Queuing of invocations for mobile web services

• US 20080147802A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iAnywhere Solutions Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: iAnywhere Solutions Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Abouzour, Eihab, Coschi, Geno, Quick, Andrew James
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for communications between web service applications and web services are described. A first interface is coupled between the application and a messaging system. A second interface is coupled between the messaging system and the web service. The first interface is configured to receive a web service request from the application, to format the web service request into a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message, to include the SOAP request message in a first electronic message, and to transmit the first electronic message to the messaging system. The messaging system is configured to receive the first electronic message at a first node, to transmit the first electronic message across a communications network to a second node, and to couple the first electronic message from the second node to the second interface. The second interface is configured to receive the first electronic message from the messaging system, to extract the SOAP request message from the first electronic message, and to transmit the SOAP request message to the web service. Furthermore, a web service response is returned from the web service through the second interface, messaging system, and first interface, to the web service application.

Claims

1. A system for communicating between an application and a web service, comprising:

a messaging system;

a first interface coupled between the application and the messaging system; and

a second interface coupled between the messaging system and the web service;

wherein the first interface is configured to receive a web service request from the application, to format the web service request into a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message, to include the SOAP request message in a first electronic message, and to transmit the first electronic message to the messaging system;

wherein the messaging system is configured to receive the first electronic message at a first node, to transmit the first electronic message across a communications network to a second node, and to transmit the first electronic message from the second node to the second interface; and

wherein the second interface is configured to receive the first electronic message from the messaging system, to extract the SOAP request message from the first electronic message, and to transmit the SOAP request message to the web service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second interface is configured to transmit the SOAP request message to the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network is an occasionally connected network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the web service application is on a mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the messaging system comprises:

a first message store at the first node;

a first message delivery module at the first node that is coupled to the first message store;

a second message store at the second node; and

a second message delivery module at the second node that is coupled to the second message store.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first message delivery module is configured to receive the first electronic message, and to monitor the communications network for connectivity to the second message delivery module;

wherein the first message store is configured to queue the first electronic message for the first message delivery module;

wherein the first message delivery module is configured to transmit the first electronic message across the communications network to the second message delivery module after the connectivity is detected; and

wherein the second message store is configured to queue the first electronic message.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second interface is configured to receive a web service response from the web service, the web service response including a SOAP response message;

wherein the second interface is configured to include the SOAP response message in a second electronic message, and to transmit the second electronic message to the messaging system;

wherein the messaging system is configured to receive the second electronic message at the second node, to transmit the second electronic message across the communications network to the first node, and to transmit the second electronic message from the first node to the first interface; and

wherein the first interface is configured to receive the second electronic message from the messaging system, to extract the SOAP response message from the second electronic message, to decode the SOAP response message into response information, and to transmit the response information to the web service application.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second interface is configured to receive the SOAP request message from the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the messaging system comprises:

a first message store at the first node;

a first message delivery module at the first node that is coupled to the first message store;

a second message store at the second node; and

a second message delivery module at the second node that is coupled to the second message store.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second message delivery module is configured to receive the second electronic message, and to monitor the communications network for connectivity to the first message delivery module;

wherein the second message store is configured to queue the second electronic message for the second message delivery module;

wherein the second message delivery module is configured to transmit the second electronic message across the communications network to the first message delivery module after the connectivity is detected; and

wherein the first message store is configured to queue the second electronic message.

12. An interface between a web service application and a messaging system, comprising:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request generator configured to receive a web service request from the application and to format the web service request into a SOAP request message; and

a message generator configured to generate a first electronic message that includes the SOAP request message;

wherein the first interface is configured to transmit the first electronic message to the messaging system.

13. The interface of claim 12, wherein the interface is configured to receive a second electronic message from the messaging system, the interface further comprising:

a SOAP response extractor configured to extract a SOAP response message from the second electronic message; and

a SOAP decoder configured to decode the SOAP response message into response information;

wherein the interface is configured to transmit the response information to the web service application.

