first one of the at least one other device and a second remote accessible through the first device A second identifier corresponding to the resource; And in response to selecting at least one remote resource of the first remote resource and the second remote resource, making a request to use the selected remote resource from a location identified by the source information. The method may further include determining whether the group of devices exists before receiving the resource information; Requesting resource information with at least one of the other devices when the group of devices exists; And when the group of devices does not exist, broadcasting a group setup message for joining at least one of the other devices to the group of devices, wherein the group setup message is received. The act of broadcasting, in response to a request of the specific device of one of the other devices, authenticates the specific device, and if the authentication succeeds, sends the specific device to the specific device to join the group. Sending an authorization token, which may be used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.

Determining whether the group of devices exists comprises: broadcasting a group search message that includes a predetermined group identifier identifying the group of devices; And if it does not receive a response from the network indicating a presence of the group of devices within a predetermined time, determining that the group of devices does not exist.

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Determining whether the group of devices exists comprises: obtaining location information regarding a current location of the electronic device; And determining whether the group of devices exists based on the obtained location information.

The method may further include: requesting the specific resource based on a predetermined criterion if a particular one of the plurality of resources including the remote resource and the second remote resource is identified as obtainable from a plurality of different locations. Selecting a preferred location from among different locations of the plurality of resources, each of the plurality of resources being prioritized based on at least one of information relating to time, current status, attribute scores, or usage history since each last access; The rank may be specified.

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The resource information includes type information identifying a type of the remote resource, and the method includes whether an alternative resource of the same type as the selected resource and having a higher rank than the selected resource is available based on the resource information. The method may further include determining an operation.

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The method may further include transmitting local resource information to at least one of the other devices in the group of devices, wherein the local resource information may include information about a resource accessible through the electronic device. .

The method includes storing the received resource information for a predetermined period of time; Requesting updated resource information from at least one of the other devices after the predetermined period of time has expired; And in response to the updated resource information not being received, deleting stored resource information for at least one of the other devices.

The method includes providing information to a user about a plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource; And receiving a user command for selecting one specific resource among the plurality of resources.

A method for use in an electronic device in communication with at least one of the other devices in a group of devices according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a resource identifier for identifying a remote resource directly accessible through the electronic device and the remote resource. Generating resource information including source information identifying a location from which the information can be obtained, wherein the resource identifier comprises a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through the electronic device and a first identifier accessible through the electronic device. 2 includes a second identifier corresponding to the remote resource; Directly transmitting the generated resource information to at least one particular device of the other devices in the group of devices; Receiving a request to use the resource from the specific device; And providing the requested remote resource to the particular device, the method comprising: determining whether the group of devices exists; If the group of devices exists, directly transmitting the generated resource information to the specific device; Requesting the specific device to join the group of devices when the group of devices does not exist or when the group setting message is received from the specific device; And if the authentication for joining the particular device to the group of devices by the specific device is successful, receiving an authorization token from the specific device, wherein the authentication token is a device in the same group. Can be used to authenticate communications between them.

The method further comprises: setting the electronic device to communicate over a first network according to a first network protocol and to communicate over a second network according to a second network protocol, wherein the group of devices is connected to another device on the first network. A first device and another second device on the second network; And in response to a request for resource information from another imaginary device, transmitting resource information about the remote resource provided by the second device and accessible through the electronic device to the other first device. It may include.

The method includes: determining whether authentication is required in a group of devices when receiving a resource information request from the specific electronic device, the resource information request comprising a group identifier identifying the group of devices; And authenticating the specific device when the authentication is required.

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When executed, the computer readable storage medium may be configured to store a computer program for performing the method.

A method and an electronic device for sharing resources between devices according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit or transmit resource information through a network.

The resource information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a resource identifier for identifying a remote resource accessible through another electronic device and source information for identifying a location where the remote resource can be obtained.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may select one of a plurality of resources including a remote resource.

In response to selecting the remote resource, the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may request the remote resource selected from the location identified by the resource information to share the remote resource.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. Among the accompanying drawings,
1 is a diagram illustrating a group of devices configured to communicate over a network in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
2 is a diagram illustrating a format for transmitting resource information from one device to another device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a format for storing received resource information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating a device for receiving resource information on a sharable resource according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating a device for transmitting resource information on a sharable resource according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 illustrates a method for use in a device as shown in FIG. 4 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
7 illustrates a method for use in a device as shown in FIG. 5 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
8 illustrates a first device functioning as a bridge device between two different devices in different networks according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a diagram illustrating a ranking of resources according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a diagram illustrating a method of determining whether a resource is currently available according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a diagram illustrating a system including a group of two devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a method sequence diagram illustrating a method of setting a group of devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a message sequence diagram illustrating a method for setting a group using authentication according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
14 is a method sequence diagram illustrating a method for reconnecting to a group using authentication according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, descriptions of functions and structures may be omitted to avoid distorting the subject matter of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth in the specification. In addition, the terms described herein are defined with reference to the functions of the present invention, and may be implemented differently according to the intention and method of the user or operator described herein. Therefore, the term should be understood on the basis of the detailed description of the specification.

The principles and functions of the invention can be implemented in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Like reference numerals refer to like or like parts throughout the drawings. In addition, although the drawings show embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not to scale and may be exaggerated or omitted to more specifically explain the specific functions, and to explain the present invention.

