WO2007064059A1

WO2007064059A1 - Embedded system employing a software platform for sharing hardware device and contents resources

Info

Publication number: WO2007064059A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/000480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won Seok Kang; Sung Rae Cho; Dong Ha Lee; Dong Hee Lee; Woo Young Jung
Original assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute Of Science And Technology
Priority date: 2005-12-02
Filing date: 2006-02-10
Publication date: 2007-06-07
Also published as: KR100718271B1

Abstract

When a power is applied to the embedded electronic device and a power switch is turned on, an initialization program for a network resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a software resource management module constituting a resource sharing middleware of the embedded electronic device is run to initialize the system (step 1). A system initialization information is stored in an information storage (step X). Thereafter, the embedded electronic device transmits the information stored in the information storage through a convergence network to other embedded electronic devices having the resource sharing middleware identical to that of the embedded electronic device, or requests a collection of information of the other embedded electronic devices (step 3). Next, a synchronization process wherein the information collected through the convergence network is stored in the information storage of the embedded electronic device or stored using information storages of the embedded electronic device is performed (step 4). The collection and the synchronization of the information through the network are periodically carried out, and an update of the information in the information storage is periodically performed accordingly (step 5). On the other hand, the embedded electronic device carried out a hardware device and contents sharing through the convergence network if required (step 6).

Description

EMBEDDED SYSTEM EMPLOYING A SOFTWARE PLATFORM FOR SHARING HARDWARE DEVICE AND

CONTENTS RESOURCES

Background Art

[ 1 ] 1. Field of the Invention

[2] The present invention relates to an electronic device including an embedded system, and more particularly to an embedded system including a software platform wherein a hardware device and contents resources are shared.

[3]

[4] 2. Description of Related Art

[5] An embedded electronic device includes hardware devices such as mobile computing devices such as a HPC, a PDA, a smart phone and a mobile phone, electronic appliance such as a digital television having a microprocessor, and such as a factory automation system for a specific use.

[6] The embedded system is often referred to as a built-in system, and manufactured mostly for a single purpose. That is, the embedded system is designed to be optimal for a specific purpose. In addition, a development host environment and an operating environment of the embedded system are very diverse.

[7] Accordingly, the embedded electronic device including the embedded system generally has a unique characteristic, consists of components limited to a specific domain, and the entire components such as CPU is mounted on a small board. In addition, the embedded electronic devices are designed to be optimized for a different purpose and use so that the devices are not compatible with each other and an expandability of a main board is extremely limited.

[8] On the other hand, improved embedded electronic devices compared to conventional ones are being developed continuously, and the technical field of the embedded system has the fastest technical development in the filed of information technology. Due to the fast development of the embedded electronic device and the related technology thereof, a recycling and a re-application rates of the conventional embedded electronic devices are degraded rapidly. The degradation of the recycling of the conventional embedded electronic device is not desirable to the environmental aspect as well as to the economical aspect.

[9] Therefore, a technology wherein a usability and a practicability are improved and a life cycle is extended by sharing resources between the conventional embedded electronic device and a newly developed embedded electronic device is necessary. [10] In addition, the embedded electronic device such as the mobile phone having a small contents storage device has a limitation in storing all the desired contents information. Accordingly, a technology wherein the other embedded electronic devices having a large storage device is used as a resource sharing server is necessary. A contents sharing technology between the resource sharing servers is also necessary.

[11] In order to share a hardware device and contents resources between different embedded electronic devices, an operating system and a middleware for resource sharing used for the embedded electronic device should have the following characteristics.

[12] Firstly, the operating system and the middleware may be used adaptively for various embedded systems, and should have a simple structure and be able to support a multitasking. The operating system and the middleware should operate on a memory of a small capacity and a slow CPU, and should satisfy a real-time process request to a certain degree.

[13] Moreover, the operating system and the middleware should support various platforms, and have a user interface. The operating system and the middleware should also have a small and robust file system, support a network function and be compatible with other standards.

