Implementing device support in a web-based enterprise application

• US 20070239911A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Liou, Ming-Tao, Finnerty, Martin, Liu, Xia, Wheadon, Blair, Lan, Ying-Chieh
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level

Abstract

A method, system, application programming interface, and computer program product that enable enterprise data management application programs to request input/output services from a device manager controlling devices. The device manager operates in a heterogeneous environment including incompatible devices provided by multiple vendors. These requests, and responses from the device manager to the enterprise data management application program, are communicated in a markup language format, rather than in a device-specific native language. This structure enables the vendor of the enterprise data management application program to send requests for services, including both data and instructions to use specialized features of a device, without the need to change the enterprise data management application program to support device-specific native languages.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a request to provide a requested service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language;

selecting a first device of a plurality of devices to provide the requested service, wherein

each of the plurality of devices is configured to provide a corresponding service, and

said selecting is performed in response to said obtaining the request; and

converting the request to a second request, wherein

the second request conforms to a request format defined in a second language, and

the first device is configured to provide the requested service in response to receiving the second request.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

directing the second request to the first device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

the first language is a markup language;

the second language is a device-specific language of a plurality of device-specific languages, wherein

each of the plurality of devices communicates using one of the plurality of device-specific languages.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the request formats comprise:

at least one instruction, and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

specifying use of a specific feature of the first device, wherein

said specifying use of the specific feature comprises specifying an optional variable and providing a value for the optional variable, and

said converting the request to the second request comprises

including the optional variable in the at least one instruction of the second request, and

including the value for the optional variable in the data of the second request.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending a response to the request.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein

the response conforms to a response format defined in the first language.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the response format comprises:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

9. A system comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a request to provide a requested service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language;

selecting means for selecting a first device of a plurality of devices to provide the requested service, wherein

each of the plurality of devices is configured to provide a corresponding service, and

the selecting means performs said selecting in response to said obtaining means obtaining the request; and

converting means for converting the request to a second request, wherein

the second request conforms to a request format defined in a second language, and

the first device is configured to provide the requested service in response to receiving the second request.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

directing means for directing the second request to the first device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the request formats comprise:

at least one instruction, and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

first including means for including an optional variable in the at least one instruction of the second request; and

second including means for including a value of the optional variable in the data of the second request, wherein

the optional variable and the value specify use of a specific feature of the first device.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

sending means for sending a response to the request.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein

the response conforms to a response format defined in the first language.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the response format comprises:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising:

obtaining instructions to obtain a request to provide a requested service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language;

selecting instructions to select a first device of a plurality of devices to provide the requested service, wherein

each of the plurality of devices is configured to provide a corresponding services, and

the selecting instructions are responsive to the obtaining instructions; and

converting instructions to convert the request to a second request in a request format defined in a second language, wherein

the second request conforms to a second language, and

the first device is configured to provide the requested service in response to receiving the second request.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

directing instructions to direct the second request to the first device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17,

wherein the request formats comprise:

at least one instruction, and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 further comprising:

first including instructions to include an optional variable in the at least one instruction of the second request; and

second including instructions to include a value of the optional variable in the data of the second request, wherein

the optional variable and the value specify use of a specific feature of the first device.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising:

sending instructions for sending a response to the request.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein

the response conforms to a response format defined in the first language.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the response format comprises:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

23. A computer system comprising:

a processor configured to execute instructions;

a plurality of devices directly coupled to the computer system, wherein

each device is configured to perform a corresponding service; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, and configured to store the instructions, wherein

the instructions comprise

obtaining instructions to obtain a request to provide a service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language, and

at least one device of the plurality of devices provides the service;

identifying instructions to identify a first device of the at least one device to provide the service, wherein

the identifying instructions are responsive to the obtaining instructions obtaining the request; and

converting instructions to convert the request to a second request in a second language, wherein

the second request conforms to a request format defined in a second language, and

the first device is configured to provide the service in response to receiving the second request.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the instructions further comprise:

directing instructions to direct the second request to the first device.

25. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the request format comprises

at least one instruction, and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

26. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the instructions further comprise:

first including instructions to include an optional variable in the at least one instruction of the second request; and

second including instructions to include a value of the optional variable in the data of the second request, wherein

the optional variable and the value specify use of a specific feature of the first device.

27. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the instructions further comprise:

sending instructions for sending a response to the request.

28. The computer system of claim 27 wherein

the response conforms to a response format defined in the first language.

29. The computer system of claim 28 wherein

the response format comprises:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

30. A system comprising:

an obtaining module configured to obtain a request to provide a service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language,

at least one device of a plurality of devices is configured to provide the service, and

the plurality of devices is directly coupled to the system;

an identifying module configured to identify a first device of the at least one device to provide the service, wherein

the identifying module is responsive to the obtaining module obtaining the request; and

a converting module configured to convert the request to a second request in a second language, wherein

the second request conforms to a request format defined in a second language, and

the first device is configured to provide the service in response to receiving the second request.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

a directing module to direct the second request to the first device.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein

the request formats comprise:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

33. The system of claim 32 further comprising:

a first including module to include an optional variable in the at least one instruction of the second request; and

a second including module to include a value of the optional variable in the data of the second request, wherein

the optional variable and the value specify use of a specific feature of the first device.

34. The system of claim 31 further comprising:

a sending module for sending a response to the request.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein

the response conforms to a response format defined in the first language.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein

the response format comprises:

at least one instruction; and

data to be used when performing the at least one instruction.

37. An application programming interface comprising:

a request definition for a first command to provide a request for a requested service, wherein

the request conforms to a request format defined in a first language,

the request format is specified in the request definition,

a plurality of devices are each configured to provide a corresponding service,

one device of the plurality of devices is selected to provide the requested service in response to the first command,

the request is converted to a second request,

the second request conforms to a request format defined in a second language, and

the one device is configured to provide the requested service in response to receiving the second request.

38. The application programming interface of claim 37 further comprising:

a response definition for a response format in which a response to the request is provided.

39. The application programming interface of claim 37 further comprising:

an initialization definition for a second command to initialize prior to providing the request for the requested service.