System for providing information between different protocol environments cooperative with each other and a method therefor

• US 20050091362A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Shigeta, Yoshiaki, Ito, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

The service providing system uses cooperation managers both in SIP and Web systems to process information of the SIP and HTTP protocols with SOAP/CORBA and the like as a communication protocol that can be handled in common. The service providing system thereby facilitates cooperation between the SIP and Web systems through the SPAP/CORBA network, thereby accomplishing information transfer on a real time basis.

Claims

1. An information providing system comprising a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to a first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to a second client, to communicate with the first and second clients to provide information as service, wherein

said first system comprises:

a first cooperation manager for converting first information to be transmitted to said second system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and third information fed from said second system and based on the third communication protocol into fourth information of the first communication protocol; and

a first location manager for managing location information of the first client,

said second system comprising;

a second cooperation manager for converting fifth information to be transmitted to said first system into the third information on the third communication protocol, and the second information fed from the first system into sixth information of the second communication protocol; and

a second location manager operative in response to a request from the second client for accessing to said first location manager to manage the location information of the first client obtained from said first location manager.

2. The information providing system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first system and said second system include a first generator and a second generator for generating applications, respectively.

3. The information providing system as defined in claim 2, wherein said first generator generates a user agent.

4. The information providing system as defined in claim 2, wherein said second generator includes:

a retrieving section for extracting information concerning the user agent from a database contained in said second system; and

a collating section for collating the extracted information with updated location information to transmit it to the user agent.

5. The information providing system as defined in claim 3, wherein said second generator includes:

a retrieving section for extracting information concerning the user agent from a database contained in said second system; and

a collating section for collating the extracted information with updated location information to transmit it to the user agent.

6. The information providing system as defined in claim 2, wherein said second generator includes a location provider for retrieving the location information of the first client to transmit a retrieved result to the second client.

7. The information providing system as defined in claim 3, wherein said second generator includes a location provider for retrieving the location information of the first client to transmit a retrieved result to the second client.

8. The information providing system as defined in claim 4, wherein said second generator includes a location provider for retrieving the location information of the first client to transmit a retrieved result to the second client.

9. The information providing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text providing protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

10. The information providing system as defined in claim 2, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text providing protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

11. The information providing system as defined in claim 3, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text providing protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

12. The information providing system as defined in claim 5, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text providing protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

13. The information providing system as defined in claim 8, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text providing protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

14. A program for functioning an information providing system comprising a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to a first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to a second client, to communicate with the first and second clients to provide information as service, wherein

said first system comprises:

a first cooperation manager for converting first information to be transmitted to said second system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and third information fed from said second system and based on the third communication protocol into fourth information of the first communication protocol; and

a first location manager for managing location information of the first client,

said second system comprising;

a second cooperation manager for converting fifth information to be transmitted to said first system into the third information on the third communication protocol, and the second information fed from the first system into sixth information of the second communication protocol; and

a second location manager operative in response to a request from the second client for accessing to said first location manager to manage the location information of the first client obtained from said first location manager,

said first system and said second system including computers,

said program being run to function said first cooperation manager, said first location manager, said first generator, said second cooperation manager, said second location manager and said second generator.

15. The program as defined in claim 14, wherein said first system and said second system include a first generator and a second generator for generating applications, respectively.

16. The program as defined in claim 14, wherein said first generator generates a user agent.

17. The program as defined in claim 16, wherein said second generator includes:

a retrieving section for extracting information concerning the user agent from a database contained in said second system; and

a collating section for collating the extracted information with updated location information to transmit it to the user agent.

18. The program as defined in claim 17, wherein said second generator includes a location provider for retrieving the location information of the first client to transmit a retrieved result to the second client.

19. A method of providing information to communicate with first and second clients to provide information as service, comprising:

a first step of preparing a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to the first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to the second client;

a second step of converting first information to be transmitted from the first system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and transmitting the second information;

a third step of converting the second information fed from the second system into third information of the second communication protocol and outputting the third information;

a fourth step of converting fourth information received by the second system and based on the second communication protocol into fifth information of the third communication protocol and transmitting the fifth information; and

a fifth step of processing the fifth information fed to the first system into sixth information of the first communication protocol and outputting the sixth information.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, further comprising:

a sixth step of managing in the first system location information of a client authenticated and registered before information transfer is initiated to the first client; and

a seventh step of generating a user agent in response to an access from the client to communicate with the client.

