Web dispatch service

• US 20030208563A1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Acree, Don, Gore, Brooklin J., Chipman, Rian, Kickel, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for accessing an application server includes sending a service command from a requester to a dispatch server, processing the service command on the dispatch server, translating the service command on the dispatch server into an application request to the application server, wherein the translating is based on a service definition stored on the dispatch server, and processing the application request. In one embodiment, the dispatch server includes a dispatch processor that is further programmed to manage a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a service registration interface, a service modification interface, and a service deletion interface.

Claims

1. A dispatch server comprising:

a data store having one or more application service definitions, wherein each application service definition includes a service name and one or more service data entries; and

a dispatch processor operatively coupled to the data store, wherein the dispatch processor is programmed to translate a service request into an application request, wherein the translation is at least partially based on one of the application service definitions.

2. The dispatch server of claim 1, wherein the dispatch processor is further programmed to subsequently translate the service request into a different application request, wherein the subsequent translation is at least partially based on a changed application service definition.

3. The dispatch server of claim 1, wherein the dispatch processor is further programmed to manage a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a service registration interface, a service modification interface, and a service deletion interface.

4. The dispatch server of claim 1, wherein the dispatch server is located on the World Wide Web.

5. A method for accessing an application owner, the method comprising:

sending a service command from a requestor to a dispatch server;

processing the service command on the dispatch server;

translating the service command on the dispatch server into an application request to the application owner, wherein the translation is at least partially based on a service definition stored on the dispatch server; and

processing the application request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing of the application request comprises:

redirecting the application request to the requestor; and

sending the application request from the requester to the application owner.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing of the application request comprises:

sending the application request from the dispatch server to the application owner;

sending an application response from the application owner to the dispatch server; and

sending the application response from the dispatch server to the requester.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing of the service command includes validating the service command, and checking the service command for parameters.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the service command includes a Universal Resource Locator.

10. A method for accessing a complex web link, the method comprising:

sending a service request from an end-user to a dispatch server;

translating the service request into a complex application command, wherein the translating is at least partially based on a service definition stored on the dispatch server;

redirecting the complex application command from the dispatch server to the end-user;

sending the complex application command from the end-user to a service provider; and

sending an application response from the service provider to the end-user.

11. A system comprising:

a dispatch server comprising;

a data store; and

a processor programmed to translate a service request into an application command, wherein the translation is at least partially based on a service definition stored in the data store; and

a service user operatively coupled to the dispatch server, wherein the service user sends the service request to the dispatch server, and wherein the dispatch server translates the service request and sends the application command to the service user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is located on the World Wide Web.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further includes an independent service management server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the independent service management server includes a processor programmed to manage a service registration interface, a service modification interface, and a service deletion interface.

15. A system comprising:

a dispatcher comprising;

a data store; and

a processor programmed to translate a service request into an application request and manage a user interface, wherein the translation is at least partially based on a service definition stored in the data store, and wherein the user interface includes a service registration; and

a service provider operatively coupled to the dispatcher, wherein the service provider registers its services with the dispatcher through the user interface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface of the dispatcher further includes service modification and deletion.

17. The system of claim 15, and further comprising a service user operatively coupled to both the dispatcher and the service provider, wherein the service user sends a service request to the dispatcher, wherein the service user receives an application request from the dispatcher, and wherein the service user sends the application request to the service provider.

18. A method for centralized management of complex web links on a web dispatch provider, the method comprising:

storing an application service definition in a centralized database of the web dispatch provider, wherein the application service definition includes a service name and one or more service data entries;

receiving a first service request from an end-user;

translating the first service request into a first application request, wherein the translating is at least partially based on the application service definition;

redirecting the first application request back to the end-user;

changing at least one of the service data entries in the application service definition without changing the service name;

receiving a second service request from the end-user, wherein the second service request is substantially equal to the first service request;

translating the second service request into a second application request, wherein the second application request is substantially different from the first application request, and wherein the translating is at least partially based on the changed application service definition; and

redirecting the second application request back to the end-user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more service data entries of the application service definition include parameters for enablement and disablement.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is performed in an order as recited in claim 18.

21. A method for registering services on a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

sending a registration request from a host to the web dispatch server, the registration request having a first service name;

processing the registration request on the web dispatch server;

registering a new service for the registration request on the web dispatch server, the new service having a second service name; and

storing the new service in a web dispatch database,

such that a user can access the new service of the host by sending a service request to the web dispatch server.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first service name is substantially equal to the second service name.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the registration request further includes one or more service parameters.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the new service further includes one or more service parameters.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more service parameters of the registration request include a Universal Resource Locator.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more service parameters of the new service include a Universal Resource Locator.

27. The method of claim 21, and further comprising displaying a web dispatch service user interface screen.

28. The method of claim 21, and further comprising displaying currently registered services in the web dispatch database.

29. A method for managing services on a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

registering a service definition of an application server on the web dispatch server, wherein the service definition includes a name and one or more parameters, and wherein the web dispatch server includes a web dispatch database;

storing the service definition in the web dispatch database;

sending a first service command from a browser to the web dispatch server;

sending a first application request from the web dispatch server back to the browser;

editing the one or more parameters of the service definition;

sending a second service command from the browser to the web dispatch server; and

sending a second application request from the web dispatch server back to the browser, wherein the first and second service commands are substantially equal, and wherein the first and second application requests are substantially different.

30. The method of claim 29, and further comprising displaying currently registered services in the web dispatch database.

31. The method of claim 29, and further comprising deleting the one or more parameters of the service definition from the web dispatch database.

