Multi-threaded device and facility manager

• US 20080155541A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Yaotian, Tian, Lifen, Regnier, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Techniques are provided for implementing the WS-DeviceProfile standard as a multi-threaded process (“DFM”) executing on a multi-function peripheral (“MFP”). The DFM takes care of the discovery of devices and services on a network. The DFM also acts as a facility manager. The DFM implements various web services in a single component that applications can re-use. The DFM insulates these applications from some of the more complex details of the web services that the DFM implements. The MFP may comprise several different applications, each with a different specialized function. Each of these applications uses the web services provided by the DFM. The multi-threaded nature of the DFM permits new services to be added to the MFP dynamically. The threads can handle separate tasks concurrently. For example, one thread can handle communications with processes outside the MFP, while another thread can simultaneously handle communications with processes and applications inside the MFP.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing a web services device profile specification, the method comprising:

executing, on a device, a plurality of concurrently executing threads which collectively implement functionality that is specified by the web services device profile specification;

wherein the device comprises at least two of;

(a) an image-scanning web services application, (b) a printing web services application, and (c) a fax web services application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device functions as both a copying machine and a printer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of threads performs only tasks that are specified by the WS-Discovery protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of threads handles communications from processes executing within the device, but does not handle any communications from any processes that execute externally to the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of threads handles communications from processes that execute externally to the device and that communicate with the device via a network, but does not handle any communications from any processes executing within the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the threads handles communications from processes that execute externally to the device while another of the threads handles communicates from processes that execute within the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the threads (1) detects changes to metadata pertaining to the device and (2) instructs another thread of the plurality of threads to broadcast, over a network, to one or more other devices, update information that indicates changes to the metadata.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the threads initializes one or more other threads of the plurality of threads.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein termination of any one of the plurality of threads does not cause any other threads of the plurality of threads to terminate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each thread of the plurality of threads is part of a same multi-threaded device and facility manager for the device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device and facility manager manages one or more web services protocols that are present on the device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one web services application executing on the device uses an implementation of a particular web service protocol that (a) is implemented by the device and facility manager and (b) is not implemented by said at least one web services application.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more threads of the plurality of threads communicates with messages that are formatted based on SOAP and WSDL.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one thread of the plurality of threads broadcasts, over a network, information that indicates that a web service that was not previously available on the device is currently available on the device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one thread of the plurality of threads broadcasts, over a network, information that indicates that a web service that was previously available on the device is no longer available on the device.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising:

executing, on a particular device, a multi-threaded process that includes two or more concurrently executing threads, said threads including;

at least one thread that broadcasts, over a network, information that indicates the particular device'"'"'s presence on the network;

at least one thread that listens, on the network, for information that indicates presences of other devices on the network;

at least one thread that handles communications with processes that execute on the particular device, but that does not handle any communications with any processes that do not execute on the particular device;

at least one thread that handles communications with processes that do not execute on the particular device, but that does not handle any communications with any processes that execute on the particular device;

at least one thread that detects changes to the particular device and responsively updates metadata that indicates services that are offered by the particular device;

at least one thread that broadcasts, over the network, information that indicates that the particular device currently offers a web service that the particular device did not previously offer; and

at least one thread that broadcasts, over the network, information that indicates that the particular device no longer offers a web service that the particular device previously offered.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the particular device is an image-forming device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the particular device is a multi-function peripheral that acts as both a copying machine and a printer.

19. A machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

executing, on a device, a plurality of concurrently executing threads which collectively implement functionality that is specified by a web services device profile specification;

wherein the device comprises at least two of;

(a) an image-scanning module, (b) a printing module, and (c) a fax module.

20. A particular device executing a multi-threaded process that includes two or more mechanisms that perform, simultaneously with each other, operations from a set of operations, said set of operations including:

broadcasting, over a network, information that indicates the particular device'"'"'s presence on the network;

listening, on the network, for information that indicates presences of other devices on the network;

handling communications with processes that execute on the particular device;

handling communications with processes that do not execute on the particular device;

detecting changes to the particular device and responsively updating metadata that indicates services that are offered by the particular device;

broadcasting, over the network, information that indicates that the particular device currently offers a web service that the particular device did not previously offer; and

broadcasting, over the network, information that indicates that the particular device no longer offers a web service that the particular device previously offered.