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  Method and apparatus for providing a reward for the use of a processor in a parallel processing environmentUSPTO Application #: 20070055641Title: Method and apparatus for providing a reward for the use of a processor in a parallel processing environment Abstract: A parallel data processing system in which a plurality of data processing devices are coupled to a data network. Each of the data processing devices has a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. A reward is provided for use of the processors. A job includes a plurality of tasks. Responsive to a request signal from one of the data processing devices, one of the tasks is sent to the one data processing device over the data network. The one task is stored in the memory of the one data processing device. The processor of the one data processing device retrieves the one task from the memory. The processor of the one data processing device performs the one task to define a result. After defining the result, the reward is provided to a recipient associated with the one data processing device. (end of abstract) Agent: Dla Piper Us LLP - Reston, VA, US Inventor: Raymond F. Ratcliff USPTO Applicaton #: 20070055641 - Class: 706014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Artificial Intelligence, Adaptive System The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070055641. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/149,154, filed Jun. 10, 2005 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/853,841, filed on May 11, 2001, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD [0002] The present invention relates generally to parallel processing and, more particularly, to providing a reward for the use of a processor in a parallel processing environment. BACKGROUND [0003] Modem organizations, particularly technology driven organizations, have a constant need to innovate. Unfortunately, innovation is often hindered by an existing lack of technology to properly explore new technologies. In a sense, future technologies are "stacked" upon previous technologies. That is, without a proper technological foundation, there is no support for technological innovation. It is difficult to skip generations of technology. [0004] One technology often needed to support innovation is data processing power. Modern organizations require processing power for many different purposes. Technology companies, for instance, rely on processing power for research and development ("R&D") efforts. Pharmaceutical research companies spend large sums of money on the latest data processing equipment to discover and test new drug compounds. Financial institutions need processing power for stock trend modeling and other computation-intensive activities. Defense contractors need processing power to test new missile designs. While these various organizations operate in different industries, each would benefit by owning or having access to computer systems that offer more data processing power. [0005] At any given time, there are millions of unused data processing devices throughout the world. Workstations, personal computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs") are often not in use. Many computers sit in a room overnight, during meals, and sometimes throughout the workday. Further, even when people are using these data processing devices, the devices rarely operate at full capacity. The processors in these data processing devices are often available to provide data processing for others. [0006] Data processing devices are possessed by various entities including corporations, academic institutions, and private individuals. These entities, however, are generally only concerned with solving their particular problems. The entities described above have no incentive to share the processing power of their respective devices with others. Thus, most never consider the greater need for data processing power. SUMMARY [0007] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method performed in a parallel data processing system. A plurality of data processing devices are coupled to a data network. Each of the data processing devices has a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The method involves providing a reward for use of the processors of the data processing devices. An algorithm and data are provided. The algorithm includes a plurality of algorithm portions. The data includes a plurality of data portions. A task is defined to include one of the algorithm portions and one of the data portions. Responsive to a request signal from one of the data processing devices, the task is sent to the one data processing device over the data network. The task is stored in the memory of the one data processing device. The one algorithm portion and the one data portion are extracted from the task. The processor of the one data processing device retrieves the one algorithm portion and the one data portion from the memory of the one data processing device. The processor of the one data processing device performs the one algorithm portion on the one data portion. When the processor of the one data processing device has performed the one algorithm portion on the one data portion, the reward is provided to a recipient associated with the one data processing device. [0008] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method performed in a parallel data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices coupled to a data network. Each of the data processing devices has a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. Each data processing device is associated with a respective recipient. A reward is provided for use of the data processing devices. Instructions representing a portion of an algorithm are provided. The instructions are stored in the memory of one of the data processing devices. A portion of data is sent to the one data processing device. The portion of data is stored in the memory of the one data processing device. The processor of the one data processing device retrieves the data and the instructions from the memory. The instructions are executed by the processor of the one data processing device to perform the portion of the algorithm on the data. The reward is provided to the recipient associated with the one data processing device. [0009] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a parallel data processing system for providing a reward for use of one of a plurality of processing devices to process data using an algorithm. The data includes a plurality of data portions. The algorithm includes a plurality of algorithm portions. The processing devices are coupled to a data network. The parallel data processing system includes an originating module coupled to the data network. The originating module is capable of: (i) receiving the algorithm and the data, (ii) extracting the algorithm portions from the algorithm and the data portions from the data, (iii) sending one of the algorithm portions to one of the processing devices over the data network, and (iv) sending one of the data portions to the one processing device over the data network. A result collation module is in communication with the originating module and the processors. The result collation module is capable of receiving a result signal from the one processor. The result signal indicates the one processor has completed performing the one algorithm portion on the one data portion. The result collation module is further capable of providing a reward signal after receiving the result signal. A reward module is in communication with the result collation module to receive the reward signal. The reward module is capable of identifying a recipient associated with the one processor after receiving the reward signal, and providing the reward to the identified recipient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a parallel data processing system 100 constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [0011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a parallel data processing system 200 constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a parallel data processing system 300 constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a data processing device 400 constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0014] FIG. 1 shows a parallel data processing system 100 constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The data processing system 100 includes a plurality of processors 105-130. These processors are generally situated in data processing devices or computers such as the exemplary device 400 shown in FIG. 4, described in greater detail below. In one example, the processors 105-130 are situated in any of millions of computers throughout the world. [0015] The data processing devices used in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention are coupled to a data network such as the Internet. Other examples of data networks to which the data processing devices are coupled include frame relay (FR) networks, ATM networks, wide area networks (WAN), and local area networks (LAN). Still other suitable networks 130 include satellite transmission, radio broadcasting, cable television broadcasting, direct line-of-site transmission, telecom fiber optic transmission, cellular transmission, wireless transmission, and other networks known to those skilled in the art. [0016] In FIG. 1, the plurality of processors 105-130 cooperate to solve a job such as an algorithm 135. Data 140 is provided to the algorithm 135. The algorithm 135 can be separated into a plurality of algorithm portions or sub-algorithms and distributed to the various processors 105-130. In one example, each one of the sub-algorithms is delivered with the data to a respective one of the processors 105-130 to define a "task." In another example, the data 140 is separable into a plurality of data portions. Particular data portions are delivered with each of the sub-algorithms to define the task. In another example, the task is simply the sub-algorithm or algorithm provided to a particular processor. The data is provided separately. In another example, the task is the data portion or data. In still further examples, other tasks and jobs known to those skilled in the art are provided to the processors 105-130 for processing. [0017] Using the system of FIG. 1, different parts of the algorithm are generally processed in different processors. The processors 105-130 perform the algorithms or algorithm portions on the data distributed to the respective processors. Processing continues until the particular processor determines an output of the algorithm or result. Each of the processors outputs a result after performing the task distributed to that processor. The results from the various processors 105-130 are marshaled to define a result set 145 for the algorithm. The result set is provided in a desirable format such as an HTML web page, a spreadsheet document, a digital image, and other formats known to those skilled in the art. [0018] In some exemplary embodiments, the data processing system 100 provides the feature of redundancy. In particular, a task delegated to a particular processor is replicated across one or more other processors in the system. By sending the same algorithms and/or data to multiple computers, when a particular computer in the data processing system 100 is unavailable (turned off, disconnected from network, otherwise "offline," etc.), the task assigned to that computer is performed by another computer. This duplication of effort also serves the purpose of checking duplicate results or result sets to ensure that the algorithms produced the same results while running in different environments. A check sum operation, for example, can be performed on the results or result sets to ensure the outputs are consistent. Continue reading... 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