Event mechanism for reporting diagnostic event messages

• US 20040152951A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Rhea, Paul Anthony, Bhattacharjee, Saikat, Vengateswaran, Ganesan
• Granted Patent: US 7,284,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An instrumentation data provider module is provided for use within a diagnostics application program. The instrumentation data provider module provides a communication path between legacy, or proprietary, diagnostics modules and a standard instrumentation platform. Through the instrumentation data provider module, diagnostics status messages may be translated into event messages and forwarded to the instrumentation platform. A data consumer module for use within a diagnostics application program is also provided. The instrumentation data consumer module provides a communication path between a presentation layer and an instrumentation platform. Through the data consumer module, a management console or other type of management application can register for and receive events from the instrumentation platform.

Claims

1. An instrumentation data provider module for interfacing a diagnostic control object and an instrumentation platform, the instrumentation data provider module comprising:

an interface for communicating with the diagnostic control object;

an interface for communicating with the instrumentation platform; and

program code for converting data received from the diagnostic control object to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform, and for converting data received from the instrumentation platform to a format compatible with the diagnostic control object.

2. The instrumentation data provider module of claim 1, wherein the interface for communicating with the diagnostic control object comprises a legacy interface supported by the diagnostic control object and a presentation plug-in object utilized by the diagnostic control object outside the instrumentation platform.

3. The instrumentation data provider module of claim 2, wherein the data received from the diagnostic control object comprises a diagnostic status message and wherein converting data received from the diagnostic control object to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform comprises converting the diagnostic status message to an event message compatible for use with the instrumentation platform.

4. A method for interfacing a diagnostic control object and an instrumentation platform, the method comprising:

providing an event sink at an instrumentation data provider module for communicating with the diagnostic control object;

providing a second interface at the instrumentation data provider module for communicating with the instrumentation platform;

receiving data at the event sink, converting the data to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform, and transmitting the converted data to the instrumentation platform; and

receiving data at the second interface, converting the data to a format compatible with the diagnostic control object, and transmitting the converted data to the diagnostic control object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the converted data is transmitted to the diagnostic control object via a legacy interface supported by the diagnostic control object and a presentation plug-in object utilized by the diagnostic control object outside the instrumentation platform.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data received at the event sink comprises a diagnostic status message, wherein converting data to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform comprises converting the diagnostic status message to an event message compatible for use with the instrumentation platform, and wherein transmitting the converted data to the instrumentation platform comprises transmitting the event message to the instrumentation platform.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 4.

8. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 4.

9. An instrumentation data consumer module for interfacing a presentation layer and an instrumentation platform, the instrumentation data consumer module comprising:

an interface for communicating with the presentation layer;

an event sink for communicating with the instrumentation platform; and

program code for converting data received from the presentation layer to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform, and for converting data received from the instrumentation platform to a format compatible with the presentation layer.

10. The instrumentation data consumer module of claim 9, wherein the data received from the instrumentation platform comprises diagnostic event messages and wherein the program code is further operative to register with the instrumentation platform to receive the diagnostic event messages.

11. The instrumentation data consumer module of claim 10, wherein the interface for communicating with the presentation layer comprises a legacy interface supported by the presentation layer and also supported by a presentation plug-in object.

12. A method for interfacing a presentation layer and an instrumentation platform, the method comprising:

providing an interface for communicating with the presentation layer;

providing an event sink for communicating with the instrumentation platform;

receiving data from the presentation layer and converting the data to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform; and

receiving data from the instrumentation platform and converting the data to a format compatible with the presentation layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data received from the instrumentation platform comprises diagnostic event messages and wherein the program code is further operative to register with the instrumentation platform to receive the diagnostic event messages.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising registering with the instrumentation platform to receive the diagnostic event messages.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interface for communicating with the presentation layer supports a legacy interface utilized by the presentation layer and utilized by a legacy presentation plug-in object.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 12.

17. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 12.

18. A system for providing an interface between an instrumentation platform, a presentation layer, and a diagnostic control object, the system comprising:

an instrumentation data consumer module for interfacing a presentation layer and an instrumentation platform, the instrumentation data consumer module comprising an interface for communicating with the presentation layer, an event sink for communicating with the instrumentation platform, and program code for converting data received from the presentation layer to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform, and for converting data received from the instrumentation platform to a format compatible with the presentation layer; and

an instrumentation data provider module for interfacing a diagnostic control object and the instrumentation platform, the instrumentation data provider module comprising an event sink for communicating with the diagnostic control object, an interface for communicating with the instrumentation platform, and program code for converting data received from the diagnostic control object to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform, and for converting data received from the instrumentation platform to a format compatible with the diagnostic control object.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data received from the diagnostic control object comprises a diagnostic status message and wherein converting data received from the diagnostic control object to a format compatible with the instrumentation platform comprises converting the diagnostic status message to an event message compatible for use with the instrumentation platform.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the data received from the instrumentation platform comprises diagnostic event messages and wherein the instrumentation data provider module program code is further operative to register with the instrumentation platform to receive the diagnostic event messages.