1, a group of electronic devices configured to communicate over a network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the group includes a television, a monitor or display unit 110-1, a notebook computer 110-2, a tablet computer 110-3, and a smart phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) 110-4. Include. The group of electronic devices is configured to communicate over a wireless (WiFi) network 120, but any type of network, wired or wireless is available in other embodiments. In addition, while certain types of electronic devices are shown in FIG. 1, in general, embodiments of the present invention may include any type of electronic device capable of communicating with other devices via a network. Examples of other types of electronic devices that may be included in a group of electronic devices similar to those shown in FIG. 1 include audio hi-fi equipment, home media servers, set-top boxes, digital versatile disc players, and integrated network interfaces. It includes, but is not limited to, smart home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

Each electronic device 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 includes at least one of a controller, a storage device, an input device and an output device. The controller may include other types known as central processing unit (CPU) processors, microprocessors or electronic control units. The storage device may include memory and other types of devices known as software storage devices for storing data as application data for operating the operating system and the electronic devices described herein. The input device may include a television 110-1, at least one key or button, a touch screen of a display device, or another type of remote control device known as an input device. The output device may include a display device having at least one touch screen capable screen, and may also include other types of devices known as output devices as well as speakers for audio output.

Devices 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, and 110-4 in the group of devices shown in FIG. 1 share resources between the devices 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4. To do so, it is configured to communicate over the network 120. In particular, a first device that is limited to the first device or has access to at least one sharable resource, which may be a resource accessible by the first device via network 120, may be configured to network resource information for the sharable resource. Transmit to second device through 120. For example, because the television 110-1 may be configured to share the display screen with another of the devices, it may transmit resource information for the display screen via the network 120, or a camera without GPS capability may be used. You can access the GPS module shared by your smartphone to obtain GPS location and geotag your photos. The resource information may be received by one of the other devices, for example, the smartphone 110-4, so that the resource information may be used to request access to the display screen of the television 110-1 through the network 120. have. As such, the smartphone 110-4 or any other device that receives resource information from the television 110-1 can access the large display screen of the television 110-1. For example, smartphone 110-4 may request access to a large display screen to display a video file or still image via television 110-1.

The sharable resource may be any type of resource, for example, a hardware such as a display, a storage unit or memory (eg, a hard disk drive), a speaker, or a software resource such as a multimedia file or an application.

In general, any device 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 in a group of devices can transmit and / or receive resource information. Sharing resources is not necessary for every device to join a group of devices. That is, any given device can only transmit resource information, only receive resource information, or both send and receive as needed. In detail, when the device has any resource to share, the device may transmit resource information, and when access to the shareable resource is required, the device may receive the resource information. For example, a device, such as a media server, can send resource information to share recorded multimedia files with other devices on the network 120, but may not require access to all shared resources itself, and thus from other devices. It may not be configured to receive any resource information. On the other hand, since a device such as a smartphone may not have any resources to share, it may only receive resource information from another device without transmitting any resource information itself. This scenario is an example, and in other situations, for example, the media server may receive the resource information, and / or the smartphone may send the resource information to share the resource.

An example of resource information transmitted from one device to another device is shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, although an extended mark-up language (XML) format is used for resource information, the present invention is not limited to XML, but in another embodiment, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) Other formats may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the resource information 200 identifies a resource identifier 201 that identifies a shared resource that is a resource that can be accessed through a device that transmits the resource information 200, and a location from which the resource can be obtained. Contains source information for

As shown in FIG. 2, the source information may take various forms. In this example, the source information includes a device identifier identifying the device that supplied the resource information, and path information 202 identifying the path from which the resource can be accessed. Examples of device identifiers (device_IDs) 301 and 302 are shown in FIG. 3. Referring again to FIG. 2, in this example, the path information 202 specifies the directory of the device that provided the resource information. A resource may be obtained by requesting a resource from a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) obtained by combining path information <path> with a device identifier <device_ID>, for example an Internet Protocol (IP) address:

<device_ID> / <path>

When the device shares a plurality of resources, the path information 202 may specify the location of each resource of the device. However, in some embodiments, the path information 202 may be omitted and the source information may include only device identifiers. For example, if a device shares only a single resource, it can only provide a device identifier. Any other device can access the shareable resource by sending a resource access request to the device without knowing the specific location of the device, and the device can respond to all resource access requests by providing a single shared resource.

In view of the device receiving the resource information 200, the shared resource, unlike the local resource included in the device, may be referred to as a remote resource, that is, a resource remote from the device and accessible through the network 102. In addition, in this embodiment, the resource information 200 includes authentication information 203 that identifies the type of authentication to use when accessing the shared resource. However, in other embodiments, for example, authentication information 203 may be omitted if the same authentication type is used for all resources in the group of devices or if authentication is not used.

The device receiving the resource information 200 may be configured to select a particular resource of one of a plurality of resources including a remote shareable resource, and when the remote resource is selected, receive the device to request access to the remote resource. Available resource information. Various approaches are available for selecting a resource, details of which will be described later. However, as an example, when the smartphone 110-4 of FIG. 1 is playing a multimedia file or is about to play a multimedia file, the smartphone 110-4 may display the television 110-based on the received resource information. From 1) it can be determined that a large display screen can be used, and the user can be asked to choose whether to continue playing the multimedia file on the smartphone screen or the television screen. When the user selects a television screen that is a remote resource shared by the television 110-1, the smartphone 110-4 is associated with the selected remote resource, that is, the resource identifier of the television screen, to play the multimedia file through the television. Request access from a location defined by source information 202.

