Electronic system

An electronic system includes: a portable electronic device; and an electronic device, for detecting whether the portable electronic device is available, and transferring a partial task of a first task, which is to be processed by the electronic device, to the portable electronic device via a transmission interface if the portable electronic device is available; wherein the portable electronic device processes the partial task to generate a processed result and transfers the processed result to the electronic device via the transmission interface such that the electronic device is capable of completely processing the first task.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic system, and more particularly, to an electronic system having multiple electronic devices, which can share resources with each other.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In nowadays, electronic devices and portable electronic devices are widely used and have become necessary tools in our normal life. An electronic device, such as a personal computer, is very convenient for users to store data, perform mathematical calculations, and access the internet to gather information. Besides, a portable electronic device, such as a cell phone or a PDA, allows a user to communicate with other people, and to store some information (i.e: phone book).

As is known, the technology changes very rapidly. Novel hardware structure, new interfaces, and more complicated software programs are developed quickly. It means that the old electronic device may not support the above-mentioned new interface or may not execute the complicated software program efficiently. This forces the user to update their electronic device (mostly, to buy a new one).

But, to update the electronic devices too frequently is neither economical nor environmental. The industry needs to find a solution to lengthen the life time of an electronic device. For example, as time goes by, if an electronic device should be still able to execute more complicated tasks, the electronic device can survive longer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide an electronic system having electronic devices, which can share their resources, to solve the above-mentioned problems.

According to an objective of the present invention, an electronic system is provided. The electronic system comprises: a portable electronic device; and an electronic device, for detecting whether the portable electronic device is available, and transferring a partial task of a first task, which is to be processed by the electronic device, to the portable electronic device via a transmission interface if the portable electronic device is available; wherein the portable electronic device processes the partial task to generate a processed result and transfers the processed result to the electronic device via the transmission interface such that the electronic device is capable of completely processing the first task.

According to another objective of the present invention, an electronic system is provided. The electronic system comprises a portable electronic device; and an electronic device, for processing a first task to generate a processed result, detecting whether the portable electronic device is available, and transferring the processed result to the portable electronic device via a transmission interface if the portable electronic device is available; wherein the portable electronic device temporarily storing the processed result and transfers the processed result back to the electronic device via the transmission interface when the electronic device needs the processed result.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG. 1, which is a diagram of an electronic system10according to the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, the electronic system10comprises an electronic device100and a portable electronic device200. In this embodiment, the electronic device100is a personal computer, and the portable electronic device200is a cell phone. The personal computer100and the cell phone200are connected via a wireless transmission interface.

Please note, in this embodiment, the personal computer100and the cell phone200do not work separately. Instead, the personal computer100and the cell phone200are able to communicate with each other, and share their resources with each other via the wireless transmission interface.

In this embodiment, when the personal computer100processes a task, the personal computer100searches for an available portable electronic device, which could be used to share resource with it. Here, the cell phone200is available for sharing resource with the personal computer100, and thus can be regarded as an extended device of the personal computer100. In this embodiment, the cell phone200provides its hardware to help the personal computer100process the task.

Please note, in an embodiment of the present invention, the personal computer100transfers a partial task of the task to be processed to the cell phone200via the transmission interface300. And then, the cell phone200processes the partial task to generate an execution result. The personal computer200processes the task except for the partial task. Then, when the personal computer200needs the execution result to completely process the task, the cell phone200transfers the execution result of the partial task back to the personal computer. In this way, the personal computer200can utilize the execution result to completely process the task.

From the above, it can be seen that the personal computer100and cell phone200co-works to process the task.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cell phone200can be regarded as an external storage device of the personal computer100. This means the personal computer100can utilize the cell phone200as a data buffer.

That is, when the personal computer100processes a task, the personal computer100transfers the processed result to the cell phone200for temporary storage. And then, when the personal computer100needs the processed result in the following execution, the processed result is sent back to the personal computer100such that the personal computer100can completely process the task.

Furthermore, the aforementioned sharing mechanism can be implemented for one having ordinary skills in the art, and thus omitted here. For example, the personal computer100and the cell phone200can embed an identification software program and a sharing software program. Both the personal computer100and the cell phone200execute the verification software program first to identify each other in order to get ready to communicate. And then, the personal computer100and the cell phone200execute the sharing program to perform the above-mentioned procedure such that the cell phone200can be the external processing unit or the data buffer of the personal computer100.

Please refer toFIG. 2, which shows a block diagram of the electronic system10shown inFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 2, the personal computer100comprises a CPU110and a memory120. The memory120stores an identification program121, a sharing program122, and a task123. The task123comprises a partial task124. The personal computer100and the cell phone200are connected via the wireless transmission interface300.

