Patent ID: 7150020

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of resolving conflicts in the allocation of a shared computer resource between a first application to which the computer resource is currently allocated and a second application requesting access to the computer resource, comprising: receiving, at the computer resource, a resource allocation request that includes an identity for the second application; comparing, at the computer resource, the identity of the second application with an identity for a predetermined prioritized application to determine whether the second application is the predetermined prioritized applicatior; in the event that the second application is the predetermined prioritized application, the computer resource determining whether it has the authority to allocate itself to the second application; in the event that the computer resource has the authority to allocate itself to the second application, the computer resource allocating itself to the second application; and in the event that the computer resource does not have the authority to allocate itself to the second application, the computer resource requesting a decision as to how to be allocated.