[14] In addition, the operating system and the middleware should have a superior mod- ulibility and porting capability so as to add a necessary portion and remove an unnecessary portion easily and promptly.

[15]

[16] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[17] It is an object of the present invention to provide a software platform for sharing a hardware device and contents resources between embedded electronic devices clustered to each other through a network, and also to provide an embedded electronic device having the software platform installed therein.

[18] It is another object of the present invention to provide a software for sharing a hardware device of the embedded electronic device and a software for sharing contents stored in various embedded electronic devices.

[19] It is another object of the present invention to provide a resource sharing system which conforms to a characteristic of the embedded electronic device.

[20] In accordance with first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an embedded electronic device which includes a resource sharing software middleware for carrying out a resource sharing function with other embedded electronic device.

[21] The resource sharing middleware is a software or a programming service which connects two or more systems or program softwares.

[22] The resource sharing middleware comprises a software resource management module which specializes in a software resource management, a hardware resource management module which specializes in a hardware resource management, and a network resource management module which specializes in a network resource management.

[23] The embedded electronic device of the present invention comprises an interface for a network connection to other embedded electronic device, and an information storage for storing an information on a shared resource.

[24] The interface may be a universal interface which may be applied to various embedded electronic device or a dedicated interface which is specifically designed for an object of the resource sharing.

[25] The information storage may be every type of a writable medium for storing a digital information. However, it is preferable that the information storage consists of a volatile or a non-volatile memory. The information storage may be a typical storage device such as a memory which is built in the embedded electronic device for storing an application program, or a separate memory for storing an information on the resource sharing only. The information storage collects and synchronizes an information of the embedded electronic device and of other embedded electronic devices collected through a convergence network. The synchronization refers to storing an information in the information storage of the embedded electronic device or storing the information in an information storage of the other embedded systems. Brief Description of the Drawings

[26] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a software platform in accordance with the present invention.

[27] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operating procedure of the software platform in accordance with the present invention.

[28] Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting a hardware device information of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[29] Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting data contents information of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[30] Fig. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting an available software list of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[31] Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting a running application software list of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[32] Fig. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a function of an intelligent route path setup of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention. [33] Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a search function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[34] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a position tracking function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[35] Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a function of a network resource management module of collecting an information on memory where an application program is loaded in accordance with the present invention.

[36] Fig. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a function of process load distribution of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[37] Fig. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a function of exchanging and encrypting a communication message of a software resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[38] Fig. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a function of a meta data based transmission of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[39] Fig. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a security function of a software resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[40] Fig. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking a position of a hardware device of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[41] Fig. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking an availability of a hardware device of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[42] Fig. 17 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking an available capacity of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[43] Fig. 18 is a flow chart illustrating a QoS function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[44]

[45] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[46] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanied drawings.

[47] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a software platform in accordance with the present invention.

[48] A network between embedded electronic devices in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a convergence network which includes a plurality of embedded electronic devices interconnected through a wired/wireless network. The wired/wireless convergence network may include every type of networks, which allows a connection between the embedded electronic device, such as an Ethernet, a BcN, a Wibro, a USN, a CDMA, a WCDMA, a GSM.

[49] The embedded electronic devices are divided into a high performance, an intermediate performance and a low performance according to their information processing performance and information storage performance. Each of the embedded electronic device comprises a hardware unit (CPUO, CPUl, Memory 1, MemoryN, DeviceO, Device 1, DeviceN, Display Panel, for example) and a software unit, and particularly the embedded electronic device in accordance with the present invention comprises a middleware including a software resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a network resource management module. The embedded electronic device of the present invention also comprises an information storage for storing an information on a shared resource which is in a form of a separate memory or in a form of an integrated memory.

[50] The embedded electronic device in accordance with the present invention supports a sharing between a conventional service and hardware device and a new service and hardware device and a contents sharing by including the middleware for a resource sharing. However, in order to carry out such function, the embedded electronic device should be capable of loading main function of the middleware in accordance with the present invention.

