Processing fast and slow SOAP requests differently in a Web service application of a multi-functional peripheral

• US 20080148278A1
• 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: Tian, Lifen, Regnier, Alain, Wang, Yao-Tian
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

Techniques are provided for efficiently processing SOAP requests at a Web service application (WSA) of a multi-functional device (MFP). In one technique, a WSA includes at least three threads. An external request processing thread processes SOAP requests from different client applications. A request processing thread processes a SOAP request according to the business logic of the WSA. A internal communications thread communicates with other components of the MFP that are distinct from the WSA. In another technique, a WSA processes different SOAP request differently, depending on the size of the SOAP and the resources required to process the SOAP request so that fast requests may be processed immediately while slow requests are pending. In another technique, a WS-Eventing specification is implemented within a WSA to simplify the event subscription and notification process.

Claims

1. A method for processing different types of SOAP requests at a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of service applications that each provides at least one service, the method comprising:

receiving, at a service application of the plurality, a SOAP request from a client application;

determining whether the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is not long enough, then processing the SOAP request as a request of a first type;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough, then processing the SOAP request as a request of a second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then processing the SOAP request and said data;

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then, when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, processing the SOAP request and said data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough due, at least in part, to the unavailability of a resource that is required by the SOAP request;

the resource is unavailable to the SOAP request;

the resource is shared among a plurality of client applications; and

the method further comprising processing the SOAP request and said data after the resource becomes available to the SOAP request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then processing the SOAP request and said data without narrowing a TCP window of the connection; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then narrowing or closing the TCP window, and when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, widening or opening the TCP window.

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a device facility manager (DFM) is associated with the MFP and handles device metadata requests from client applications that seek services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

composing a response based on the SOAP request; and

returning the response to the client application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the first type; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the second type; and

a third thread determines whether the SOAP request is a request of the first type or of the second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a first queue for subsequent handling by the first thread; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a second queue for subsequent handling by the second thread.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the third thread waits for SOAP requests from client applications and receives the SOAP request.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates communication with a platform of the MFP; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates communication with the platform.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread forwards the SOAP request to another module of the MFP for further processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread forwards the SOAP request to the other module for further processing of the SOAP request.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the service application, a subsequent SOAP request from a particular client application;

determining that the subsequent SOAP request is of the second type;

determining that a queue, dedicated for SOAP requests of the second type, is full;

sending, to the particular client application, a response that indicates that the service application is presently unable to handle the subsequent SOAP request.

13. A machine-readable medium for processing different types of SOAP requests at a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of service applications that each provides at least one service, the machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

receiving, at a service application of the plurality, a SOAP request from a client application;

determining whether the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is not long enough, then processing the SOAP request as a request of a first type;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough, then processing the SOAP request as a request of a second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then processing the SOAP request and said data;

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then, when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, processing the SOAP request and said data.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough due, at least in part, to the unavailability of a resource that is required by the SOAP request;

the resource is unavailable to the SOAP request;

the resource is shared among a plurality of client applications; and

the machine-readable medium further comprising processing the SOAP request and said data after the resource becomes available to the SOAP request.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, further causes:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then processing the SOAP request and said data without narrowing a TCP window of the connection; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then narrowing or closing the TCP window, and when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, widening or opening the TCP window.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the MFP includes a print process for processing print data and causing a printed version of an electronic document reflected in the print data to be generated.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

a device facility manager (DFM) is associated with the MFP and handles device metadata requests from client applications that seek services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, further causes:

composing a response based on the SOAP request; and

returning the response to the client application.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the first type; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the second type; and

a third thread determines whether the SOAP request is a request of the first type or of the second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a first queue for subsequent handling by the first thread; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a second queue for subsequent handling by the second thread.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the third thread waits for SOAP requests from client applications and receives the SOAP request.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates communication with a platform of the MFP; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates communication with the platform.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread forwards the SOAP request to another module of the MFP for further processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread forwards the SOAP request to the other module for further processing of the SOAP request.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, further causes:

receiving, at the service application, a subsequent SOAP request from a particular client application;

determining that the subsequent SOAP request is of the second type;

determining that a queue, dedicated for SOAP requests of the second type, is full;

sending, to the particular client application, a response that indicates that the service application is presently unable to handle the subsequent SOAP request.

25. A multi-functional peripheral (MFP) for processing different types of SOAP requests at the MFP, wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of service applications that each provides at least one service, the MFP being configured to:

receive, at a service application of the plurality, a SOAP request from a client application;

determine whether the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is not long enough, then process the SOAP request as a request of a first type;

if the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough, then process the SOAP request as a request of a second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then process the SOAP request and said data;

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then, when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, process the SOAP request and said data.

26. The MFP of claim 25, wherein:

the time required to process the SOAP request is long enough due, at least in part, to the unavailability of a resource that is required by the SOAP request;

the resource is unavailable to the SOAP request;

the resource is shared among a plurality of client applications; and

the MFP further comprising processing the SOAP request and said data after the resource becomes available to the SOAP request.

27. The MFP of claim 25, being further configured to:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then process the SOAP request and said data without narrowing a TCP window of the connection; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then narrow or close the TCP window, and when the time required to process the SOAP request is no longer long enough to cause the client application to timeout, widen or open the TCP window.

28. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the MFP includes a print process for processing print data and causing a printed version of an electronic document reflected in the print data to be generated.

29. The MFP of claim 25, wherein:

a device facility manager (DFM) is associated with the MFP and handles device metadata requests from client applications that seek services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

30. The MFP of claim 25, being further configured to:

compose a response based on the SOAP request; and

return the response to the client application.

31. The MFP of claim 25, wherein:

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the first type; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of the second type; and

a third thread determines whether the SOAP request is a request of the first type or of the second type;

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a first queue for subsequent handling by the first thread; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the third thread places the SOAP request in a second queue for subsequent handling by the second thread.

32. The MFP of claim 31, wherein the third thread waits for SOAP requests from client applications and receives the SOAP request.

33. The MFP of claim 31, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates the processing of the SOAP request.

34. The MFP of claim 33, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread initiates communication with a platform of the MFP; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread initiates communication with the platform.

35. The MFP of claim 33, wherein:

if the SOAP request is of the first type, then the first thread forwards the SOAP request to another module of the MFP for further processing of the SOAP request; and

if the SOAP request is of the second type, then the second thread forwards the SOAP request to the other module for further processing of the SOAP request.

36. The MFP of claim 25, being further configured to:

receive, at the service application, a subsequent SOAP request from a particular client application;

determine that the subsequent SOAP request is of the second type;

determine that a queue, dedicated for SOAP requests of the second type, is full;

send, to the particular client application, a response that indicates that the service application is presently unable to handle the subsequent SOAP request.