21. The method as defined in claim 19, further comprising:

an eighth step of updating, when the first client notifies the first system of a status change, information according to the status change notified;

a ninth step of informing the user agent of the updated information;

a tenth step of requesting information retrieval in the first system by the user agent;

an eleventh step of requesting information retrieval in the second system in response to a request for the information retrieval in the first system;

a twelfth step of performing said second and third steps in order for the requested information retrieval in the second system, and thereafter transmitting a request for information retrieval in the second system on the second communication protocol to starting up information management in the second system;

a thirteenth step of developing the request for the information retrieval in response to the information management started up, and starting up as an application a collating function and a retrieval function of a database in the second system;

a fourteenth step of requesting retrieval of the database;

a fifteenth step of collating a retrieved result of the database with the updated information and performing said fourth and fifth steps in order for collated information, and thereafter supplying information manage in the first system with the collated information according to the first communication protocol;

a sixteenth step of delivering the collated information to the user agent after said fifteenth step; and

a seventeenth step of supplying the collated information as a message from the user agent to the first client having notified the status change in said eighth step.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

an eighth step of updating, when the first client notifies the first system of a status change, information according to the status change notified;

a ninth step of informing the user agent of the updated information;

a tenth step of requesting information retrieval in the first system by the user agent;

an eleventh step of requesting information retrieval in the second system in response to a request for the information retrieval in the first system;

a twelfth step of performing said second and third steps in order for the requested information retrieval in the second system, and thereafter transmitting a request for information retrieval in the second system on the second communication protocol to starting up information management in the second system;

a thirteenth step of developing the request for the information retrieval in response to the information management started up, and starting up as an application a collating function and a retrieval function of a database in the second system;

a fourteenth step of requesting retrieval of the database;

a fifteenth step of collating a retrieved result of the database with the updated information and performing said fourth and fifth steps in order for collated information, and thereafter supplying information manage in the first system with the collated information according to the first communication protocol;

a sixteenth step of delivering the collated information to the user agent after said fifteenth step; and

a seventeenth step of supplying the collated information as a message from the user agent to the first client having notified the status change in said eighth step.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

an eighteenth step of starting up, when the second client sends out a notice of a request for starting up an application included in the second system, the application in response to the request for the starting up;

a nineteenth step of developing a request for retrieval of information of a client managed by the first system with the started-up application;

a twentieth step of performing said fourth and fifth steps in order for the request for the information retrieval from the second system, and thereafter delivering the request for the information retrieval of the user agent in the first system to the information management in the first system;

a twenty-first step of instructing a retrieval of a database in the first system in response to the request for the information retrieval;

a twenty-second step of searching the database to deliver a retrieved result to the information management in the first system to manage the result;

a twenty-third step of performing said second and third steps for the retrieved result in order, and thereafter managing in the second system information result on the second communication protocol in the second system to transmit the information result; and

a twenty-fourth step of supplying the second client from the second system with the information result of as client information in the first system.

24. A service system comprising a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to a first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to a second client, to communicate with the first and second clients to provide information as service, wherein

said first system comprises:

a first cooperation manager for converting first information to be transmitted to said second system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and third information fed from said second system and based on the third communication protocol into fourth information of the first communication protocol; and

a first proxy manager for regarding a requested service instance as the first client to virtually manage the service instance as a user agent, and for handling information under management;

said second system comprising;

a second cooperation manager for converting fifth information to be transmitted to said first system into the third information on the third communication protocol, and the second information fed from the first system into sixth information of the second communication protocol; and

a second proxy manager for accessing, for the required service instance, to a corresponding function in said first proxy manager from said second system through the user agent virtually managed to obtain a execution result from the service instance.

25. The service system as defined in claim 24, wherein

said first proxy manager comprises additional managers for respectively managing generation, registration and deletion, as a proxy for the user agent as well as alteration of presence information into the user agent, transmission of a message to a designee as the user agent, editing of user information as the proxy for the user agent and retrieval of the user information as the proxy for the user agent appropriate for the required service instance;

said second proxy manager comprising accessors for accessing to said additional managers.

26. The service system as defined in claim 24, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

27. The service system as defined in claim 25, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

28. The service system as defined in claim 24, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a file transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

29. The service system as defined in claim 25, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a file transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

30. The service system as defined in claim 24, wherein both of said first system and said second system are included in a common computer.