[51] The shared hardware device related to a sharing method of the hardware device of the present invention includes a CPU, a storage device, a device chip for a certain service, display output device and a network. The shared contents related to sharing method of the contents of the present invention include every content stored in the embedded electronic device.

[52] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operating procedure of the software platform in accordance with the present invention.

[53] When a power is applied to the embedded electronic device and a power switch is turned on, an initialization program for a network resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a software resource management module constituting a resource sharing middleware of the embedded electronic device is run to initialize the system (step 1). A system initialization information is stored in an information storage (step 2). Thereafter, the embedded electronic device transmits the information stored in the information storage through a convergence network to other embedded electronic devices having the resource sharing middleware identical to that of the embedded electronic device, or requests a collection of information of the other embedded electronic devices (step 3). Next, a synchronization process wherein the information collected through the convergence network is stored in the information storage of the embedded electronic device or stored using information storages of the embedded electronic device is performed (step 4). The collection and the syn- chronization of the information through the network are periodically carried out, and an update of the information in the information storage is periodically performed accordingly (step 5). On the other hand, the embedded electronic device carried out a hardware device and contents sharing through the convergence network if required (step 6).

[54] Functions and operations of the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module and the network resource management module included in the middleware will now be described in detail. Regarding the function and the operation of each of the module, while each of the modules included in the middleware is initialized in the same manner when an initial power is applied, various forms of initialization process progress according to the function of each of the modules.

[55] Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting a hardware device information of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[56] The hardware resource management module of the present invention includes a function of collecting a hardware device information so as to collect and synchronize a hardware device list of the embedded system.

[57] When the system initialization of the embedded electronic device is completed, an internal automatic/manual update is carried out, or the function of collecting a hardware device information is requested from outside (step 310), the hardware resource management module extracts a configuration information (type, specification and chip information of the hardware device, for example) of the hardware device in the embedded electronic device (step 320). The extracted hardware device information is transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 330). Thereafter, the information collected through a hardware device search of the other embedded electronic devices (step 340) is transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 350).

[58] Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting data contents information of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[59] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a data contents information collection function for collecting and synchronizing data contents information available to the embedded system.

[60] When the system initialization is complete or the data contents collection function is requested to the embedded electronic device (step 410), the software resource management module extracts the data contents information including an information on a multimedia contents file and other contents file stored in the hardware device inside the embedded electronic device(step 420). The file information includes an information regarding what application program was used to create the files, what ap- plication program is capable of running the files and what hardware device was used to create or is capable of running the files. The multimedia contents file further includes an information on a codec. The extracted contents information is transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 430). Thereafter, the information collected through a data contents information search of the other embedded electronic devices (step 440) is also transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 450).

[61] Fig. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting an available software list of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[62] The software resource management module of the present invention includes an available software list collection function for collecting and synchronizing a software list available to the embedded system.

[63] When the system initialization is complete or the available software list collection function is requested to the embedded electronic device (step 510), the software resource management module extracts a built-in application program list information stored in the embedded electronic device (step 520). The information may include an application program for controlling the hardware device, an application program for converting a protocol of a communication data, a multimedia codec application program, an application program for an encryption (symmetry, conversion RSA and DES for example). The extracted information is transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 530). Thereafter, the available software list information stored in the other embedded electronic devices (step 540) is also transmitted to the information storage to be stored as an available external software list information (step 550).

[64] Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a function of collecting a running application software list of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[65] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a running application program list collection function wherein an information on an application program which is currently used by devices required for a calculation such as a CPU and a memory of application programs installed in the embedded system is collected and synchronized.