Referring now to FIG. 3, illustrated is a file format for storing received resource information in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of the invention, the device is configured to store resource information received from another device in a single file 310, which may be called a resource catalog. The resource catalog 310 can be updated by adding new resource information to the catalog file each time new resource information is received. Alternatively, in another embodiment, resource information received from another device may be stored separately. As with the embodiment of FIG. 2, an extended mark-up language (XML) format is used for the resource catalog 310 of this embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to XML, but other formats may be used in other embodiments. have.

As shown in FIG. 3, the resource catalog 310 of the present example includes first resource information 300-1 received from the first device and second resource information 300-2 received from the second device. . In the resource catalog 310, each received resource information 300-1, 300-2 is associated with a device identifier 301, 302 that identifies a device that has received the respective resource information 300-1, 300-2. do. Specifically, the first resource information 300-1 is associated with the device identifier 301 of the first device, and the second resource information 300-2 is associated with the device identifier 302 of the second device.

Including device identifiers 301 and 302 in the catalog 310 may be helpful for catalog management. For example, in some embodiments, a device may leave a group by broadcasting an escape message over network 120 to be received by other devices in the group. When the device receives the exit message, the catalog 310 can be updated by deleting the stored resource information including the device identifiers 301 and 302 of the device from which the exit message was received. Similarly, when updated resource information is received, the device may determine which resource information in the catalog 310 is to be replaced with the updated information based on the device identifiers 301 and 302. Accordingly, the device identifiers 301 and 302 identify two functions, i.e., locations from which resources can be obtained, and enable efficient management of stored resource information for a plurality of devices.

Referring now to FIG. 4, illustrated is a device 410 that receives resource information for sharable resources, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The device 410 may communicate with other devices in the group of devices via the network 120 via the network interface module 412. As shown in FIG. 4, the network interface module 412 may be included in the device 410 or may be accessed through a separate device to which the device 410 is connected in another embodiment. In addition to the network interface module 412, the device 410 is configured to receive resource information via the network 120 from other devices in the group of devices, and a remote identified by the received resource information. And a selection module 416 for selecting one of the plurality of resources including the resource.

The selection module 416 is connected to a known input device of the electronic devices 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 such as keypads, remote controlling keys and buttons and a touch screen or the like. It may include. Using the input device, a user enters a selection to select a particular resource of a user command or one of a plurality of resources, and the selection module 416 sends a resource of the plurality of resources in response to a user input. It provides information of and can select one specific resource of the plurality of resources.

In response to the selected remote resource, the device 410 is configured to request the remote resource selected from the location identified by the source information of the received resource information. The resource information collection module 414 may store the received resource information in the catalog 310 or any other format, as shown in FIG. 3, and may store the received resource information in an internal storage module of the device 410 or a separate one. It can be stored in a storage module, for example an external hard disk drive.

By collecting resource information from other devices in the group of devices, device 410 of FIG. 4 may establish collection of information about sharable resources that can be accessed via network 120. Accordingly, the device 410 may select a sharable resource, for example, by automatically selecting a resource when a specific condition is satisfied or selecting a resource in response to a user input, and selecting the shareable resource, based on the stored resource information. May request access. Since the device 410 already has the information needed to access the resource, there is no need to install a separate network management device for storing and managing a data store for maintaining access information for the shared resource.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an electronic device for transmitting resource information for a sharable resource according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Like the device 410 of FIG. 4, the electronic device 510 of FIG. 5 may access the network 120 via a network interface module 512 included in the electronic device 510 or accessible through a separate device. It can communicate with other devices in the group of devices. The electronic device 510 further includes a plurality of shareable resources 516, and a resource information providing module 514. The resource information providing module 514 includes a resource identifier identifying a resource of one of the shareable resources 516 accessible through the electronic device 510 and source information identifying a location from which the resource can be obtained. Generate information and transmit resource information via the network 120 to other devices in the group of devices. In this embodiment, resource information is generated each time the electronic device 510 is booted. However, in another embodiment, resources for other devices, for example, before the electronic device 510 joins the group, as the electronic device 510 joins the group, or after the electronic device 510 joins the group. In response to the information request, resource information may be generated.

In addition, in response to the request to use the resource received from the other device via the network 120, the electronic device 510 is configured to provide the requested resource to the other device. The electronic device 510, in response to a request received from another device, for example, if authentication of the other device is required before the access can be granted, can access the resource to control access to the sharable resource 516. It may include a control module.

Various methods are possible to obtain the resource identifier included in the resource information. In this embodiment, a universally unique identifier (UUID) is used to ensure a unique identifier for each resource 516. In another embodiment, for example, a combination of a device's IP address and a media access control (MAC) code may be used as the resource identifier.

In the present embodiment, the device 510 includes three shareable resources, namely, a first shareable resource 516-1, a second shareable resource 516-2, and a third shareable resource 516-3. In general, however, device 510 may include any number of sharable resources, that is, at least one sharable resource.

The devices 410 and 510 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be used as any of the devices shown in the group of devices in FIG. 1 and combined in a single device if the device needs to both transmit and receive resource information. Can be. In addition, the separate modules shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may generally be hardware or software modules configured to perform a desired function. For example, resource information collection and generation, and resource selection may be done by software modules running on the processor, and thus other types of storage media known as storage media, such as hard disks, optical disks, universal serial bus (USB) memory sticks, and the like. It may be implemented as a computer program stored in a computer readable storage medium.