32. The method of claim 29, and further comprising deleting the service definition from the web dispatch database.

33. A method for discovering services available on a web dispatch provider, the method comprising:

sending a services information query from a browser to the web dispatch provider;

searching a web dispatch provider database for all service definitions registered with the web dispatch provider, wherein each service definition includes a name, one or more required parameters, and a description; and

sending a list of all service definitions registered with the web dispatch provider back to the browser.

34. A method for completing an application command on a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

receiving a service request from a client computer, wherein the service request includes only a subset of required application parameters, and wherein the client computer includes a web browser;

translating the service request into an application request, wherein one or more default application parameters are inserted into the application request; and

returning the application request to the client computer.

35. The method of claim 34, and further comprising sending the application request from the client computer to an application server.

36. A method for formatting parameters of an application command on a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

receiving a service command from a client computer, wherein the service command includes one or more unformatted parameters, and wherein the client computer includes a web browser;

translating the service command into an application link, wherein the one or more unformatted parameters of the service command are translated into one or more formatted parameters of the application link; and

returning the application link to the client computer.

37. The method of claim 36, and further comprising sending the application link from the client computer to an application server.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the client computer is another application server.

39. A method of generating form data in a web dispatching system, the method comprising:

directing a service request command from a browser to a dispatch server;

transforming the service request command into an application command, wherein the application command includes form data; and

redirecting the application command back to the browser.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the service request command does not include any form data.

41. The method of claim 39, and further comprising sending the application command from the browser to an application server.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the sending of the application command from the browser to the application server is executed with a POST method.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the browser stores the service request as a browser bookmark.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the form data includes an invocation of an onload event that calls a submit method.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the directing of a service request command is executed with a GET method.

46. A method for achieving parameter transparency on a web dispatch provider, the method comprising:

receiving a service request from a client computer, wherein the service request includes one or more parameters that are not defined in a database of the web dispatch provider;

translating the service request into an application link, wherein the one or more parameters are transparently copied from the service request into the application link;

dispatching the application link to the client computer; and

sending the application link from the client computer to an application server.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the translating of the service request into the application link includes supplying default parameter values.

48. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to perform a computerized method comprising:

receiving a service invocation from an end-user to a dispatch server;

processing the service invocation on the dispatch server;

translating the service invocation on the dispatch server into an application command to an application server, wherein the translating is at least partially based on a service definition stored on the dispatch server; and

redirecting the application command to the end-user.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the processing of the service invocation includes validating the service invocation.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the processing of the service invocation includes checking the service invocation for parameters.

51. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to perform a computerized method comprising:

registering a service definition of a service provider on a web dispatch server;

receiving a first service request on the web dispatch server from an end-user;

sending a first application request from the web dispatch server back to the end-user;

editing the service definition;

receiving a second service request on the web dispatch server from the end-user; and

sending a second application request from the web dispatch server back to the end-user, wherein the first and second service requests are substantially equal, and wherein the first and second application requests are substantially different.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the computerized method further includes displaying currently registered services on the web dispatch server.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the computerized method further includes deleting one or more parameters from the service definition on the web dispatch server.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the computerized method further includes deleting the service definition from the web dispatch server.

55. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to perform a computerized method comprising:

receiving a services information query on a web dispatch server, wherein the services information query is sent from an end-user;

searching a web dispatch server database for all service definitions registered with the web dispatch server, wherein each service definition include a name; and

sending a list of all service definitions registered with the web dispatch server back to the end-user.

56. A method for source routing on a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

sending a service command from a requester to the web dispatch server;

determining which application server that provides the requested service is closest to the requestor;

translating the service command into an application request, wherein the translating is at least partially based on the determination of the closest application server; and

redirecting the application request to the requester.

57. A method for load-balancing of application servers, the method comprising:

sending a service request from a requestor to a web dispatch server;

determining which application servers that each provide the requested service are situated in a location that is substantially the same as that of the requester;

selecting one of the application servers to be the destination application server, wherein the selecting is at least partially based on a load-balancing strategy;

translating the service request into an application request, wherein the translating is at least partially based on the destination application server; and

redirecting the application request to the requester.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the load-balancing strategy is a round-robin strategy.

59. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a computerized method comprising:

receiving a service request from a requestor to a dispatch server;

validating the service request;

checking the service request for parameters;

translating the service request on the dispatch server into an application request to an application server, wherein the translating is at least partially based on a service definition stored on the dispatch server; and

redirecting the application request to the requestor.

60. A propagated signal carrying computer-readable information representing a computer program that performs a computerized method comprising:

registering a service definition of a service provider on a web dispatch provider;

translating a first service request from an end-user into a first content request;

sending the first content request from the web dispatch provider to the end-user;

editing the service definition;

translating a second service request from the end-user into a second content request; and

sending the second content request from the web dispatch provider to the end-user, wherein the first and second service requests are substantially equal, and wherein the first and second content requests are substantially different.

61. A computerized method for using a web dispatch server, the method comprising:

adding a service to a database of the web dispatch server, the service having a service definition;

sending a service discovery request from a client to the web dispatch server;

modifying the service definition in the database of the web dispatch server;

sending a service request from the client to the web dispatch server;

querying the database of the web dispatch server; and

translating the service request into an application command.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the method is performed in an order as recited in claim 61.

63. The method of claim 61, and further comprising redirecting the application command back to the client.

64. The method of claim 61, and further comprising:

sending the application command from the web dispatch server to an application server;

sending a result from the application server to the web dispatch server; and

sending the result from the web dispatch server to the client.

65. The method of claim 61, and further comprising removing the service from the database of the web dispatch server.