Method and Apparatus for Reduction of Event Notification Within a Web Service Application of a Multi-Functional Peripheral

• US 20090089802A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tian, Lifen, Wang, Yao-Tian
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Techniques are provided for reducing the amount of event notifications within a Web Service Application (WSA) of a device such as a multi-functional peripheral (MFP). In one technique, a Subscription ID is linked with a Job ID within a reduced notification table. When an event occurs related to a specific job, an event notification is sent only to the subscriber associated with that job.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing notifications within a device, wherein the device comprises a plurality of web service applications that each provides at least one service, the method comprising:

establishing subscription data having a plurality of items, wherein each item includes at least a table having at least a subscription ID field, an IP address field, and a job ID field per item;

listening for subscription requests for the device;

partially completing a table entry for each item by filling in the subscription ID and an IP address fields for each subscription request;

listening for jobs being processed by the device;

for each job, associating each job ID with a subscription ID and filling in the job ID field, thereby completing a table entry; and

in response to detecting an event related to a specific job, using the table to send an event notification only to the subscriber associated with a specific job and which matches the retrieved subscription Id.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a specific event notification is not associated with any job ID within the table, and

sending no event notification.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the establishing step further comprises including a Notify To field within the table.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the event notification is created by a WS-Eventing module.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the device is any one of a printer, fax, scanner, or multi-function peripheral.

6. An apparatus for managing notifications within a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of web service applications that each provides at least one service, the apparatus comprising:

a notification mechanism for establishing subscription data having a plurality of items, wherein each item includes at least a table having at least a subscription ID field, an IP address field, and a job ID field per item;

a module for listening for subscription requests for the MFP, and partially completing a table entry for each item by filling in the subscription ID and an IP address fields for each subscription request;

a module for listening for jobs being processed by the MFP and associating each job ID with a subscription ID and filling in the job ID field, thereby completing a table entry for each job; and

a module for detecting an event related to a specific job, wherein the module uses the table to send a notification only to the subscriber associated with a specific job.

7. A computer-implemented method for managing notifications within a multi functional peripheral (MFP), wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of web service applications that each provides at least one service, the method comprising:

a client sending a Subscribe request to participate in a first eventing service offered by the MFP;

receiving and validating the Subscribe request message, and sending back to client a subscribe response message;

posting all registered scan destinations within the operational panel;

filling in a notification table with at least two fields, a destination display name and a subscription ID;

a user selecting a scan destination, loading an original, and pressing a Start button;

generating an instance of the first eventing service and retrieving a Subscription ID from the table based on the scan destination; and

sending an event notification corresponding to the first eventing service only to those clients that are matched with the retrieved Subscription ID.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the Subscribe request message contains at least scan destination registration information and a destination display name.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein Subscribing enables a client to be made aware of events of interest to that client such as status of a specific job, status of the scanner/printer portion of the MFP, and also notification of the first eventing service.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the first eventing service is a ScanAvailableEvent.

11. A computer-readable medium for processing event notifications 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:

establishing subscription data having a plurality of items, wherein each item includes at least a table having at least a subscription ID field, an IP address field, and a job ID field per item;

listening for subscription requests for the MFP;

partially completing a table entry for each item by filling in the subscription ID and an IP address fields for each subscription request;

listening for jobs being processed by the MFP;

for each job, associating each job ID with a subscription ID and filling in the job ID field, thereby completing a table entry; and

in response to detecting an event related to a specific job, using the table to send an event notification only to the subscriber associated with a specific job.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a specific event notification is not associated with any job ID within the table, and

sending no event notification.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

the event notification is created by a WS-Eventing module.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

adding a fourth Notify To field to the table, for when a single client may have multiple IP addresses.

15. A computer-readable means for managing notifications within a multi functional peripheral (MFP), wherein the MFP comprises a plurality of web service applications that each provides at least one service, the method comprising:

a client discovering a Web Services enabled MFP;

determining whether a user operating that client wants to install the MFP;

the client sending a Subscribe request to participate in a ScanAvailableEvent;

receiving and validating the Subscribe request message, and sending back to client a subscribe response message containing a scan destination token;

posting all registered scan destinations within the operational panel;

filling in a notification table with at least two fields, a destination display name and a subscription ID;

generating a ScanAvailableEvent and retrieving a Subscription ID from the table based on the scan destination; and

sending that ScanAvailableEvent only to those clients that are matched with the retrieved Subscription ID.

16. The computer-readable means of claim 15, wherein the subscribe request message contains at least scan destination registration information and a destination display name.

17. The computer-readable means of claim 15, wherein subscribing enables a client to be made aware of events of interest to that client such as status of a specific job, status of the scanner/printer portion of the MFP, and also notification of a ScanAvailableEvent.