[66] When the system initialization is complete or the running application program list collection function is requested to the embedded electronic device (step 610), the software resource management module extracts an information on the application program which is loaded in a volatile and non- volatile memories and currently using the CPU from an application program list stored in the embedded electronic device (step 620). The extraction of the running application program list is to synchronize when the other embedded electronic device is requesting a certain corresponding application program which is used by a certain hardware device at the same time. The extracted information is transmitted to the information storage to be stored (step 630). Thereafter, the running application program list information of the other embedded electronic devices collected through a search function (step 540) is also transmitted to the information storage to be stored as an external running application program list information (step 650).

[67] Fig. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a function of an intelligent route path setup of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[68] The network resource management module of the present invention includes an intelligent route path setup function through the convergence network for a control and data communication exchange used in the software resource management module available to the embedded system.

[69] When the system initialization of the embedded electronic device is complete or intelligent route path setup function is requested (step 710), the embedded electronic device searched for a hardware device information (type, specification and chip information of the hardware device, for example) in the embedded electronic device and selects a hardware device capable of a communication function (step 720). A connection setup to the other embedded electronic device, which has agreed to a cluster setup, having the same communication protocol with the selected hardware device is then carried out (step 730). When the connection setup is established with the other embedded electronic device, a list of a communication hardware device included in the other embedded electronic device is collected and a list of a communication hardware device included in the embedded electronic device is also exchanged with the other embedded electronic device simultaneously (step 740). The information collected through an information exchange is transmitted to the information storage to be stored and be managed (step 750).

[70] The above steps (steps 710 through 750) are periodically repeated to set the available communication hardware and the route path through a tunneling by the communication hardware device having the communication function (step 760). For instance, when the embedded electronic device includes only GSM communication protocol function, the other embedded electronic device supports GSM and WiBro communication protocol, and the embedded electronic device requests a WiBro connection, the embedded electronic device may establish a connection by tunneling of GSM-GSM- WiBro to the other embedded electronic device so as to perform a WiBro function.

[71] As described above, the intelligent route path setup function is used for not only embodying a communication protocol which is not included but also for facilitating an exchange a data and a control messages required for sharing the resources by constructing a large bandwidth. [72] Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a search function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[73] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a search function for performing a search of a hardware device information and data contents in the information storages of the multiple embedded system and the other second embedded systems required by the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module in a single, a plural and an integrated form.

[74] When the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module requests a resource sharing (step 810), the information storage of the embedded electronic device is primarily searched. When a search result matches, a corresponding information is transmitted (step 820), and when the search result does not match, a re-search of the other embedded electronic devices is requested (step 830). The re-search of the other embedded electronic devices may be carried out until the corresponding information is matched for a portion of or the entire embedded electronic devices which are clustered by the network connection. Accordingly, when the matching information is found in the other embedded electronic devices, the corresponding information is transmitted to the embedded electronic devices which requested the information, and when the information is not found, a message which represents that there is no matching information is transmitted (step 840).

[75] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a position tracking function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[76] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a software position tracking function for collecting and synchronizing an information on an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems.

[77] When the software position tracking function is requested (step 910), a list of the available software of the clustered embedded electronic device is requested through the intelligent route path setup while a list of the application program installed in the embedded electronic device is requested (step 920). The other embedded electronic device which received the request extracts the available software list and then transmits the same to the embedded electronic device which requested the corresponding information through the network (step 930). The extracted information which is the available software list information is stored in the information storage of the embedded electronic device which requested the corresponding information (step 940).

[78] Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a function of a network resource management module of collecting an information on memory where an application program is loaded in accordance with the present invention. [79] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a function of collecting an information on a memory having a corresponding application loaded therein when an operation is carried out through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems.

[80] When the function of collecting the information on the memory having the corresponding application loaded therein is requested due to a need of the resource sharing for the embedded electronic device (step 1010), the embedded electronic device which received the request requests an available memory capacity of the other embedded electronic device to the other embedded electronic device (step 1020). Thereafter, the possibility of execution of the application program of the other embedded electronic device is determined using an information on the available memory capacity received from the other embedded electronic device (step 1030).