Like the device 4110 of FIG. 4, since the electronic device 510 of FIG. 5 is processed by the same device sharing resource information, the need for a separate network management apparatus is avoided. Therefore, when a group of devices 410 and 510 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 exchanges resource information via the network as shown in Fig. 1, sharing of resources between the devices requires a dedicated central server to be installed. Dispersion can be done without the need. Thus, even if a group of devices was originally set up by a particular device, resource sharing is not controlled by any single device, such as a central server, so that the remaining devices continue to share resources even after that device leaves the group. Can be. Thus, a device can freely join and leave a group of devices at any time without affecting the remaining device's ability to share resources.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a method for use in device 410 as shown in FIG. 4 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method may be implemented by dedicated hardware installed in the device 410, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be implemented by a computer program running on the processor of the device.

First, in step S601 the device 410 receives resource information from another device in the group of devices via the network 120 of FIG. The resource information may be information identifying one remote shareable resource or identifying a plurality of remote shareable resources. In this case, the device 410 may store the received resource information together with resource information from another device, for example, in the catalog 310 shown in FIG. 3. Subsequently, in step S602, one specific resource of the plurality of resources is selected, where the plurality of resources include at least one local resource and a remote resource identified by the resource information received in step S601. The selection may be performed via the selection module 416 connected or included with, for example, a user's input, command or input device.

Next, in step S603, it is determined whether or not the remote resource is selected. If the remote resource has been selected, in step S604, the selected remote resource is requested using the location information included in the resource information received in step S601. On the other hand, if the selected resource was a local resource, that is, not a remote resource shared by another device, the local resource selected in step S605 is used. Although local resources are selected in FIG. 6, this is not mandatory in all embodiments. In some embodiments, a resource may be selected from a set of resources only from a plurality of remote resources, that is, not including any local resources. For example, one of a plurality of multimedia files can be selected, all of which are stored remotely and shared by at least one device over a network. In this embodiment, steps S603 and S605 may be omitted, and instead the process may proceed directly to step S604 to request the selected remote resource.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a method for use in device 510 as shown in FIG. 5 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As in FIG. The method of FIG. 7 may be implemented by a computer program running on dedicated hardware or a processor.

First, in step S701, the device generates resource information identifying at least one shareable resource that can be accessed through the device. Here, the at least one shareable resource included in the resource information may be a local resource included in the device 510, a remote resource that can be accessed by the device 510 through another device, or a local and remote shareable resource. Can be any combination.

Then, in step S702, the generated resource information is transmitted to at least one other device in the group of devices. The resource information may be broadcast to all devices over the network 120, for example, if the device 510 joins a group, the resource information may be broadcast over the network 120 to all other devices in the group. have. Or, in addition to this, the device 510 may periodically rebroadcast the resource information over the network and / or transmit the resource information to a specific device in response to a request from the device. In addition, the resource information may be generated at any time before being transmitted. In this embodiment, resource information is generated whenever the device 510 is booted. However, in other embodiments, for example, the resource information may be a resource for another device before device 510 joins the group, while device 510 joins the group, or after device 510 joins the group. In response to the request for information, resource information may be generated.

After transmitting the resource information, in step S703 the device 510 waits to receive an access request for a sharable resource from other devices in the group. If no access request is received, the flow returns to step S703 to proceed. If there is an access request being received, in response to the request, the device 510 proceeds to step S704 and provides resources to the requesting device. Here, authentication can be used to confirm that the request is received from an authorized device. Depending on how the group of devices is set up, in some embodiments, different types of authentication may be defined for different resources as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or authentication may be required for all shareable resources. have. If authentication is required for the requested resource, device 510 may be configured to authenticate the requesting device before providing the resource.

As described above, when generating the resource information in step S701, the device 510 may include information on a remote shareable resource that can be accessed from another device. As such, the device 510 may function as a bridge device between two other devices in the group of devices as shown in FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the first device 810-1 is compatible with two different network standards, in this case WiFi and Bluetooth. The group of devices also includes second and third devices 810-2 and 810-3 that are compatible only with WiFi and that can communicate with the first device 810-1 through a WiFi network 820-1. do. The group of devices is only compatible with Bluetooth and further includes a fourth device 810-4 communicating with the first device 810 via the Bluetooth network 820-2. As such, a group of one devices may include a device communicating over at least one network type.

In this example, the first device 810-1 can operate as a bridge device between the second and third devices 810-2, 810-3 and the fourth device 810-4. In detail, the first device 810-1 may obtain information about a remote shareable resource of the fourth device 810-4 from resource information sent to the second and third devices 810-2 and 810-3. It may include. Thus, the second and third devices 810-2, 810-3 send a request to the first device 810-1, and then from the fourth device 810-4 to provide resources to the requesting device. By requesting a resource, each resource for the fourth device 810-4 can be accessed.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the group includes any devices that cannot communicate directly, the first device 810-1 may operate as a bridge device. However, the use of bridge devices is not limited to situations where different network types are used. For example, even if all devices in the group communicate over the same network, the device can still function as a bridge device by including information about remote resources in its resource information. This may be advantageous because if two devices are unable to establish a reliable direct connection, the devices may still share resources across a third device to which they can reliably connect. For example, environmental factors can prevent a reliable Bluetooth connection from being established directly between two devices.

