Systems and methods for accessing web services via an instant messaging client

• US 20040260820A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus Software, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Bearman, Clive
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating the exchange of data between users and modular services using a real-time communication client such as an instant messaging client. The services may be web services providing various services over a communication network. User commands may be generated in an instant messaging client, sent to an automated attendant, which generates a corresponding web service command, and forwards the web service command to the appropriate web service. The automated attendant may then forward to one or more users any messages that are generated by the web service.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the exchange of data between a user and a web service via instant messaging client, comprising:

a processor that receives and processes a user command from an instant messaging client and generates a web service command corresponding to the user command;

a database that stores information linking the user command to a web service command format; and

a web services engine that sends the web service command to the web service.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web services engine receives a message from the web service in response to the web service command.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web services engine used to locate a web services description language file.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web services engine retrieves a web service address.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web services engine retrieves the web service command format.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor links the user command to a web service description language file.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor links the user command to the web service and the web service command format.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the database stores user information, the user information comprises at least one of user identification and user password.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the database stores user privileges information.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information linking the user command to a web service command format stored in the database comprises a web services description language file location.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information linking the user command to a web service command format stored in the database comprises the web service'"'"'s address.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information linking the user command to a web service command format stored in the database comprises a web service description language file name.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor uses the information linking the user command to a web service command format stored in the database to generate the web service command.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web service is associated with an enterprise system.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the web service is associated with a legacy system.

16. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a security and provisioning engine, the security and provisioning engine retrieves security information.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the security information having user privileges information.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the user information is for accessing at least one of enterprise and legacy systems.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system interfaces a remote database including user security information.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the remote database including the user security information includes a directory that has information relating to user privileges.

21. A method that facilitates the exchange of data between one or more users and one or more web services via one or more instant messaging clients, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command from an instant messaging client;

linking the user command to a web service command format, the web service command format associated with a web service;

generating a corresponding web service command based on the web service command format; and

sending the generated corresponding web service command to the web service.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein linking of the user command to a web service command format comprises linking the user command to a web service description language file.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein linking of the user command to a web service command format comprises locating the web service'"'"'s address.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the web service address is a URL address.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising receiving a message from the web service.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the message received from the web service is a response message.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising sending the message from the web service to the one or more users.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein the web service is associated with an enterprise system.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the web service is associated with a legacy system.

30. The method according to claim 21, further comprising storing user information.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the stored user information includes user command information is for at least one of the users.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the stored user command information stored for the at least one of the users includes information linking the user command to the web service command format.

33. The method according to claim 21, further comprising parsing security information to determine a user'"'"'s access rights to the web service.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the security information is stored in a database.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the database having a directory including information relating to user privileges for accessing enterprise or legacy systems.

36. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps of exchanging data between a user and a web service via an instant messaging client, the method steps comprising:

receiving an instant messaging message created using an instant messaging client;

identifying a web service description language file associated with the instant messaging message;

identifying a web service listed in the web service description language file that is linked to the instant messaging message; and

sending a web service message that is associated with the instant messaging message to the web service according to information provided in the web service description language file.

37. The program storage device according to claim 36, wherein the web service message having a web service command.

38. The program storage device according to claim 36, further comprising receiving a message from a web service.

39. The program storage device according to claim 38, wherein the message from the web service is in response to the web service message.

40. The program storage device according to claim 38, wherein the message from the web service is forwarded to one or more users.

41. The program storage device according to claim 36, further comprising storing user information.

42. The program storage device according to claim 36, wherein the web service is associated with at least one of an enterprise system and a legacy system.

43. The program storage device according to claim 36, wherein the instant messaging message comprises a user command.

44. The program storage device according to claim 36, wherein the web service is associated with at least one of an enterprise system and a legacy system.

45. A system for facilitating the exchange of data between an instant messaging client and a web service, comprising:

a message processor means, the message processing means for receiving and processing a user command from the instant messaging client and generating a corresponding web service command based on the user command;

a storage means for storing information that links the user command to format of the corresponding web service command ; and

a communication means for accessing a web services description language file.

46. The system according to claim 46, wherein the communication means for communicating with the at least one web service.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein the corresponding web service command is generated by using the stored linking information that links the user command to the format of the corresponding web service command.

49. The system according to claim 46, wherein the message processor means for storing user privileges information.

51. The system according to claim 46, wherein the message processor means for parsing user privileges information.

52. The system according to claim 46, wherein the system interfaces with a database having security information.

48. The system according to claim 48, wherein the web service is associated with at least one of an enterprise system and a legacy system.