14. An interface between a messaging system and a web service, comprising:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request extractor configured to extract a SOAP request message from a first electronic message received from the messaging system; and

network interface module configured to transmit the SOAP request message to the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

15. The interface of claim 14, wherein the network interface module is configured to receive a web service response from the web service, the web service response including a SOAP response message, wherein the interface further comprises:

a message generator configured to include the SOAP response message in a second electronic message;

wherein the interface is further configured to transmit the second electronic message to the messaging system.

16. The interface of claim 14, wherein the network interface module is configured to monitor a communication network between the interface and the web service for connectivity;

and

wherein a message store queues the SOAP request message until after connectivity is detected.

17. A method for communicating between an application and a web service, comprising:

receiving a web service request from the application;

formatting the web service request into a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message;

generating a first electronic message that includes the SOAP request message;

transmitting the first electronic message to the messaging system, wherein the messaging system transmits the first electronic message across a communications network from a first node to a second node,

receiving the first electronic message from the second node;

extracting the SOAP request message from the first electronic message; and

transmitting the SOAP request message to the web service.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the SOAP request message to the web service comprises:

transmitting the SOAP request message to the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the communications network comprises the Internet.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the communications network is an occasionally connected network.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the web service application is on a mobile device, wherein said receiving a web service request from the application comprises:

receiving the web service request from the application during a synchronization operation for the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

queuing the first electronic message in a message store at the first node;

monitoring the communications network from the first node for connectivity to the second node; and

transmitting the first electronic message across the communications network to the second node after the connectivity is detected.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a web service response from the web service, the web service response including a SOAP response message;

generating a second electronic message that includes the SOAP response message;

transmitting the second electronic message to the messaging system, wherein the messaging system is configured to transmit the second electronic message across the communications network from the second node to the first node;

receiving the second electronic message from the messaging system;

extracting the SOAP response message from the second electronic message;

decoding the SOAP response message into response information; and

transmitting the response information to the web service application.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving the web service response from the web service comprises:

receiving the SOAP request message from the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

queuing the second electronic message in a message store at the second node;

monitoring the communications network from the second node for connectivity to the first node; and

transmitting the second electronic message across the communications network to the first node after the connectivity is detected.

26. A method for an interface between a web service application and a messaging system, comprising:

receiving a web service request from the application;

formatting the web service request into a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message;

generating a first electronic message that includes the SOAP request message; and

transmitting the first electronic message to the messaging system.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a second electronic message from the messaging system;

extracting a SOAP response message from the second electronic message;

decoding the SOAP response message into response information; and

transmitting the response information to the web service application.

28. A method for an interface between a messaging system and a web service, comprising:

receiving a first electronic message from the messaging system;

extracting a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message from the first electronic message; and

transmitting the SOAP request message to the web service according to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a web service response from the web service, the web service response including a SOAP response message;

generating a second electronic message that includes the SOAP response message;

transmitting the second electronic message to the messaging system.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

monitoring a communication network between the interface and the web service for connectivity; and

queuing the SOAP request message until after connectivity is detected.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for communicating between an application and a web service, said computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to receive a web service request from the application;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to format the web service request into a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request message;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to generate a first electronic message that includes the SOAP request message;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to transmit the first electronic message to the messaging system, wherein the messaging system transmits the first electronic message across a communications network from a first node to a second node;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to receive the first electronic message from the second node;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to extract the SOAP request message from the first electronic message; and

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to transmit the SOAP request message to the web service.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to receive a web service response from the web service, the web service response including a SOAP response message;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to generate a second electronic message that includes the SOAP response message;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to transmit the second electronic message to the messaging system, wherein the messaging system is configured to transmit the second electronic message across the communications network from the second node to the first node;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to receive the second electronic message from the messaging system;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to extract the SOAP response message from the second electronic message;

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to decode the SOAP response message into response information; and

computer readable program code means for enabling a processor to transmit the response information to the web service application.