Integrating discovery functionality within a device and facility manager

• US 20080168440A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tian, Lifen, Regnier, Alain, Wang, Yaotian
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,546 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 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

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 that each use web services provided by the DFM. The threads of the DFM can handle separate tasks concurrently. For example, one thread, of the multi-threaded DFM, may perform one or more functions specified by the WS-DeviceProfile protocol, while another thread may perform one or more functions specified by a WS-Discovery protocol.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for advertising a device over a network, comprising:

executing, on the device, a plurality of concurrently executing threads, wherein a first thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a first set of one or more functions specified by a web services device profile specification,

wherein a second thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a second set of one or more functions specified by a web services discovery specification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is one of:

a multi-function peripheral, a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a scanner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second thread is implemented using a static class.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first thread communicates with said second thread by setting a flag accessible to said second thread.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon detecting that a first flag has been set, said second thread causing a first message to be sent over said network, wherein said first message indicates device metadata of said device has changed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a first thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads communicating a first message to a second thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads using a flag, wherein said first message indicates one of;

said second thread should start listening on said network, said second thread should stop listening on said network, said second thread should terminate, said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that device metadata for said device has changed, and said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that a service provided by said device is available.

7. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for advertising a device over a network, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes:

executing, on the device, a plurality of concurrently executing threads, wherein a first thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a first set of one or more functions specified by a web services device profile specification,

wherein a second thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a second set of one or more functions specified by a web services discovery specification;

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the device is one of:

a multi-function peripheral, a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a scanner.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said second thread is implemented using a static class.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said first thread communicates with said second thread by setting a flag accessible to said second thread.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

upon detecting that a flag has been set, said second thread causing a message to be sent over said network, wherein said message indicates capabilities of said device has changed.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

a first thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads communicating a first message to a second thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads using a flag, wherein said first message indicates one of;

said second thread should start listening on said network, said second thread should stop listening on said network, said second thread should terminate, said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that device metadata for said device has changed, and said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that a service provided by said device is available.

13. An apparatus for advertising a device over a network, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by said one or more processors, causes;

executing, on the device, a plurality of concurrently executing threads, wherein a first thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a first set of one or more functions specified by a web services device profile specification,

wherein a second thread, of the plurality of concurrently executing threads, performs a second set of one or more functions specified by a web services discovery specification.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the device is one of:

a multi-function peripheral, a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a scanner.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said second thread is implemented using a static class.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first thread communicates with said second thread by setting a flag accessible to said second thread.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

upon detecting that a flag has been set, said second thread causing a message to be sent over said network, wherein said message indicates capabilities of said device has changed.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

a first thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads communicating a first message to a second thread of the plurality of concurrently executing threads using a flag, wherein said first message indicates one of;

said second thread should start listening on said network, said second thread should stop listening on said network, said second thread should terminate, said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that device metadata for said device has changed, and said second thread should cause a second message to be sent over said network to inform recipients of said second message that a service provided by said device is available.