31. The service system as defined in claim 25, wherein both of said first system and said second system are included in a common computer.

32. The service system as defined in claim 27, wherein both of said first system and said second system are included in a common computer.

33. The service system as defined in claim 29, wherein both of said first system and said second system are included in a common computer.

34. The service system as defined in claim 29, wherein functions of said first cooperation manager and said second cooperation manager are included in a function call.

35. The service system as defined in claim 24, further comprising a network interposed between said first system and said second system.

36. The service system as defined in claim 29, further comprising a network interposed between said first system and said second system.

37. A program for functioning a service system comprising a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to a first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to a second client, to communicate with the first and second clients to provide information as service, wherein

said first system comprises:

a first cooperation manager for converting first information to be transmitted to said second system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and third information fed from said second system and based on the third communication protocol into fourth information of the first communication protocol; and

a first proxy manager for regarding a requested service instance as the first client to virtually manage the service instance as a user agent, and for handling information under management;

said second system comprising;

a second cooperation manager for converting fifth information to be transmitted to said first system into the third information on the third communication protocol, and the second information fed from the first system into sixth information of the second communication protocol; and

a second proxy manager for accessing, for the required service instance, to a corresponding function in said first proxy manager from said second system through the user agent virtually managed to obtain a execution result from the service instance,

said first system and said second system including computers,

said program being run to function said first cooperation manager, said first proxy manager, said second cooperation manager and said second proxy manager.

38. The program as defined in claim 37, wherein

said first proxy manager comprises additional managers for respectively managing generation, registration and deletion, as a proxy for the user agent as well as alteration of presence information into the user agent, transmission of a message to a designee as the user agent, editing of user information as the proxy for the user agent and retrieval of the user information as the proxy for the user agent appropriate for the required service instance;

said second proxy manager comprising accessors for accessing to said additional managers.

39. The program as defined in claim 37, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a hyper text transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

40. The program as defined in claim 37, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is a file transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

41. The program as defined in claim 40, wherein both of said first system and said second system are included in a common computer.

42. The program as defined in claim 40, wherein functions of said first cooperation manager and said second cooperation manager are included in a function call.

43. A method of providing service to communicate with first and second clients to provide information as service, comprising:

a first step of preparing a first system operating based on a first communication protocol and connected to the first client, and a second system operating based on a second communication protocol and connected to the second client;

a second step of converting first information to be transmitted from the first system into second information handled on a third communication protocol making the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol cooperative commonly thereto, and transmitting the second information;

a third step of converting the second information fed from the second system into third information of the second communication protocol and outputting the third information;

a fourth step of converting fourth information received by the second system and based on the second communication protocol into fifth information of the third communication protocol and transmitting the fifth information;

a fifth step of processing the fifth information fed to the first system into sixth information of the first communication protocol and outputting the sixth information;

a sixth step of regarding, in response to a service instance required from either one of the first and second clients, the service instance as a client in a system to be communicated with and making the service instance a proxy as a virtual proxy user agent to then generate a first start up signal containing information associated with the service instance in response to a proxy access function of accessing to the proxy user agent under management;

a seventh step of sequentially executing one of a first set of said second and third steps and a second set of said fourth and fifth steps according to the first start up signal;

an eighth step of processing information associated with the service instance in the system to be communicated with by said proxy user agent;

a ninth step of generating a second start up signal containing response information to the processed information by the proxy user agent;

a tenth step of executing remaining one of the first and second sets of steps according to the second start up signal; and

an eleventh step of sending out the response information to the client requested the response information by the proxy access function in the system from which the service instance was requested.

44. The method as defined in claim 43, wherein the proxy user agent executes generation, registration and deletion as a user agent, as well as alteration of presence information into the user agent, transmission of a message to a designee as the user agent, editing of user information as the user agent and retrieval of user information as the user agent appropriate for the required service instance, and

said proxy access executes access to the generation, the registration and the elimination as well as the alteration of the presence information, the transmission of the message, the editing of the user information and the retrieval of the user information.

45. The method as defined in claim 43, wherein the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is either a hypertext transfer protocol or a file transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.

46. The method as defined in claim 44, the first communication protocol is a session initiation protocol, the second communication protocol is either a hyper text transfer protocol or a file transfer protocol, and the third communication protocol uses a communication protocol of either SOAP or CORBA that can be handled in common with the first and second communication protocols.