Integrating eventing in a web service application of a multi-functional peripheral

• US 20080148287A1
• 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 8,127,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

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 a plurality of event subscription 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 of service applications, a Simple

Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request, from a client application, to subscribe to an event, wherein;

the SOAP request is an event subscription request;

the service application includes an event manager that (a) is a component of the service application and (b) implements an eventing specification;

the service application executes as a single process and executes the functionality of the event manager in addition to other functionality;

the event manager maintaining identification information that identifies at least the event and an event sink specified in the SOAP request;

the event manager receiving, from a platform of the MFP, notification data that indicates that the event occurred;

the event manager comparing the notification data with the identification information;

based on the comparison, the event manager composing a notification message for the client application; and

sending the notification message to the event sink.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the eventing specification is at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of service applications 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.

4. 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 seeks services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the DFM implements at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification for one or more other service applications of the plurality of service applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information includes:

the event manager sending, to the service application, first data, from the event subscription request, that is specific to the service application;

the service application processing said first data to generate second data;

the service application sending the second data to the event manager;

the event manager including the second data in a subscribe response that is generated by the event manager; and

the event manager sending the subscribe response to the client application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information further includes:

the event manager generating a subscribe response; and

the event manager sending, to the service application, third data, from the subscribe response, that is specific to the service application; and

the service application processing said third data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information further includes:

the event manager generating a subscribe response;

the event manager sending, to the service application, the status of its processing to enable the service application to perform further processing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the service application includes an event processing thread that:

registers events with an abstract layer of the service application;

waits for and receives indications of events from the abstract layer; and

composes and sends notification messages to the event sink.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the event manager is configured to perform at least one of the following additional functions:

retrieve a status corresponding to the event, update said status, unsubscribe the event, and renew the event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service application includes:

an external request processing thread that receives requests from client applications and dispatches the requests to at least two other threads, wherein the external request processing thread receives the event subscription request;

a request processing thread that processes SOAP requests according to the business logic of the service application; and

an internal communications thread that communicates with one or more components of the MFP that are distinct from the service application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a first type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is long enough to cause the client application to timeout; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a second type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is not long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

the SOAP request is of the second type;

the method further comprising;

the second thread determining that the SOAP request is the event subscription request;

the second thread initiating processing of the event subscription request; and

based on the processing of the event subscription request, the event manager returning a subscribe response message to the client application.

13. A machine-readable medium for processing a plurality of event subscription 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 of service applications, a Simple

Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request, from a client application, to subscribe to an event, wherein;

the SOAP request is an event subscription request;

the service application includes an event manager that (a) is a component of the service application and (b) implements an eventing specification;

the service application executes as a single process and executes the functionality of the event manager in addition to other functionality;

the event manager maintaining identification information that identifies at least the event and an event sink specified in the SOAP request;

the event manager receiving, from a platform of the MFP, notification data that indicates that the event occurred;

the event manager comparing the notification data with the identification information;

based on the comparison, the event manager composing a notification message for the client application; and

sending the notification message to the event sink.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the eventing specification is at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of service applications 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.

16. 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 seeks services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the DFM implements at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification for one or more other service applications of the plurality of service applications.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information includes:

the event manager sending, to the service application, first data, from the event subscription request, that is specific to the service application;

the service application processing said first data to generate second data;

the service application sending the second data to the event manager;

the event manager including the second data in a subscribe response that is generated by the event manager; and

the event manager sending the subscribe response to the client application.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information further includes:

the event manager generating a subscribe response; and

the event manager sending, to the service application, third data, from the subscribe response, that is specific to the service application; and

the service application processing said third data.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the event manager maintaining identification information further includes:

the event manager generating a subscribe response;

the event manager sending, to the service application, the status of its processing to enable the service application to perform further processing.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the service application includes an event processing thread that:

registers events with an abstract layer of the service application;

waits for and receives indications of events from the abstract layer; and

composes and sends notification messages to the event sink.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the event manager is configured to perform at least one of the following additional functions:

retrieve a status corresponding to the event, update said status, unsubscribe the event, and renew the event.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the service application includes:

an external request processing thread that receives requests from client applications and dispatches the requests to at least two other threads, wherein the external request processing thread receives the event subscription request;

a request processing thread that processes SOAP requests according to the business logic of the service application; and

an internal communications thread that communicates with one or more components of the MFP that are distinct from the service application.