[81] Fig. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a function of process load distribution of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[82] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a process load distribution function for processing a corresponding process through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded system for efficient calculation process when a process load is large.

[83] When the system initialization is complete or a dispersion of the process load is required due to a large process load, the software resource management module determines whether an execution of other application program impose a time problem due to an occupation of the CPU by running application programs (step 1110). When there is a possibility of the problem, an execution of a corresponding application program is requested to the other embedded electronic device clustered by the intelligent route path setup (step 1120). Thereafter, a result processed only by the other embedded electronic device is received through a network communication (step 1130).

[84] Fig. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a function of exchanging and encrypting a communication message of a software resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[85] The network resource management module of the present invention includes a communication message exchange and encryption function for exchanging a control communication message and a data communication message between the embedded system and the one or more second embedded system and for encrypting the messages.

[86] When the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module generates a communication message through the intelligent route path setup due to a need of a communication message exchange of the embedded electronic device (step 1210), the network resource management module analyzes the communication message to determine whether the communication message is transmitted as an encrypted (symmetry, conversion RSA and DES for example) communication message. The communication message is then transmitted to the other embedded electronic device in a form of encrypted or decrypted message according to a result of the determination (step 1220).

[87] Fig. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a function of a meta data based transmission of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[88] The network resource management module of the present invention includes a function of transmitting the communication message based on a marked up meta data such as XML and SGML.

[89] When the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module generates a communication message through the intelligent route path setup due to a need for an exchange of the communication message for the embedded electronic device (step 1310), the network resource management module analyzes the communication message to determine whether the communication message is transmitted as an encrypted communication message. The communication message is then transmitted to the other embedded electronic device by reformatting the communication message into a form of the marked up meta data according to a result of the determination (step 1320).

[90] Fig. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a security function of a software resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[91] The software resource management module of the present invention includes a security function for restricting a connection to the one or more second embedded system outside a cluster environment when the cluster environment between the embedded systems is set up.

[92] When the embedded electronic device receives a request for sharing the resource from the other embedded electronic device (step 1410), the information stored in the information storage is searched to determine a possibility of the sharing function (step 1420), and the possibility of the sharing function is transmitted to the other embedded electronic device (step 1430).

[93] Fig. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking a position of a hardware device of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[94] The hardware resource management module of the present invention includes a hardware device position tracking function according to a detailed technical specification for tracking the detailed technical specification of a hardware device. [95] When the hardware device position tracking function according to a detailed technical specification is requested (step 1510), the hardware resource management module searches for a certain information (a hardware device codec information performing a multimedia function, an information on a network bandwidth and protocol, a physical characteristic information of the non- volatile and the volatile memories, for example) from the hardware device list included in the embedded electronic device (step 1520). When the matching information is not found, the certain information is again searched from the hardware device list of the other embedded electronic devices through a network communication (step 1530), and when the certain information is found, a corresponding embedded electronic device is set to be usable (step 1540). Thereafter, the certain information collected through the hardware device search function for the other embedded electronic devices (step 1550) is also transmitted to the information storage to be stored as the external hardware device information (step 1560).

[96] Fig. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking an availability of a hardware device of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[97] The hardware resource management module of the present invention includes an available hardware device tracking function for tracking an availability of a corresponding hardware device when the software resource management module requests a hardware device to be shared.

[98] When the software resource management module requests a hardware device to be shared to the embedded electronic device (step 1610), the hardware resource management module determines if there is an available hardware device. When the hardware device is not available, a communication message requesting an available hardware device is transmitted to the other embedded electronic device (step 1620). When there is an embedded electronic device responding to the communication message (step 1630), the hardware device is shared between the responding embedded electronic device and the embedded electronic device transmitting the request message (step 1640). Thereafter, the availability of the hardware device for the other electronic device is collected through the search function to carry out the sharing with the other embedded electronic device as a response to the request communication message (step 1650), or the collected available external hardware device information is stored in the information storage so the a re-search is not necessary for a subsequent use (step 1660).