An embodiment of the invention has been described in which a device can select a remote shareable resource and request access to the selected remote resource from another device in the group. To select one of the plurality of resources, the device may be configured to rank the resources according to at least one predetermined ranking criteria. In particular, a plurality of different resource types may be defined, and the resource information for each resource may include type information for identifying the type of remote shareable resource. If a particular type of resource is needed, the device can rank all available resources of a particular type, both local and remote. For example, the type of resource required may be a display screen, and the device may rank all available display screens to determine the preferred screen to use. As such, based on the resource information, it may be determined whether an alternative resource of the same type as the selected resource and having a higher ranking than the selected resource is available.

Resource rankings will now be described with reference to FIG. 9, which illustrates a system for ranking resources according to one embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, three resources of the same type (Resource 1, Resource 2, Resource 3) are ranked according to four predetermined criteria. In other embodiments, other criteria may be used. In this embodiment, the criteria are the time since the resource was last accessed, the current state of the resource, the attribute score of the resource, and the history of use of the resource. Each resource is assigned a score of each category, and the scores for each resource are summed to give an overall score. The resource may be selected as the resource having the highest score as the priority resource and ranked according to the overall score. In some embodiments, the ranking results may be presented to the user for the user to select a priority resource based on the score. For example, the ranking result is output through an audio output or a visual device such as a touch screen of the devices 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, and 110-4 so that a user inputs a priority resource. I can suggest to select via input module.

In order to score resources in each category, it is necessary to obtain specific information about each resource. The information of a given resource may be initially included in the resource information or received in a subsequent step, so as to obtain the resource information for the resource from the device that originally provided the resource information.

More specifically, with respect to the “last access” criteria of FIG. 9, scores can be assigned to each resource under criteria that depend on how much time has passed since the resource was last accessed. For example, if a resource has not been accessed for more than 24 hours, a score of 0 may be assigned, if the resource has been accessed 1 to 24 hours ago, a score of 1 may be assigned and the resource is less than 1 hour ago. If accessed, a score of 2 may be assigned. This range is merely an example, and other ranges may be defined for other resources, for example, multimedia files may be accessed with a much less frequency of display screens or speakers.

With respect to the criteria of “resource status” in FIG. 9, each resource may be scored, depending on the current state of the resource, which may have different meanings for different types of resources. For example, in the case of a resource that is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a high score may be assigned to the resource if the GPS receiver has a current position modification. On the other hand, some types of resources may only have a single state, in which case this criterion may be omitted.

With regard to the “attribute” criteria in FIG. 9, this score may take into account any important attribute of the resource. Which attribute is important depends on the resource type. For example, in the case of a display screen of a device, a higher score may be given to a larger display than a small display. Other examples of attributes include, but are not limited to, whether the display is a color or black and white image, power consumption of the display, resolution, and any combination thereof. If the resource is a speaker, the attribute may include a maximum volume setting, power consumption level and quality metric, and any combination thereof. In the case of a storage unit such as a hard disk drive, the attribute may include the access speed and the available capacity. These attributes and resource types are merely examples and are not limiting.

With respect to the criterion of “usage history” in FIG. 9, this may be a score maintained by the ranking device and considering whether the resource was previously accessed, and if so, the performance level of the resource and the observed reliability. . For example, if a particular resource is frequently accessed but proves to be low in reliability, the resource may be assigned a low score in the "usage history." In the example shown in FIG. 9, the third resource was not previously accessed by the current device and therefore cannot use the usage usage score.

As mentioned above, resource ranking may be used to select a preferred resource when multiple different resources of the same type are available. In addition, if the same resource is available through different paths, for example, both directly and indirectly through both bridge devices as described with reference to FIG. 8, each different access path defined in the location information Resource information may be used to rank alternate access paths to select a preferred location to obtain the resource.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a method of determining whether a resource is currently available is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, before selecting one of the plurality of resources, the device providing the plurality of resources is configured to query to determine whether each resource is currently available. Unavailable resources may be removed from the selection process to ensure that only available resources can be selected.

The method shown in FIG. 10 can be done at the device providing the resource before responding to the availability query with a simple response indicating 'yes' or 'no' for availability, or making a selection based on information received in response to the query. Can be done in the device.

More specifically, the example shown in FIG. 10 illustrates different availability states of five resources. The first resource 001 is classified as unavailable because the device providing the resource does not currently exist, i.e., has left the network 120 or the networks 820-1, 820-2. The second resource 002 is available because the device exists and the resource is not currently used. The third resource 003 is available because the resource is currently in use but the resource supports concurrent use, that is, supports use by at least one device at a time. For example, parallel use may be supported by the media file but not by the display screen. The fourth resource 004 is available because the resource is interruptible and the requesting device has a high priority. In this case, the requesting device can interrupt the resource to gain access, regardless of whether the resource is currently in use. Finally, the fifth resource 005 is unavailable because the resource is in use and does not support concurrent use and does not allow the requesting device to interrupt a prior user of the resource. Thus, a device that determines whether a resource is currently available may query another device, compile the table shown in FIG. 10, store the table in a storage medium or memory of the device that determines The method shown in FIG. 10 may be performed by scanning table entries against a given matching resource or accessing input criteria for the resource.

Referring now to FIG. 11, illustrated is a system including a group of two devices in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, in this embodiment, there are five devices 1110-1, 1110-2, 1110-3, 1110-4, and 1110-5 configured to communicate over the same network 1120. However, not all devices are in the same group. While the first to third devices 1110-1 to 1110-3 are included in the first group 1131, the third device 1110-3 may also include the fourth and fifth devices 1110-4 and 1110-. Part of the second group 1132 including 5). Different groups may be defined by different group identifiers (IDs). 3 shows a group ID, and the resource catalog includes a GROUP_ID identifying a group to which resource information is applied. In the case of the third device 1110-3 in FIG. 11, the device may store separate resource catalogs for the first and second devices 1131 and 1132 under different group IDs.

Defining different groups like this allows different resources to be shared across different groups. For example, the third device 1110-3 transmits resource information about the corresponding resource to the other devices 1110-1 and 1110-2 of the first group 1131, so that the third device 1110-3 may transmit the resource to the first group 1131 and the specific resource. Can share. Similarly, the third device 1110-3 may also share different resource sets with other devices 1110-4 and 1110-5 in the second group 1132. This may be particularly advantageous if, for example, one group is set up to use authentication and another group is set up as an open group that does not require authentication.

Referring now to FIG. 12, illustrated is a method sequence diagram illustrating a method of setting up a group of devices in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. To establish a new group of devices, that is, if no group of devices previously existed, the first device 1210-1 broadcasts a group setup message over the network 1220.

More specifically, a device may be configured to join or set up a group of devices whenever a predetermined condition is met. In this embodiment, the predetermined condition is based on location recognition, and the first device 1210-1 is configured to periodically obtain information about the location, for example, using a GPS receiving module. Or, in another embodiment, based on the WiFi signal, location determination may be made by determining if there are devices within the range of the given network, or by using other information such as ambient sound detection. In response to the location information indicating that the device is in a predetermined location, broadcast a group search message that includes a predetermined group identifier that identifies the group, wait for a predetermined time, and present the group from the network within the predetermined time. And if a response indicating no is received, determines whether a group exists of devices by determining that no group exists. This approach reduces network traffic burden by ensuring that other devices on the network do not need to respond unless they are part of an already identified group. However, in another embodiment, instead of broadcasting a message containing a given group ID, the first device 1210-1 may request other devices to respond with the group ID of any existing group that already belongs to the group search message. It may be configured to broadcast the. The first device then waits for a predetermined time and compares the group ID in any response received at that time with the predetermined ID to determine whether the group exists.

With continued reference to FIG. 12, a group setup message is received by the second device 1210-2, which is also connected to the network 1220. In response to the group setup message, the second device 1210-2 determines whether to join the new group. For example, the second device 1210-2 may ask the user to choose whether to join the group, or any new group that meets certain criteria, for example, any new 'open' that does not require authentication. It can be configured to automatically join an 'group'.

If it is determined to join the new group, the second device 1210-2 sends a response message to the first device 1210-1 to confirm that the second device 1210-2 is about to join the group. send. Subsequently, the first device 1210-1 requests resource information from the second device 1210-2, receives resource information from the second device 1210-2, and responds to the second device 1210-2 with its own resource information. Send to device 1210-2. At this time, the two devices 1210-1 and 1210-2 exchange information of resources, and can now share their resources, and a group is established.

In FIG. 12, a dedicated response to the group setting message may be transmitted, and a dedicated request for resource information may be transmitted, but may be omitted in some embodiments. For example, instead of responding to the group setup message in a dedicated response, the second device 1210-2 may simply respond by sending resource information to the first device 1210-1.

Referring now to FIG. 13, illustrated is a message sequence diagram illustrating a method for setting up a group using authentication in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. This method is similar in several respects to the method of FIG. 12, where detailed descriptions of similar steps are omitted to maintain brevity. In this embodiment, the group setup message broadcast by the first device 1310 over the network 1320 identifies the type of authentication used for communication between the devices 1310-1, 1310-2 in the new group. Contains authentication information. Upon receiving the group setup message, the second device 1310-2 requests to join the new group by initiating mutual authentication with the first device 1310-1. In response to a message from the second device 1310 successfully authenticated by the first device 1310-1, the first device 1310-1 accepts a join request from the second device 1310-2 and The authentication token is transmitted to the second device 1310-2. The authentication token is a token for use in authenticating communication between devices in the same group and may be included in a message sent to a device receiving a message originating from an authorized device through a network for identification. The second device 1310-2 stores the authentication token.

As shown in FIG. 13, when subsequently requesting resource information from the second device 1310-2, the first device 1310-1 is configured to include an authentication token in the request message. Accordingly, the second device 1310-2 may check whether the request message is from an authorized device by comparing with the stored token.

Referring now to FIG. 14, illustrated is a message sequence diagram illustrating a method for reconnecting to a group using authentication in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the second device 1410-2 is reconnected to the network to which the first device 1410-1 and the third device 1410-3 are connected. The second device 1410-2 was previously connected to the network and was a member of group 1 to which the first device 1410-1 belongs. The third device 1410-3 is not included in group 1 but is a member of the second group.

Upon reconnecting to the network, the second device 1410-2 broadcasts a group search message to determine whether group 1 still exists, that is, whether any device included in group 1 is still connected to the network. Cast. In this example, the group search message requires each device to respond with any group ID of the group to which each device belongs, but as described above, other approaches are possible in other embodiments. The first device 1410-1 responds with a message including the group ID of the first group, and the third device 1410-3 responds with a message including the group ID of the second group. At this time, since the first device 1410-1 is still connected to the network, the second device 1410-2 of group 1 still exists. In response to determining that the group exists, the second device 1410-2 reassigns the group to any device in the first group for each device to update the catalog with the shared resources of the second device 1410-2. Broadcast the request to scan.

In this embodiment, group 1 is set to use an authentication token for authenticating communication as described above with reference to FIG. Accordingly, the first device 1410-1, and any other device in Group 1 that is still connected to the network, responds to the rescan request by sending a request for resource information, including an authentication token, to the second device 1410-2. do. Since the second device 1410-2 was previously part of the first group, the second device 1410-2 already has an authentication token and is a device authorized to request from the first device 1410-1. You can see that it comes from. Accordingly, the second device 1410-2 transmits its own resource information to the first device 1410-1, and the first device 1410-1 adds the resource information to its catalog 310. A similar message sequence follows the second device 1410-2 to receive resource information from the first device 1410-1. At this time, the second device 1410-2 may now rejoin the first group and restart sharing of resources.

Embodiments of the invention have been described in which a device receives resource information for a sharable resource accessible through another device on a network. In some embodiments, the device may be configured to store resource information received for a predetermined period of time and to request updated resource information from another device after the predetermined period of time has expired. This ensures that you can keep up-to-date records of sharable resources. In addition, in response to the updated resource information not being received, the device may be configured to delete the stored resource information for the other device. This ensures that when a device leaves the network, no other device subsequently attempts to access that device's sharable resources.

The apparatus and method according to the present invention may be implemented in computer code such as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Various components, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a processor, and a unit or device, including at least one hardware and / or other physical structure and elements of this specification have been described. In addition, the software or computer code may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium. Such recording media includes all kinds of recording media on which programs and data are stored so that they can be read by a computer system. Examples include Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), Compact Disk (CD), Digital Video Disk (DVD), Magnetic Tape, Floppy Disk, Optical Data Storage, Embedded Multimedia Card (eMMC), etc. And also implemented in the form of a carrier wave (eg, transmission over the Internet). In addition, these recording media can be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been described above, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

110-1: Television 110-2: Laptop Computer
110-3: Tablet computer 110-4: PDA
120: network 200: resource information
201: Resource Identifier 202: Path Information
203: authentication information 300-1: resource information
300-2: resource information 301: device identifier
302: Device identifier 310: first resource information
320: second resource information 410: device
412: network interface module 414: resource information collection module
416: selection module 510: electronic device
512: network interface module 514: resource information providing module
516: shareable resource 810-1: first device
810-2: second device 810-3: third device
810-4: fourth device 820-1: WiFi
1110-1: first device 1110-2: second device
1110-3: third device 1110-4: fourth device
1110-5: fifth device 1120: network
1210-1: first device 1210-2: second device
1220: network 1310-1: first device
1310-2: second device 1320: network
1410-1: first device 1410-2: second device
1410-3: third device

Claims (34)

An electronic device communicating via a network with at least one of the other devices in the group of devices,
Memory; And
Includes a processor,
The processor,
Broadcast a resource information request comprising a group identifier identifying a group of the devices in the group of devices,
Receive resource information directly from at least one of the other devices in the group of devices, the resource information identifying a resource identifier and the remote resource that identifies a remote resource that is directly accessible through at least one of the other devices; Source information identifying a location obtainable, wherein the resource identifier is a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through a first one of the at least one other device and accessible through the first device A second identifier corresponding to the second remote resource,
In response to the selection of one remote resource of the first remote resource and the second remote resource, requesting to use the selected remote resource from the location identified by the source information;
The processor,
Before receiving the resource information, it is determined whether the group of devices exists,
If the group of devices exists, request resource information directly from at least one of the other devices,
If the group of devices does not exist, it is further configured to broadcast a group setup message for joining at least one of the other devices to the group of devices,
After the processor broadcasts the group configuration message, in response to a request of one of the other devices, authenticates the specific device;
If the authentication is successful, send an authorization token to the specific device for the specific device to join the group,
And the authentication token is used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.
delete delete The method of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the group of devices exists.
The group of devices broadcast a group search message comprising a predetermined group identifier identifying the group of devices,
And if it does not receive a response from the network indicating a presence of the group of devices within a predetermined time, determines that the group of devices does not exist.
The method of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the group of devices exists.
Acquire location information on a current location of the electronic device,
And determining whether the group of devices exists based on the obtained location information.
delete The method of claim 1, wherein the processor,
If one particular resource of the plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource is identified as obtainable from a plurality of different locations, the plurality of requests for the specific resource based on a predetermined criterion Is further set to select a preferred position among the different positions,
Wherein each of the plurality of resources is prioritized based on at least one of information relating to time, current status, attribute score, or usage history since last access.
delete delete The method of claim 1, wherein the resource information includes type information identifying a type of the remote resource,
And the processor is further configured to determine whether an alternate resource of the same type as the selected resource and having a higher rank than the selected resource is available based on the resource information.
The method of claim 1, wherein the processor,
Is further configured to transmit local resource information to at least one of the other devices in the group of devices,
The local resource information includes information regarding a resource accessible through the electronic device.
The method of claim 1, wherein the processor,
Store the received resource information for a predetermined period, request updated resource information with at least one of the other devices after the predetermined period of time expires,
In response to the updated resource information not being received, further configured to delete the stored resource information for at least one of the other device.
The method of claim 1, wherein the processor,
Providing information regarding a plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource to a user, and receiving a user command for selecting one particular resource among the plurality of resources. And to select one particular resource of the plurality of resources in response to a user input.
An electronic device in communication with at least one of the other devices in the group of devices,
Memory; And
Includes a processor,
The processor,
Generate resource information including a resource identifier identifying a remote resource directly accessible through the electronic device and source information identifying a location from which the remote resource can be obtained, wherein the resource identifier is accessible through the electronic device A first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource and a second identifier corresponding to a second remote resource accessible through the electronic device,
Directly transmitting the generated resource information to at least one particular device of the other devices in the group of devices,
In response to receiving a request to use the remote resource from the specific device, provide the requested remote resource to the specific device,
The processor,
Determine whether the group of devices exists,
If the group of devices exists, directly transmit the generated resource information to the specific device,
When the group of devices does not exist or when a group setting message is received from the specific device, request the specific device to join the group of devices,
If authentication by the particular device to join the electronic device to the group of devices is successful, further configured to receive an authorization token from the specific device,
And the authentication token is used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.
The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic device,
And configured to communicate over a first network according to a first network protocol and to communicate over a second network according to a second network protocol, wherein the group of devices is connected to another first device on the first network and another on the second network. A second device,
The processor,
In response to the request for resource information from the other first device, transmitting resource information about the remote resource provided by the other second device and accessible through the electronic device to the other first device.
delete The method of claim 14, wherein the processor,
Upon receiving a resource information request including a group identifier identifying the group of devices from the specific device, identifying whether authentication is required in the group of devices,
If the authentication is required, authenticating the specific device.
A method for use in an electronic device in communication with at least one of the other devices in a group of devices,
Broadcasting a resource information request comprising a group identifier identifying a group of the devices;
Receiving resource information directly from at least one of the other devices in the group of devices, wherein the resource information is a resource identifier identifying a remote resource that is directly accessible through at least one of the other devices; Source information identifying a location from which a remote resource can be obtained, wherein the resource identifier includes a first identifier corresponding to a first remote resource accessible through a first device of the at least one other device and the first device; A second identifier corresponding to a second remote resource accessible via; And
In response to selecting at least one remote resource of the first remote resource and the second remote resource, making a request to use the selected remote resource from a location identified by the source information;
The method,
Determining whether the group of devices exists before receiving the resource information;
Requesting resource information with at least one of the other devices when the group of devices exists; And
If the group of devices does not exist, broadcasting a group setup message for joining at least one of the other devices to the group of devices;
Broadcasting the group configuration message,
In response to a request of one particular device of the other devices, authenticating the particular device, and
If the authentication succeeds, sending an authorization token to the specific device such that the specific device joins the group,
The authentication token is used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.
delete delete 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining of whether the group of devices exists comprises:
Broadcasting a group search message comprising a group identifier identifying the group of devices; And
And if it does not receive a response from the network indicating a presence of the group of devices within a predetermined time period, determining that the group does not exist.
The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether the group of devices exists,
Obtaining location information regarding a current location of the electronic device; And
Determining whether the group of devices exists based on the obtained location information.
delete The method of claim 18, wherein the method is
If a particular resource of the plurality of resources including the remote resource and the second remote resource is identified as obtainable from a plurality of different locations, the plurality of different locations requesting the specific resource based on a predetermined criterion; It further includes the operation of selecting the position of the priority,
Wherein each of the plurality of resources is prioritized based on at least one of information regarding time, current status, attribute score, or usage history since last access.
delete delete 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the resource information includes type information identifying a type of the remote resource,
And the method further comprises determining, based on the resource information, whether an alternate resource of the same type as the selected resource and having a higher rank than the selected resource is available.
The method of claim 18, wherein the method is
Transmitting local resource information to at least one of the other devices in the group of devices,
The local resource information includes information about a resource accessible through the electronic device.
The method of claim 18, wherein the method is
Storing the received resource information for a predetermined period of time;
Requesting updated resource information from at least one of the other devices after the predetermined period of time has expired; And
In response to the updated resource information not being received, deleting stored resource information for at least one of the other devices.
The method of claim 18, wherein the method is
Providing a user with information about a plurality of resources including the first remote resource and the second remote resource; And
Receiving a user command to select one particular resource of the plurality of resources.
A method for use in an electronic device in communication with at least one of the other devices in a group of devices,
Generating resource information including a resource identifier identifying a remote resource directly accessible through the electronic device and source information identifying a location from which the remote resource can be obtained, wherein the resource identifier is accessed through the electronic device A first identifier corresponding to a possible first remote resource and a second identifier corresponding to a second remote resource accessible through the electronic device;
Directly transmitting the generated resource information to at least one particular device of the other devices in the group of devices;
Receiving a request to use the resource from the specific device; And
Providing the requested remote resource to the specific device;
The method,
Determining whether the group of devices exists;
If the group of devices exists, directly transmitting the generated resource information to the specific device;
Requesting the specific device to join the group of devices when the group of devices does not exist or when a group setting message is received from the specific device; And
If the authentication for joining the particular device to the group of devices by the specific device is successful, further comprising receiving an authorization token from the specific device,
The authentication token is used to authenticate communications between devices in the same group.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the method is
Set the electronic device to communicate over a first network according to a first network protocol and to communicate over a second network according to a second network protocol, the group of devices being connected to another first device on the first network and the A second device on the second network; And
In response to a request for resource information from the other first device, transmitting resource information regarding the remote resource provided by the second device and accessible through the electronic device to the other first device. , Way.
delete 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the method is
Upon receiving a resource information request including a group identifier identifying the group of devices from the specific device, determining whether authentication is required in the group of devices; And
If the authentication is required, further comprising authenticating the specific device.

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