Web server for use in a LAN modem

• US 6,094,659 A
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RONES, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/938,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/104, 707/10, 713/201, 358/1.15, 709/225, 379/93.14
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Apparatus, and accompanying methods for use therein, for an ISDN LAN modem that is suited for small user environments and which contains an internal ISDN router having a self-contained network hub for inter-connecting multiple network devices, such as workstations, to each other through a local area network and for permitting each of those devices to each gain access through the router to any one of a number of different remote networks. The LAN modem includes an internal web server for autonomously constructing and downloading a web page, through dynamic selective insertion of predefined event-specific web page components into a web page template, to the workstation. The resulting page informs a user stationed at the workstation of a failure condition or other operational event that then occurred at the LAN modem. The specific page components inserted into the template are selected based on the particular failure condition or other operational event which occurred.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a web server, operative in conjunction with a device, for use in indicating operational status information of the device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory, connected to the processor, for storing executable instructions therein, the memory also storing code for a web page template and a corresponding code segment for each of a plurality of predefined web page components therein, wherein the code segments for each of said predefined web page components represents a corresponding predefined object for inclusion in a web page; and

communication circuitry, connected to and controlled by the processor, for establishing a communicative connection to a host;

wherein the processor, in response to the executable instructions, autonomously of user interaction with the host;

detects an occurrence of an event, the event being related to an operating condition of the device;

accesses, in response to the event so detected, status information provided by the device, wherein the status information specifies a particular operational error, failure or success condition then having occurred in the device or a present operational state of the device;

generates code for a web page by;

selecting, in responses to the status information and from amongst the plurality of web page components, at least one of the web page components, wherein the one component is defined by the status information; and

inserting a corresponding code segment for the one web page component into the code for the web page template so as to define the code for the web page; and

transmits the code for the web page to the host for rendering the web page thereat so as to remotely depict the status of the device at the host.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the status information is shared by both the device and the web server.

3. The apparatus in claim 2 wherein the status information is stored in the memory as a global variable set by the device.

4. The apparatus in claim 3 wherein the web server is contained in the device with the memory, processor and communication circuitry being common to device and web server.

5. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the device comprises a network communication device for establishing a connection between a first network and, via a second network, to the host connected to the second network.

6. The apparatus in claim 5 wherein the first and second networks comprise a remote network and a local area network (LAN), respectively.

7. The apparatus in claim 6 wherein the status information is shared by both the device and the web server.

8. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the status information is stored in the memory as a global variable set by the device.

9. The apparatus in claim 8 wherein the web server is contained in the device with the memory, processor and communication circuitry being common to device and web server.

10. The apparatus in claim 6 wherein the web server further comprises a table stored in the memory wherein the table contains a plurality of entries each specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of web page templates and an indication as to whether the corresponding one web page template requires further processing.

11. The apparatus in claim 10 wherein the further processing comprises the insertion, in response to the status information, of the corresponding code segment for at least one of the web page components into the code of the corresponding one web page template.

12. The apparatus in claim 6 wherein the processor, in response to the executable instructions, substitutes the code segment for the specific one web page component into the code for the web page in lieu of a predefined placeholder situated therein.

13. The apparatus in claim 12 wherein the code stored in the memory for each of the plurality of web page components and for the web page template comprises associated hypertext mark-up language (HTML) code.

14. The apparatus in claim 13 wherein the placeholder is a textual object.

15. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the web server further comprises a table stored in the memory wherein the table contains a plurality of entries each specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of web page templates and an indication as to whether the corresponding one web page template requires further processing.

16. The apparatus in claim 15 wherein the further processing comprises the insertion, in response to the status information, of the corresponding code segment for at least one of the web page components into the code of the corresponding one web page template.

17. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the processor, in response to the executable instructions, substitutes the code segment for the specific one web page component into the code for the web page in lieu of a predefined placeholder situated therein.

18. The apparatus in claim 17 wherein the code stored in the memory for each of the plurality of web page components and for the web page template comprises associated hypertext mark-up language (HTML) code.

19. The apparatus in claim 18 wherein the placeholder is a textual object.

20. A method for indicating operational status information of a device, the device being operative in conjunction with a web server, the web server having a processor, a memory, connected to the processor, for storing executable instructions therein, the memory also storing code for a web page template and a corresponding code segment for each of a plurality of predefined web page components therein, wherein the code segments for each of said predefined web page components represents a corresponding predefined object for inclusion in a web page, and communication circuitry, connected to and controlled by the processor, for establishing a communicative connection to a host;

wherein the method comprises the steps, implemented through the executable instructions, of, autonomously of user interaction with the device;

detecting an occurrence of an event, the event being related to an operating condition of the device;

accessing, in response to the event so detected, status information provided by the device, wherein the status information specifies a particular operational error, failure or success condition then having occurred in the device or a present operational state of the device;

generating code for a web page by;

selecting, in response to the status information and from amongst the plurality of web page components, at least one of the web page components, wherein the one component is defined by the status information; and

inserting a corresponding code segment for the one web page component into the code for the web page template so as to define the code for the web page; and

transmitting the code for the web page to the host for rendering the web page thereat so as to remotely depict the status of the device at the host.

21. The method in claim 20 wherein the status information is shared by both the device and the web server.

22. The method in claim 21 wherein the status information is stored in the memory as a global variable set by the device.

23. The method in claim 20 wherein the device comprises a network communication device for establishing a connection between a first network and, via a second network, to the host connected to the second network.

24. The method in claim 23 wherein the first and second networks comprise a remote network and a local area network (LAN), respectively.

25. The method in claim 24 further comprising the step of accessing, for the web page template, an entry in a table stored in the memory wherein the table contains a plurality of entries each specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of web page templates and an indication as to whether the corresponding one web page template requires further processing.

26. The method in claim 25 wherein the further processing comprises the step of inserting, in response to the status information, of the corresponding code segment for at least one of the web page components into the code of the corresponding one web page template.

27. The method in claim 24 further comprising the step of substituting the code segment for the specific one web page component into the code for the web page in lieu of a predefined placeholder situated therein.

28. The method in claim 24 further comprising the step of accessing, for the web page template, an entry in a table stored in the memory wherein the table contains a plurality of entries each specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of web page templates and an indication as to whether the corresponding one web page template requires further processing.

29. The method in claim 28 wherein the further processing step comprises the step of inserting, in response to the status information, of the corresponding code segment for at least one of the web page components into the code of the corresponding one web page template.

30. The method in claim 24 further comprising the step of substituting the code segment for the specific one web page component into the code for the web page in lieu of a predefined placeholder situated therein.