Systems and methods for providing collaboration between systems

An interoperability system comprising:

• a plurality of communication nodes, wherein each communication node operates at a functionality level that includes an intrinsic functionality level selected from a plurality of pre-defined functionality level and sub-levels of functionality lower than the intrinsic functionality level;
• and
• a gateway node configured to obtain the functionality level of a sending node of the plurality of communication nodes and the functionality level of a receiving node of the plurality of communication nodes;
• enable a negotiation, between the sending node and the receiving node, to a communication level that is common between the obtained functionality levels of the sending node and the receiving node, wherein the sending node and the receiving node directly perform the negotiation;
• and, in response to an interaction initiated between the sending node and the receiving node, automatically adjust a level of communication within at least one of the sending node and the receiving node to perform the interaction.

A data processing system facilitating communications between a first node and a second node, the data processing system having a memory that includes executable program code comprising:

• means for operating each node of a plurality of nodes in the system at a level of functionality that includes a level of functionality intrinsic to the node and all sub-levels of functionality lower than the intrinsic level of functionality;
• means for identifying a destination node that is required to communicate with the first node to perform an operation within the system;
• means for negotiating an appropriate level of functionality that is common between the destination node and the first node, the negotiating being conducted directly by the destination node and the first node, wherein the appropriate level of functionality is any level of functionality selected from one of the level of functionality for the destination node and the level of functionality for the first node;
• and
• responsive to the means for negotiating being used, means for automatically adjusting an operating level of functionality of the destination node and an operating level of functionality of the first node to the appropriate level of functionality in performing the operation within the system.

A method of communicating between nodes in a system having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

• operating each node of the plurality of nodes in the system at a level of functionality that includes a level of functionality intrinsic to the node and all sub-levels of functionality lower than the intrinsic level of functionality;
• identifying a destination node that is required to communicate with a first node to perform an operation that is requested within the system;
• responsive to identifying the destination node, negotiating, between the destination node and the first node, to an appropriate level of functionality that is common to the destination node and the first node, the negotiating being performed directly by the destination node and the first node, wherein the appropriate level of functionality is any level of functionality, selected from one of the level of functionality for the destination node and the level of functionality for the first node, that is available to both the destination node and the first node;
• and
• adjusting an operating level of functionality of the destination node and an operating level of functionality of the first node to the appropriate level of functionality in performing the requested operation within the system.