Customer services and advertising based upon device attributes and associated distributed processing system

Abstract

A method for providing customer services and advertising based upon device attributes for is disclosed for a distributed processing system. The distributed processing system identifies and utilizes the capabilities of distributed devices connected together through a wide variety of communication systems and networks and utilize those capabilities to organize, manage and distribute project workloads to the distributed devices.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A method of operating a distributed processing system having a network for coupling a multiplicity of Host distributed devices to process workloads for the distributed processing system, a plurality of Client systems requesting processing of the workloads, and a Server system for selectively distributing the workloads from the plurality of Client systems for processing by the distributed processing system comprising the steps of: 
 generating an offer to provide processing services as an incentive for a Host distributed device to couple to the network as one of the multiplicity of Host distributed devices, wherein the processing services are available only by a processing capability provided by the distributed processing system;    providing a first processing service selected from the processing services in response to the first Host distributed device coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system; and    updating capabilities of the processing services in response to the first Host distributed device coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of: 
 sending an advertisement to the first Host distributed device of recommended upgrades to capabilities the first Host distributed device may make in exchange for access to improved processing services from the distributed processing system; and    granting an improved processing service to the first Host distributed device in response to a notification and verification by the Server system that the first Host distributed device has made the recommended upgrades.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the Server system sends a software agent to the first Host distributed device to monitor operations of the first Host distributed device and request that the distributed processing system process selected workloads in order to enhance operations of the first Host distributed device, wherein the software agent operates independent of a user of the first Host distributed device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first Host distributed device is assigned a priority for sending Host workloads for processing on the distributed processing system as an incentive for coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the Server system makes an offer to sell application software to the first Host distributed device in response to the first Host distributed device having an assigned priority for sending Host workloads for processing on the distributed processing system, wherein the application software executes by processing workloads exclusively on the distributed processing system.  
     
     
         29 . A computer program product operating within a Server system coupled to a network and managing a distributed processing system, the network configured to enable the Server system to selectively couple a multiplicity of Host distributed devices to perform workloads for the distributed processing system, the program product comprising a program of instructions for performing the program steps of: 
 generating an offer to provide processing services as an incentive for a Host distributed device to couple to the network as one of the multiplicity of Host distributed devices, wherein the processing services are available only by a processing capability provided by the distributed processing system;    sending a program providing a first processing service selected from the processing services in response to the first Host distributed device coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system; and    updating capabilities of the processing services in response to the first Host distributed device coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system.    
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of  claim 29  further comprising program instructions for performing the program steps of: 
 sending an advertisement to the first Host distributed device of recommended upgrades to capabilities the first Host distributed device may make in exchange for access to improved processing services from the distributed processing system; and    providing an improved processing service to the first Host distributed device in response to a verification that the first Host distributed device has made the recommended upgrades to capabilities.    
     
     
         31 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein the Server system sends a software agent to the first Host distributed device to monitor operations of the first Host distributed device and request that the distributed processing system process selected workloads in order to enhance operations of the first Host distributed device, wherein the requests are independent of a user of the first Host distributed device.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein the first Host distributed device is assigned a priority for sending Host workloads for processing on the distributed processing system as an incentive for coupling to the network to process workloads for the distributed processing system.  
     
     
         33 . The computer program product of  claim 32 , wherein the Server system makes an offer to sell application software to the first Host distributed device in response to the first Host distributed device having an assigned priority for sending Host workloads for processing on the distributed processing system, wherein the application software executes by processing workloads exclusively on the distributed processing system.  
     
     
         34 . A software agent for operation within each of a multiplicity of Host distributed devices coupled to a network, the network configured to enable a Server system to selectively couple the multiplicity of Host distributed devices to perform workloads for a distributed processing system, the software agent comprising a program of instructions for performing the program steps of: 
 monitoring operations of a first Host distributed device within the multiplicity of Host distributed devices; and    generating a workload request to the Server system for the distributed processing system to process selected workloads in order to enhance a first operation of the first Host distributed device in response to a user requesting the first operation, wherein the workload request is transparent to the user of the first Host distributed device requesting the first operation.    
     
     
         35 . The software agent of  claim 34 , wherein the first Host distributed device receives the software agent in response to an incentive to couple to the network as one of the multiplicity of Host distributed devices in exchange for access to processing services provided exclusively by a capability of the distributed processing system.