Web services device profile on a multi-service device: dynamic addition of services

• US 20080147872A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Regnier, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A technique is provided for implementing multiple Web services on a multi-functional device (MFP) executing multiple service applications. A Device Facility Manager (DFM) executing on the MFP represents the MFP by responding to discovery, metadata, and logging requests with device location, metadata and logging information. When a client application discovers the services provided by the MFP, the client application may communicate directly with a service application executing on the MFP. The client application requests the service metadata of the service application and then transmits SOAP requests, which the service application processes. The implementation of one or more Web Service specifications may be packaged into one common module so that the complexity of the Web Services is hidden from developers. New services may be added to the MFP and existing services may be updated through communication with the DFM.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for the dynamic addition of new services to a device, comprising:

receiving, from a new application, a registration request to register the new application with the device, wherein the new application provides a new service;

sending, to the new application, an acknowledgement that the new application is registered with the device;

receiving, from the new application, service metadata associated with the new service; and

sending a port number to the new application, wherein the new application;

uses the port number to begin detecting requests for the new service;

receives a SOAP request from a client application;

generates, based on the SOAP request, a device-specific request that conforms to a communications protocol supported by the device; and

transmits the device-specific request to the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes at least a print process for processing print data and causing a printed version of an electronic document reflected in the print data to be generated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising after receiving service metadata from the new application, sending a message to clients on a network, to which the device is connected, indicating the addition of the new service to the device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the new application:

receiving a service metadata request from a client;

sending a particular request, based on the service metadata request, to a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

receiving, from the DFM, the service metadata associated with the new service; and

forwarding the service metadata to the client.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device, update information from the new application, wherein the update information pertains to the service metadata associated with the new application; and

based on the update information, updating the service metadata associated with the new application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service metadata is updated without restarting the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the new application, logging information pertaining to the number and type of device-specific requests transmitted to the device; and

forwarding the logging information to an administrator application associated with the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the new application receives a SOAP request, from a client application, that indicates a request to receive notification data upon the occurrence of a particular event associated with the new application; and

upon occurrence of the particular event, the new application sends the notification data to the client application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the SOAP request includes a portion corresponding to a Web Services specification;

the new application invokes a library routine from a shared library on a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

the library routine implements one or more functions defined by the Web Services specification; and

results from executing the library routine are used to generate the device-specific request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the new application is added to the device without restarting the device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a secure digital (SD) memory card that is inserted into the device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a node on a network to which the device is connected.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device performs:

the receiving the add request to add the new application to the device;

the receiving the code associated with the new application;

the receiving the registration request to register the new application;

the receiving the service metadata associated with the new service; and

the sending the port number to the new application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the code includes an abstract implementation for a particular platform of the device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the new application retrieves information pertaining to the device through an abstract API; and

the abstract API defines an interface by which the new application invokes one or more functions on the device and receives data from the device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating, based on the new application, device metadata of the device, wherein the device metadata indicates all the services provided by the device.

17. A machine-readable medium for the dynamic addition of new services to a device, the machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

receiving, from a new application, a registration request to register the new application with the device, wherein the new application provides a new service;

sending, to the new application, an acknowledgement that the new application is registered with the device;

receiving, from the new application, service metadata associated with the new service; and

sending a port number to the new application, wherein the new application;

uses the port number to begin detecting requests for the new service;

receives a SOAP request from a client application;

generates, based on the SOAP request, a device-specific request that conforms to a communications protocol supported by the device; and

transmits the device-specific request to the device.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the device includes at least a print process for processing print data and causing a printed version of an electronic document reflected in the print data to be generated.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause, after receiving service metadata from the new application, sending a message to clients on a network, to which the device is connected, indicating the addition of the new service to the device.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause the new application to:

receive a service metadata request from a client;

send a particular request, based on the service metadata request, to a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

receive, from the DFM, the service metadata associated with the new service; and

forward the service metadata to the client.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause:

receiving, at a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device, update information from the new application, wherein the update information pertains to the service metadata associated with the new application; and

based on the update information, updating the service metadata associated with the new application.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the service metadata is updated without restarting the device.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause:

