Patent ID: 6947994

Claim:
A method for negotiating an exchange of image processing functionality between first and second devices over a bi-directional communication link, comprising the steps of: communicating a function description between the first and second devices, the function description including information concerning functionality available in the first or second devices; negotiating between the first and second devices to assign image processing functionality to the first or second device in accordance with the functionality available in the first or second device, wherein the assigned image processing functionality effects an image transfer between the first and second devices; and transmitting from one of the first and second devices to the other of the first and second devices, in accordance with the assignment of the image processing functionality, program code that implements functionality assigned to the other of the devices and needed by the other of the devices, wherein both the first and second devices can execute the program code to perform the image processing functionality and the program code is executed by the other of the devices in accordance with the transmission of the program code from the one device to the other device.