SHARING SERVICE APPLICATIONS ACROSS MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICES IN A PEER-AWARE NETWORK

• US 20100094925A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: ST JACQUES, ROBERT J. JR., Liu, Hua
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25858 involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

What is disclosed is a system and method for automatically registering and de-registering custom application services across a fleet of multi-function document reproduction devices in an enterprise network. As described more fully herein, through an implementation of the present method, custom service solutions installed on one computer platform in the network can be automatically replicated and shared across a fleet of multi-function devices without requiring manual registration of the newly deployed service with each device. Registration makes the service user-selectable directly from the device'"'"'s UI. Further, when a service goes off-line or otherwise becomes available, the service is automatically de-registered with devices whereon the service has been registered. A single instance of an application service can be rapidly replicated without manual intervention. The present system is scalable from a few nodes to many nodes as additional resources are brought online. Various embodiments hereof have also been provided.

Claims

1. A method for replicating a service application across a network of computer platforms and multi-function devices, said method comprising:

installing a service application on a first computer platform in communication over a network;

broadcasting, by said first computer platform, an advertisement containing information about said installed service application over a network; and

in response to said broadcasted advertisement being received by said second computer platform in communication with at least one multi-function device, said second computer platform performing;

storing said information about said service application;

creating a service proxy for said service application, said service proxy facilitating a communication between said service application and said multi-function device;

associating said service proxy with said stored newly installed service application; and

registering said service application with said multi-function device, said registration comprising;

placing an iconic representation of said service application on a user interface of said multi-function device; and

associating said icon with said service proxy such that a user selection of said icon causes said service proxy to initiate a call to said service application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing said information about said service application comprises:

creating an entry for said service in a lookup table; and

associating said service proxy with said table entry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in response a determination that said service application is no longer available, said second computer platform de-registering said service application from said multi-function device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein de-registration of said service application from said multi-function device comprises:

removing said icon from said user interface of said multi-function device whereon said service is registered;

deleting said stored information about said service application; and

terminating said service proxy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising said second computer platform periodically requesting an update from said first computer platform about said installed service application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a timestamp with information about said service application; and

periodically comparing said timestamp with a current time to determine whether said information about said service application is stale.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein upon receipt of said broadcasted information, said second computer platform further performing:

comparing said received information with information stored about existing service applications to determine whether said service application has already been registered with the multi-function device; and

registering said newly installed service only in response to a determination that said service has not already been registered with said multi-function device.

8. A system for replicating a service application across a network of computer platforms and multi-function devices, said system comprising:

a plurality of multi-function devices;

a plurality of computer platforms in peer-aware communication over a network, each of said computer platforms forming a subnet with at least one of said multi-function device, said computer platforms comprising;

a storage medium capable of storing data;

a memory for storing machine executable program instructions; and

a processor in communication with said storage medium and said memory for performing the method of;

installing a service application on a first computer platform in communication over a network;

broadcasting, by said first computer platform, an advertisement containing information about said installed service application over a network; and

in response to said broadcasted advertisement being received by said second computer platform in communication with at least one multi-function device, said second computer platform performing;

storing said information about said service application;

creating a service proxy for said service application, said service proxy facilitating a communication between said service application and said multi-function device;

associating said service proxy with said stored newly installed service application; and

registering said service application with said multi-function device, said registration comprising;

placing an iconic representation of said service application on a user interface of said multi-function device; and

associating said icon with said service proxy such that a user selection of said icon causes said service proxy to initiate a call to said service application.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein storing said information about said service application comprises:

creating an entry for said service in a lookup table; and

associating said service proxy with said table entry.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein in response a determination that said service application is no longer available, said second computer platform de-registering said service application from said multi-function device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein de-registration of said service application from said multi-function device comprises:

removing said icon from said user interface of said multi-function device whereon said service is registered;

deleting said stored information about said service application; and

terminating said service proxy.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising said second computer platform periodically requesting an update from said first computer platform about said installed service application.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

associating a timestamp with information about said service application; and

periodically comparing said timestamp with a current time to determine whether said information about said service application is stale.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein upon receipt of said broadcasted information, said second computer platform further performing:

comparing said received information with information stored about existing service applications to determine whether said service application has already been registered with the multi-function device; and

registering said newly installed service only in response to a determination that said service has not already been registered with said multi-function device.

15. A computer program product for replicating a service application across a network of computer platforms and multi-function devices, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising;

installing a service application on a first computer platform in communication over a network;

broadcasting, by said first computer platform, an advertisement containing information about said installed service application over a network; and

in response to said broadcasted advertisement being received by said second computer platform in communication with at least one multi-function device, said second computer platform performing;

storing said information about said service application;

creating a service proxy for said service application, said service proxy facilitating a communication between said service application and said multi-function device;

associating said service proxy with said stored newly installed service application; and

registering said service application with said multi-function device, said registration comprising;

placing an iconic representation of said service application on a user interface of said multi-function device; and

associating said icon with said service proxy such that a user selection of said icon causes said service proxy to initiate a call to said service application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein storing said information about said service application comprises:

creating an entry for said service in a lookup table; and

associating said service proxy with said table entry.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein in response a determination that said service application is no longer available, said second computer platform de-registering said service application from said multi-function device, said de-registration comprising:

removing said icon from said user interface of said multi-function device whereon said service is registered;

deleting said stored information about said service application; and

terminating said service proxy.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising said second computer platform periodically requesting an update from said first computer platform about said installed service application.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

associating a timestamp with information about said service application; and

periodically comparing said timestamp with a current time to determine whether said information about said service application is stale.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein upon receipt of said broadcasted information, said second computer platform further performing:

comparing said received information with information stored about existing service applications to determine whether said service application has already been registered with the multi-function device; and

registering said newly installed service only in response to a determination that said service has not already been registered with said multi-function device.