[99] Fig. 17 is a flow chart illustrating a function of tracking an available capacity of a hardware resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[100] The hardware resource management module of the present invention includes an available capacity tracking function for tracking an available capacity of a non- volatile storage device when the software resource management module requests a storing of contents in the non- volatile storage device through a search function.

[101] When the software resource management module requests the storing of the contents for the embedded electronic device (step 1710), the hardware resource management module determines is there is a space for storing data contents in the nonvolatile storage device of the embedded electronic device (step 1720). When the storage space is not sufficient, a communication message requesting an available storage space is transmitted to the other embedded electronic device (step 1730). When the embedded electronic device having an idle storage space of the other embedded electronic device (step 1740) responds to the request, a data is transmitted to a corresponding other electronic device to be stored (step 1750). Thereafter, an available capacity of the other embedded electronic device is collected through the search function (step 1760), and is stored in the information storage as the available external capacity information (step 1770).

[102] Fig. 18 is a flow chart illustrating a QoS function of a network resource management module in accordance with the present invention.

[ 103] The network resource management module of the present invention includes a QoS function for allocating a sufficiently secured bandwidth for a control and data communication exchange to be used in the software resource management module.

[104] When QoS of the network is required to be supported due to a request of the resource sharing between the embedded electronic device and the other embedded electronic devices (step 1810), the network resource management module carried out the QoS function to request a bandwidth guarantee (step 1820). The control and data communication exchange between subject embedded electronic devices which share the resource according to the request for bandwidth guarantee to perform the resource sharing (step 1830).

[105] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof and drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[106] As described above, there is provided a resource sharing system which conforms to a characteristic of the embedded electronic device.

[107] In addition, a method for building a software platform for sharing a hardware device and contents resources between embedded electronic devices clustered to each other through a network is provided.

[108] Moreover, a software for sharing a hardware device of the embedded electronic system and a software module for sharing data contents stored in the embedded electronic device are provided. [109] The software platform and the resource sharing system using the same may be used adaptively, have a simple structure and are able to support a multitasking. The software platform and the resource sharing system also operate on a memory of a small capacity and a slow CPU, and satisfies a real-time process request to a certain degree. [110] In addition, the software platform and the resource sharing system includes a standard user interface, a small and robust file system, support a network function and are compatible with other standards. [Ill] The software platform and the resource sharing system have a superior modulibility and porting capability so as to add a necessary portion and remove an unnecessary portion easily and promptly.

Claims

[ 1 ] An embedded system comprising : a resource sharing middleware consisting of a software resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a network resource management module, the resource sharing middleware performing a function of resource sharing with one or more second embedded systems; an interface for a network connection to the one or more second embedded systems; and an information storage for storing an information on a shared resource, wherein each of the modules of the resource sharing middleware is initialized to store an initialization information in the information storage when the system is turned on, and wherein an information on the one or more second embedded system having the resource sharing middleware therein is collected and synchronized through the network connection.

[2] The embedded system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a hardware device and data contents are shared with the one or more second embedded system.

[3] The embedded system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the synchronization comprises storing an information in the information storage or storing the information in a information storage of the one or more second embedded system.

[4] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the hardware resource management module includes a function of collecting a hardware device information for collecting and synchronizing a hardware device list of the embedded system.

[5] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a data contents information collection function for collecting and synchronizing a data contents information available to the embedded system.

[6] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes an available software list collection function for collecting and synchronizing a software list available to the embedded system.

[7] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a running application program list collection function for collecting and synchronizing an information on a currently used application program of application programs installed in the embedded system.

[8] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the network resource management module includes an intelligent route path setup function through the network connection for a control and data communication exchange used in the software resource management module available to the embedded system.

[9] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a search function for performing a search of a hardware device information and data contents in the information storages of the embedded system and the one or more second embedded systems required by the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module in a single, a plural and an integrated form.

[10] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a software position tracking function for collecting and synchronizing an information on an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems.

