Architecture for software for remote maintenance of a machine such as a copier

• US 6,636,899 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Majandro LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rabb, Khalid M., Malinowski, Barbara E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BULLOCK JR, LEWIS ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/160,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 345/740, 345/741, 345/735, 345/744, 399/8, 709/328, 709/208, 709/310, 709/313, 709/227, 709/228, 709/236, 709/237, 709/223-226, 709/217, 709/219, 709/250, 709/229, 709/225, 713/151, 713/152, 713/201, 713/200
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Software in a computer which accesses one or more software-intensive devices, such as a digital copier or printer, is organized in a set of layers. A device-dependent layer converts data transferred over various means, such as a modem or network, to a uniform data format. A protocol layer converts data from a particular accessed machine to a set of function calls. A system interface associated with the computer restricts a user of the computer to seeing only a subset of function calls, depending permissions granted to a particular user. The modular architecture of the software enables a system administrator to restrict a user to viewing machine status for a specific set of machines on a network, or limits the user to viewing only a certain set of functionalities from a particular machine.

Claims

1. A program, operable on at least one computer, for accessing machine software operative of a machine, comprising:

a protocol layer for converting data derived from the machine software to a set of function calls, the function calls being exportable to an application for viewing on a user interface; and

a system interface for applying a set of permissions to the function calls from the protocol layer, whereby only a permitted subset of function calls may be exported to an application, wherein a subset of permissions restrict access to billing data associated with the machine.

2. The program of claim 1, wherein the system interface submits an internal ID to the protocol layer in order to access a particular function call.

3. The program of claim 1, further including an application layer interfacing with the system interface, the application layer creating a user interface, the application accessing function calls from the protocol layer exclusively through the system interface.