In addition, the cell phone comprises a CPU210and a memory220. The memory220stores an identification program221and a sharing program222.

When the personal computer100starts to process the task123, the CPU110processes the task123stored in the memory120, and executes the identification program121stored in the memory120to search whether there is an available portable electronic device.

In this embodiment, the CPU110executes the identification program121to emit an identification request to a portable electronic device. And if the portable electronic device is able to communicate with the personal computer100, the portable electronic device will response to the request and the personal computer100and the portable electronic device can establish the connection. The identification program121can also comprise a security mechanism. The security mechanism will check the identity of the portable electronic device and only if the portable electronic device is on a predefined list, the personal computer100and the portable electronic device will establish the connection.

For example, in this embodiment, after receiving the above-mentioned request, the CPU210of the cell phone200responses to the request (e.g. send a response to the personal computer100) to inform the personal computer100that the cell phone200is available and ready to communicate such that the cell phone200and the personal computer100can establish the connection.

After the connection is established, the CPU110executes the sharing program122and the CPU210executes the sharing program222such that the personal computer100and the cell phone200can establish the sharing mechanism.

Please refer toFIG. 3, which is a diagram showing how the PC100and the cell phone200work together according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 3, after the sharing mechanism is established, the PC100transfers the partial task124, which is a part of the being-processed task, to the cell phone200. The CPU210receives the partial task, and recognizes that the partial task should be processed according to the sharing program222. And then, the CPU210executes the partial task to generate a processed result224and stores the processed result224in the memory220.

Simultaneously, the CPU110processes the task. Please note, in this embodiment, the CPU110does not process the partial task. Instead, the cell phone200is responsible for processing the partial task. Therefore, the CPU110needs the processed result224to complete the task. When the CPU110needs the processed result224, the CPU110executes the sharing program122to send a request to the cell phone200. And then, the cell phone210receives the request, and sends the processed result224to the PC100. In this way, the PC100can process the remaining task according to the processed result224such that the task can be completely processed. The CPU210can also transmit the processed result to the PC100after the partial task124is being processed.

Similarly, in another embodiment, the cell phone200acts as a data buffer. Please refer toFIG. 4, which is a diagram showing how the PC100and the cell phone200work together according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 4, after the sharing mechanism is established, the PC100processes the partial task124, which is a part of the being-processed task, to generate a processed result125. The processed result125will be used later. And then, the CPU110transfers the processed result125to the cell phone200. The CPU210receives the processed result125, and the CPU210stores the processed result125in the memory220.

Simultaneously, the CPU110continues to process the task. When the CPU110needs the processed result125, the CPU110executes the sharing program122to send a request to the cell phone200. And then, the cell phone210receives the request, and sends the processed result125to the PC100. In this way, the PC100can process the remaining task according to the processed result125such that the task can be completely processed.

Please note, the PC100is not limited to transmit the partial task or the processed result, only. In another embodiment of the present invention, the PC100can transmit some data that will not be used frequently to the memory220of the cell phone200. For example, the PC100can determine the priority of data and deliver the data to different destinations according to the priority. If the priority is the highest, it means the data will be used immediately or very frequently so that the PC100transfers the data to a cache or DRAM of the PC100. But if the priority of the data is lower (or complies with a predetermined priority criterion), it means the data would be used not so frequently. Therefore, the PC100transfers the data to the memory220of the cell phone200and the cell phone200can temporarily store it until the PC100needs it.

Please note, the present invention does not limit the type of the memory220of the cell phone200. In this embodiment, the memory220can be a flash memory or a DRAM. These changes also obey the spirit of the present invention.

In addition, the present invention does not limit the location of memory space where the data (processed data or partial task) should be stored. The cell phone200can store the data randomly. Or, the cell phone200can create a dedicated memory space for the PC100and all the data transferred by the PC100are stored inside the dedicated memory space. These changes also obey the spirit of the present invention.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the cell phone200and the personal computer100are connected via the wireless transmission interface300. And this structure is only utilized as an embodiment, not a limitation. In the actual implementation, the cell phone200and the personal computer100can be connected via every transmission interface including wire and wireless interfaces. For example, the wire transmission interface can be any cable, or USB interfaces, and the wireless transmission interface can be Bluetooth, infrared ray transmission interface, or WLAN interfaces.

In addition, the personal computer100and the cell phone200are only used as embodiments, not limitations of the present invention. In the actual implementation, the electronic device can be implemented with a laptop, a server, or any other electronic device, and the portable electronic device can be implemented with a laptop or PDA. These changes all obey the spirit of the present invention.