[11] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a function of collecting an information on a memory having a corresponding application loaded therein when an operation is carried out through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems.

[12] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a process load distribution function for processing a corresponding process through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded system for efficient calculation process when a process load is large.

[13] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the network resource management module includes a communication message exchange and encryption function for exchanging a control communication message and a data communication message between the embedded system and the one or more second embedded system and for encrypting the messages.

[14] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the network resource management module includes a function of marked up meta data based transmission in exchanging a communication message.

[15] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the software resource management module includes a security function for restricting a connection to the one or more second embedded system outside a cluster environment when the cluster environment between the embedded systems is set up.

[16] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the hardware resource management module includes a hardware device position tracking function according to a detailed technical specification for tracking the detailed technical specification of a hardware device.

[17] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the hardware resource management module includes an available hardware device tracking function for tracking an availability of a corresponding hardware device when the software resource management module requests a hardware device to be shared.

[18] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the hardware resource management module includes an available capacity tracking function for tracking an available capacity of a non- volatile storage device when the software resource management module requests a storing of contents in the non- volatile storage device through a search function.

[19] The embedded system in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the network resource management module includes a QoS function for allocating a sufficiently secured bandwidth for a control and data communication exchange to be used in the software resource management module.

[20] An embedded system comprising: a resource sharing middleware consisting of a software resource management module, a hardware resource management module and a network resource management module, the resource sharing middleware performing a function of resource sharing with one or more second embedded systems; an interface for a network connection to the one or more second embedded systems; and an information storage for storing an information on a shared resource, wherein the embedded system initializes each of the modules of the resource sharing middleware to store an initialization information in the information storage when the system is turned on, and collects and synchronizes an information on the one or more second embedded system having the resource sharing middleware therein through the network connection, wherein the hardware resource management module includes a function of collecting a hardware device information for collecting and synchronizing a hardware device list of the embedded system, wherein the software resource management module includes a data contents information collection function for collecting and synchronizing a data contents information available to the embedded system, wherein the software resource management module includes an available software list collection function for collecting and synchronizing a software list available to the embedded system, wherein the software resource management module includes a running application list collection function for collecting and synchronizing an information on a currently used application program of application programs installed in the embedded system, wherein the network resource management module includes an intelligent route path setup function through the network connection for a control and data communication exchange used in the software resource management module available to the embedded system, wherein the software resource management module includes a search function for performing a search of a hardware device information and data contents in the information storages of the embedded system and the one or more second embedded systems required by the software resource management module, the hardware resource management module or the network resource management module in a single, a plural and an integrated form, wherein the software resource management module includes a software position tracking function for collecting and synchronizing an information on an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems, wherein the software resource management module includes a function of collecting an information on a memory having a corresponding application loaded therein when an operation is carried out through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded systems, wherein the software resource management module includes a process load distribution function for processing a corresponding process through an application program installed in the one or more second embedded system for efficient calculation process when a process load is large, wherein the network resource management module includes a communication message exchange and encryption function for exchanging a control communication message and a data communication message between the embedded system and the one or more second embedded system and for encrypting the messages, wherein the network resource management module includes a function of marked up meta data based transmission in exchanging a communication message, wherein the software resource management module includes a security function for restricting a connection to the one or more second embedded system outside a cluster environment when the cluster environment between the embedded systems is set up, wherein the hardware resource management module includes a hardware device position tracking function according to a detailed technical specification for tracking the detailed technical specification of a hardware device, wherein the hardware resource management module includes an available hardware device tracking function for tracking an availability of a corresponding hardware device when the software resource management module requests a hardware device to be shared, wherein the hardware resource management module includes an available capacity tracking function for tracking an available capacity of a non- volatile storage device when the software resource management module requests a storing of contents in the non- volatile storage device through a search function, and wherein the network resource management module includes a QoS function for allocating a sufficiently secured bandwidth for a control and data communication exchange to be used in the software resource management module.