receiving, from the new application, logging information pertaining to the number and type of device-specific requests transmitted to the device; and

forwarding the logging information to an administrator application associated with the device.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein:

the new application receives a SOAP request, from a client application, that indicates a request to receive notification data upon the occurrence of a particular event associated with the new application; and

upon occurrence of the particular event, the new application sends the notification data to the client application.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein:

the SOAP request includes a portion corresponding to a Web Services specification;

the new application invokes a library routine from a shared library on a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

the library routine implements one or more functions defined by the Web Services specification; and

results from executing the library routine are used to generate the device-specific request.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the new application is added to the device without restarting the device.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a secure digital (SD) memory card that is inserted into the device.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a node on a network to which the device is connected.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device performs:

the receiving the add request to add the new application to the device;

the receiving the code associated with the new application;

the receiving the registration request to register the new application;

the receiving the service metadata associated with the new service; and

the sending the port number to the new application.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code includes an abstract implementation for a particular platform of the device.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein:

the new application retrieves information pertaining to the device through an abstract API; and

the abstract API defines an interface by which the new application invokes one or more functions on the device and receives data from the device.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause updating, based on the new application, device metadata of the device, wherein the device metadata indicates all the services provided by the device.

33. A device for the dynamic addition of new services to a device, the device being configured to:

receive, from a new application, a registration request to register the new application with the device, wherein the new application provides a new service;

send, to the new application, an acknowledgement that the new application is registered with the device;

receive, from the new application, service metadata associated with the new service; and

send a port number to the new application, wherein the new application;

uses the port number to begin detecting requests for the new service;

receives a SOAP request from a client application;

generates, based on the SOAP request, a device-specific request that conforms to a communications protocol supported by the device; and

transmits the device-specific request to the device.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the device includes at least a print process for processing print data and causing a printed version of an electronic document reflected in the print data to be generated.

35. The device of claim 33, being further configured to, after receiving service metadata from the new application, send a message to clients on a network, to which the device is connected, wherein the message indicates the addition of the new application to the device.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the new application is configured to:

receive a service metadata request from a client;

send a particular request, based on the service metadata request, to a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

receive, from the DFM, the service metadata associated with the new service; and

forward the service metadata to the client.

37. The device of claim 33, being further configured to:

receive, at a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device, update information from the new application, wherein the update information pertains to the service metadata associated with the new application; and

based on the update information, update the service metadata associated with the new application.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the service metadata is updated without restarting the device.

39. The device of claim 33, being further configured to:

receive, from the new application, logging information pertaining to the number and type of device-specific requests transmitted to the device; and

forward the logging information to an administrator application associated with the device.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein:

the new application receives a SOAP request, from a client application, that indicates a request to receive notification data upon the occurrence of a particular event associated with the new application; and

upon occurrence of the particular event, the new application sends the notification data to the client application.

41. The device of claim 33, wherein:

the SOAP request includes a portion corresponding to a Web Services specification;

the new application invokes a library routine from a shared library on a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device;

the library routine implements one or more functions defined by the Web Services specification; and

results from executing the library routine are used to generate the device-specific request.

42. The device of claim 33, wherein the new application is added to the device without restarting the device.

43. The device of claim 33, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a secure digital (SD) memory card that is inserted into the device.

44. The device of claim 33, wherein receiving the code associated with the new application includes receiving the code from a node on a network to which the device is connected.

45. The device of claim 33, wherein a device facility manager (DFM) associated with the device:

receives the add request to add the new application to the device;

receives the code associated with the new application;

receives the registration request to register the new application;

receives the service metadata associated with the new service; and

sends the port number to the new application.

46. The device of claim 33, wherein the code includes an abstract implementation for a particular platform of the device.

47. The device of claim 33, wherein:

the new application retrieves information pertaining to the device through an abstract API; and

the abstract API defines an interface by which the new application invokes one or more functions on the device and receives data from the device.

48. The device of claim 33, being further configured to update, based on the new application, device metadata of the device, wherein the device metadata indicates all the services provided by the device.