APPARATUS AND METHOD FACILITATING WEB SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN NETWORKS

• US 20090138620A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Johnson, Charles E., Murphy, Michael John, Winig, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US11/945,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

An apparatus facilitates communications between first and second entities via a network. The first entity cooperates with a first interface unit to communicate via the network using a first protocol. The second entity cooperates with a second interface unit to communicate via the network using a second protocol. The network does not support communications using at least one of the first and second protocols. The apparatus includes: (a) a first converter coupled with the first entity for emulating the cooperative relation between the second entity and the second interface unit to convert communications from the first entity into a common protocol; and (b) a second converter coupled with the second entity for emulating the cooperative relation between the first entity and the first interface unit to convert communications from the second entity into the common protocol. The first and second converters communicate via the network using the common protocol.

Claims

1. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network;

said first entity cooperating with a first interface unit to effect communication with said common network using a first communication protocol;

said second entity cooperating with a second interface unit to effect communication with said common network using a second communication protocol;

said common network not supporting communications carried out using at least one of said first communication protocol and said second communication protocol;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) a first converting element coupled with said first entity;

said first converting element generally emulating said cooperative relation between said second entity and said second interface unit to effect converting communications from said first entity into a common communication protocol; and

(b) a second converting element coupled with said second entity;

said second converting element generally emulating said cooperative relation between said first entity and said first interface unit to effect converting communications from said second entity into said common communication protocol;

said first converting element and said second converting element effecting communications via said common network using said common communication protocol.

2. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 1 wherein said second entity is a web service.

3. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 2 wherein said second interface unit is a server unit coupled with said web service.

4. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 1 wherein said first entity is a client application.

5. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 4 wherein said first interface unit is a client stub unit coupled with said client application.

6. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 3 wherein said first entity is a client application.

7. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 6 wherein said first interface unit is a client stub unit coupled with said client application.

8. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network;

said web service cooperating with a web server unit to effect communication with said network using a first communication protocol;

said client application cooperating with a client stub unit to effect communication with said network using a second communication protocol;

said network not supporting communications using at least one of said first communication protocol and said second communication protocol;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) a first converting element coupled with said client stub unit;

said first converting element generally emulating said cooperative relation between said web service and said web server unit to establish communications by said client stub via said network using a common communication protocol; and

(b) a second converting element coupled with said web server unit;

said second converting element generally emulating said cooperative relation between said client application and said client stub unit to establish communications by said web server unit via said network using said common communication protocol;

said first converting element and said second converting element effecting communications via said network using said common communication protocol.

9. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 8 wherein said first converting element includes a web service emulating unit coupled for communicating via said network.

10. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 9 wherein said first converting element further includes a replica web server unit coupling said web service emulating unit with said client stub unit.

11. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 8 wherein said second converting element includes a client proxy unit coupled for communicating via said network.

12. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 11 wherein said second converting element further includes a client proxy stub unit coupling said client proxy unit with said web server unit.

13. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 10 wherein said second converting element includes a client proxy unit coupled for communicating via said network.

14. An apparatus to facilitate communications between a web service and a client application via a network as recited in claim 13 wherein said second converting element further includes a client proxy stub unit coupling said client proxy unit with said web server unit.

15. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network;

said first entity cooperating with a first interface unit to effect communication with said common network using a first communication protocol;

said second entity cooperating with a second interface unit to effect communication with said common network using a second communication protocol;

said common network not supporting communications carried out using at least one of said first communication protocol and said second communication protocol;

the method comprising;

(a) in no particular order;

(1) providing a first converting element coupled with said first entity;

said first converting element being configured for generally emulating said cooperative relation between said second entity and said second interface unit; and

(2) providing a second converting element coupled with said second entity;

said second converting element being configured for generally emulating said cooperative relation between said first entity and said first interface unit;

(b) in no particular order;

(1) effecting conversion of communications from said first entity into a common communication protocol; and

(2) effecting conversion of communications from said second entity into said common communication protocol; and

(c) effecting communication between said first converting element and said second converting element via said common network using said common communication protocol.

16. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 15 wherein said second entity is a web service.

17. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 16 wherein said second interface unit is a server unit coupled with said web service.

18. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 15 wherein said first entity is a client application.

19. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 18 wherein said first interface unit is a client stub unit coupled with said client application.

20. A method for facilitating communications between a first entity and a second entity via a common network as recited in claim 17 wherein said first entity is a client application, and wherein said first interface unit is a client stub unit coupled with said client application.