Service framework with local proxy for representing remote services
First Claim
1. In a communications platform comprising a service-requesting entity, a consolidating service, and an interface with which a remote communications node can be coupled to the communications platform the remote communications node comprising a plurality of remote services, the method comprising:
- the consolidating service locating, connecting with, and consolidating the plurality of remote services;
designating one of the remote services as a hidden service;
the service-requesting entity requesting access to the hidden service;
the consolidating service granting access by the service-requesting entity to the hidden service if the service-requesting entity specifies the hidden service be considered; and
representing the hidden service on the communications platform only by a proxy.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. From the perspective of the client platform 200, all services, whether local or remote, are presented as local services to the application. Each remote service is represented as a local service through the use of a local proxy that insulates the service user from the complexities of communicating with a remote server. Various methods of operating a service framework are also described.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. In a communications platform comprising a service-requesting entity, a consolidating service, and an interface with which a remote communications node can be coupled to the communications platform the remote communications node comprising a plurality of remote services, the method comprising:
-
the consolidating service locating, connecting with, and consolidating the plurality of remote services;
designating one of the remote services as a hidden service;
the service-requesting entity requesting access to the hidden service;
the consolidating service granting access by the service-requesting entity to the hidden service if the service-requesting entity specifies the hidden service be considered; and
representing the hidden service on the communications platform only by a proxy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform a method of operating a communications platform comprising a service-requesting entity, a consolidating service, and an interface with which a remote communications node can be coupled to the communications platform, the remote communications node comprising a plurality of remote services, the instructions comprising:
-
the consolidating service locating, connecting with, and consolidating the plurality of remote services;
designating one of the remote services as a hidden service;
the service-requesting entity requesting access to the hidden service;
the consolidating service granting access by the service-requesting entity to the hidden service if the service-requesting entity specifies the hidden service be considered; and
representing the hidden service on the communications platform only by a proxy. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification