Patent ID: 6944662
Filing Date: 2005-09-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A data processing system that comprises a network comprised of a set of connected devices, individual ones of said connected devices of said set of connected devices comprising a data processor that executes a program for connecting to and disconnecting from said network and for maintaining a first list descriptive of other connected devices and a second list descriptive of at least some user-defined services published by individual ones of publisher connected devices that are members of a first sub-set of the connected devices, individual ones of said publisher connected devices maintaining a third list descriptive of an individual one or individual ones of registered service subscriber connected devices that are members of a second sub-set of connected devices, said publisher connected devices providing a service output to registered service subscriber connected devices upon an occurrence of at least one predetermined triggering event, wherein a given one of said connected devices is one of a member of only said first sub-set of connected devices, a member of only said second sub-set of connected devices, or a member of both said first sub-set of connected devices and said second sub-set of connected devices, wherein individual ones of said publisher connected devices of said first sub-set of connected devices have at least one back-up connected device to publish the service upon the unavailability of said publisher connected device, said at least one back-up connected device storing data and procedures required to publish the service should the publisher connected device become unavailable.