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

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a first type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is long enough to cause the client application to timeout; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a second type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is not long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

the SOAP request is of the second type;

the instructions include instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, further causes;

the second thread determining that the SOAP request is the event subscription request;

the second thread initiating processing of the event subscription request; and

based on the processing of the event subscription request, the event manager returning a subscribe response message to the client application.

25. A multi-functional peripheral (MFP) for processing a plurality of event subscription 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 of service applications, a Simple

Object Access Protocol (SOAP) request, from a client application, to subscribe to an event, wherein;

the SOAP request is an event subscription request;

the service application includes an event manager that (a) is a component of the service application and (b) implements an eventing specification;

the service application executes as a single process and executes the functionality of the event manager in addition to other functionality;

cause the event manager to maintain identification information that identifies at least the event and an event sink specified in the SOAP request;

cause the event manager to receive, from a platform of the MFP, notification data that indicates that the event occurred;

cause the event manager to compare the notification data with the identification information;

based on the comparison, cause the event manager to compose a notification message for the client application; and

send the notification message to the event sink.

26. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the eventing specification is at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification.

27. The MFP of claim 25, wherein one of the plurality of service applications 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.

28. 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 seeks services provided by the MFP; and

the DFM implements one or more Web Services protocols.

29. The MFP of claim 28, wherein the DFM implements at least one of WS-Eventing and WS-Notification for one or more other service applications of the plurality of service applications.

30. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the MFP being configured to cause the event manager to maintain identification information includes the MFP being configured to cause:

the event manager to send, to the service application, first data, from the event subscription request, that is specific to the service application;

the service application to process said first data to generate second data;

the service application to send the second data to the event manager;

the event manager to include the second data in a subscribe response that is generated by the event manager; and

the event manager to send the subscribe response to the client application.

31. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the MFP being configured to cause the event manager to maintain identification information includes the MFP being configured to cause:

the event manager to generate a subscribe response; and

the event manager to send, to the service application, third data, from the subscribe response, that is specific to the service application; and

the service application to process said third data.

32. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the MFP being configured to cause the event manager to maintain identification information includes the MFP being configured to cause:

the event manager to generate a subscribe response;

the event manager to send, to the service application, the status of its processing to enable the service application to perform further processing.

33. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the service application includes an event processing thread that:

registers events with an abstract layer of the service application;

waits for and receives indications of events from the abstract layer; and

composes and sends notification messages to the event sink.

34. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the MFP is configured to cause the event manager to perform at least one of the following additional functions:

retrieve a status corresponding to the event, update said status, unsubscribe the event, and renew the event.

35. The MFP of claim 25, wherein the service application includes:

an external request processing thread that receives requests from client applications and dispatches the requests to at least two other threads, wherein the external request processing thread receives the event subscription request;

a request processing thread that processes SOAP requests according to the business logic of the service application; and

an internal communications thread that communicates with one or more components of the MFP that are distinct from the service application.

36. The MFP of claim 25, wherein:

the service application includes;

a first thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a first type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is long enough to cause the client application to timeout; and

a second thread that is dedicated to handling requests of a second type, wherein the time required to process requests of the first type is not long enough to cause the client application to timeout;

the SOAP request is of the second type;

the MFP being further configured to;

cause the second thread to determine that the SOAP request is the event subscription request;

cause the second thread to initiate processing of the event subscription request; and

based on the processing of the event subscription request, cause the event manager to return a subscribe response message to the client application.