Systems and methods for multipoint service invocation

• US 20060168319A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Trossen, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

A system is provided for multipoint service (e.g., web service) invocation includes a plurality of event servers and a proxy. The event servers are associated with a group address representative of at least one characteristic of the event servers, and are also associated with at least one contact address. The proxy is capable of receiving a request for invocation of a service, where the request is addressed to the group address. In response to receiving the request, the proxy is capable of mapping the group address to at least one contact address associated with the event servers, and forwarding the service invocation request to the event servers based upon the at least one contact address. In turn, the event servers are capable of receiving the service invocation request and separately invoking the requested service.

Claims

1. A system for multipoint service invocation, the system comprising:

a plurality of event servers associated with a group address representative of at least one characteristic of the event servers, the event servers also being associated with at least one contact address; and

a proxy capable of receiving an event subscription request addressed to the group address, wherein the request is for invocation of a service, wherein the proxy is capable of mapping the group address to at least one contact address associated with the event servers, wherein the proxy is capable of forwarding the service invocation request to the event servers based upon the at least one contact address, and

wherein event servers are capable of receiving the service invocation request and separately invoking the requested service.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the proxy is capable of receiving the service invocation request from an invoking entity, and

wherein at least one of the event servers is further capable of sending at least one notification to the invoking entity to thereby notify the invoking entity of a progress of the service invocation.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the event servers are capable of separately invoking the requested service in a substantially parallel manner.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the event servers are associated with a group address representative of at least one of a service provided by the event servers and a location of the event servers.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the event servers are associated with a group address representative of a web service provided by the event servers.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the proxy is capable of receiving an event subscription request including a description of the service encapsulated in accordance with a given protocol.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the proxy is capable of receiving an event subscription request including a description of the service encapsulated in a Simple Object Access Protocol envelope.

17. A method according to claim 5, wherein sending the service invocation request comprises sending the service invocation request addressed to a group address representative of at least one of a service provided by the event servers and a location of the event servers.

8. A method of invoking a service at a plurality of event servers, the method comprising:

receiving an event subscription request addressed to a group address associated with a plurality of event servers, wherein the group address is representative of at least one characteristic of the event servers, and wherein the request is for invocation of a service;

mapping the group address to at least one contact address associated with the event servers; and

forwarding the service invocation request to the event servers based upon the at least one contact address, the service invocation request being forwarded such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein receiving a service invocation request comprises receiving a service invocation request from an invoking entity, and wherein forwarding the service invocation request comprises forwarding the service invocation request such that at least one of the event servers is further capable of sending at least one notification to the invoking entity to thereby notify the invoking entity of a progress of the service invocation.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein forwarding the service invocation request comprises forwarding the service invocation request such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service in a substantially parallel manner.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein receiving a request comprises receiving a request addressed to a group address representative of at least one of a service provided by the event servers and a location of the event servers.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein receiving a request comprises receiving a request addressed to a group address representative of a web service provided by the event servers.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein receiving a request comprises receiving an event subscription request including a description of the service encapsulated in accordance with a given protocol, the request being received over a bearer protocol different from the given protocol.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the proxy is capable of receiving an event subscription request including a description of the service encapsulated in a Simple Object Access Protocol envelope.

15. A method of invoking a service at a plurality of event servers, the method comprising:

sending an event subscription request for invocation of a service, wherein the service invocation request is addressed to a group address associated with the event servers, wherein the group address is representative of at least one characteristic of the event servers, wherein the event servers are also associated with at least one contact address, wherein sending the service invocation request comprises sending the service invocation request such that the group address is capable of being mapped to at least one contact address associated with the event servers, such that the service invocation request is capable of being forwarded to the event servers based upon the at least one contact address, and such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service; and

receiving at least one notification from at least one of the event servers to thereby notify the invoking entity of a progress of the service invocation.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein sending the service invocation request comprises sending the service invocation request further such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service in a substantially parallel manner.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein sending the service invocation request comprises sending the service invocation request addressed to a group address representative of a web service provided by the event servers.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:

encapsulating a description of the service in a event subscription request in accordance with a given protocol before sending the event subscription request,

wherein sending the event subscription request comprises sending the event subscription request including the encapsulated description of the service.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein encapsulating a description of the service comprises encapsulating a description of the service in a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) envelope before sending the event subscription request,

wherein sending the event subscription request comprises sending the event subscription request including the SOAP envelope.

21. An invoking entity for invoking a service at a plurality of event servers, the invoking entity comprising:

a processor capable of sending an event subscription request for invocation of a service, the service invocation request being addressed to a group address associated with the event servers, wherein the group address is representative of at least one characteristic of the event servers, wherein the event servers are also associated with at least one contact address,

wherein the processor is capable of sending the service invocation request such that the group address is capable of being mapped to at least one contact address associated with the event servers, such that the service invocation request is capable of being forwarded to the event servers based upon the at least one contact address, and such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service.

22. An invoking entity according to claim 21, wherein the processor is capable of sending the service invocation request further such that at least one of the event servers is further capable of sending at least one notification to the invoking entity to thereby notify the invoking entity of a progress of the service invocation.

23. An invoking entity according to claim 21, wherein the processor is capable of sending the service invocation request further such that the event servers are thereafter capable of separately invoking the requested service in a substantially parallel manner.

24. An invoking entity according to claim 21, wherein the processor is capable of addressing the service invocation request to a group address representative of at least one of a service provided by the event servers and a location of the event servers.

25. An invoking entity according to claim 21, wherein the processor is capable of addressing the service invocation request to a group address representative of a web service provided by the event servers.

26. An invoking entity according to claim 25, wherein the processor is capable of encapsulating a description of the service in the event subscription request in accordance with a given protocol.

27. An invoking entity according to claim 26, wherein the processor is capable of encapsulating a description of the service in a Simple Object Access Protocol envelope.