Patent ID: 8413149

Claim:
An information processing apparatus connected to a different information processing apparatus through a network, said information processing apparatus comprising: a main processor; a first sub processor configured to execute a first program having a first priority; a second sub processor configured to execute a second program having a second priority; and a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the main processor, cause the main processor to operate with the first sub processor and the second processor to: (a) manage said first sub processor and said second sub processor using a management table, said management table including: (i) a first identifier for specifying said first sub processor; (ii) a second identifier for specifying said second sub processor; and (iii) use situation information representative of whether or not: (A) said first sub processor specified with the first identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program; and (B) said second sub processor specified with the second identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program; (b) in response to a securing request from the different information processing apparatus, said securing request indicating a first number of processors and a program priority: (i) determine a second number of processors, the second number indicating a quantity of said sub processors which are not executing nor are reserved for execution of a program; (ii) if said determined second number is less than said first number: (A) for the first sub processor, determine whether the first priority is lower than the program priority; (B) if the first priority is lower than the program priority, for the different information processing apparatus, secure said first sub processor; (C) for the second sub processor, determine whether the second priority is lower than the program priority; and (D) if the second priority is lower than the program priority, for the different information processing apparatus, secure said second sub processor; and (iii) rewrite said management table.