Flexible subscription-based event notification

• US 6,931,405 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCollum, Raymond W., Kenny, Patrick R., Nosov, Alexander E., El-Shimi, Ahmed, Muhlestein, Travis
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid Al
• Application Number:
  US10/122,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 707/5, 707/6, 707/10, 707/100, 707/3, 707/9, 709/220, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 709/207, 709/318, 705/1, 713/193
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Subscription-based notification using event channels that each correspond to a particular scope. Each channel manages notifications through the use of a a schema definition. The event subscriptions identify the position and attributes that any desired event notification would take in the the schema definition. The channel then receives event notifications in the form of XML fragments. The channel then determines the position that the XML fragment would take as defined by the schema definition. The channel determines whether the position and attributes of the event notification matches the position and attributes of the event subscription. If a match is found, then the event notification is copied and forwarded to the recipient designated in the corresponding subscription.

Claims

1. In a computer system that includes one or more event sources and one or more event consumers, a method for conditionally processing events fired by the one or more event sources based on subscriptions received by one or more event consumers, the method comprising the following:

an act of receiving an event notification from an event source, for an event structured in accordance with a schema definition;

an act of receiving one or more subscriptions from one or more event consumers, wherein the act of receiving one or more subscriptions from one or more event consumers comprises an act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity for event notifications having particular characteristics to be sent to a receiving event consumer;

an act of matching the event notification against the one or more subscriptions received from the one or more event consumers; and

a step for filtering the event notification based on the one or more subscriptions.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an act of determining that none of the one or more subscriptions match the event notification, wherein the step for filtering the event notification based on the one or more subscriptions comprises the following:

an act of filtering out the event notification without passing the event notification to any event consumer.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an act of determining that at least some of the subscriptions match the event notification, wherein the step for filtering the event notification based on the subscriptions comprises the following:

an act of passing the event notification to each event consumer with a subscription that matches the event notification; and

an act of filtering out the event notification without passing the event notification to any event consumer without a subscription that matches the event notification.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the requesting entity is the receiving event consumer.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the requesting entity is different than the receiving event consumer.

6. A method, in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications to be sent to the receiving event consumer.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications having the particular characteristics to be sent to the receiving event consumer.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of constructing a tree of filters that comprises a plurality of interconnected filters, the tree of filters incorporating the subscription request with other previously received subscription requests.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of determining the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition based on a classification of the event notification.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a request that represents a position within the schema definition.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request that represents a node characteristic within the schema definition.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions further comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition; and

an act of determining whether the node characteristic represented by the subscription request corresponds to the node characteristics corresponding to the position where the notification would fit into the schema definition.

15. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request that represents a node characteristic within the schema definition.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions further comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition; and

an act of determining whether the node characteristic represented by the subscription request corresponds to the node characteristics corresponding to the position where the notification would fit into the schema definition.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of receiving only event notifications of a first type at a first notification channel, wherein the act of receiving only event notifications of a first type comprises the act of receiving an event notification from an event source.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the following:

an act of receiving only event notifications of a second type at a second notification channel.

19. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request to log events having particular characteristics.

20. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request to receive real-time events having particular characteristics.

21. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the event source and at least one of the event consumers reside in a single computer system.

22. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the event source and at least one of the event consumers reside in different computer systems.

23. In a computer system that includes one or more event sources and one or more event consumers, a method for conditionally processing events fired by the one or more event sources based on subscriptions received by one or more event consumers, the method comprising the following:

an act of receiving an event notification from an event source, for an event structured in accordance with a predetermined schema definition;

an act of receiving one or more subscriptions from one or more event consumers, wherein the act of receiving one or more subscriptions from one or more event consumers comprises an act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity for event notifications having particular characteristics to be sent to a receiving event consumer;

an act of matching the event notification against the one or more subscriptions received from the one or more event consumers;

an act of passing the event notification to each event consumer that submitted a subscription that matches the event notification; and

an act of filtering out the event notification without passing the event notification to any event consumer that did not submit a subscription that matches the event notification.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the requesting entity is the receiving event consumer.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the requesting entity is different that the receiving event consumer.

26. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein the act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications to be sent to the receiving event consumer.

28. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein the act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to events notifications having the particular characteristics to be sent to the receiving event consumer.

29. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of constructing a tree of filters that comprises a plurality of interconnected filters, the tree of filters incorporating the subscription request with other previously received subscription requests.

30. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of determining the position where the event notification would fit into a schema definition based on a classification of the event notification.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a request that represents a position within the schema definition.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request that represents a node characteristic within the schema definition.

34. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions further comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition; and

an act of determining whether the node characteristic represented by the subscription request corresponds to the node characteristics corresponding to the position where the notification would fit into the schema definition.

35. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the act of receiving a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

an act of receiving a subscription request that represents a node characteristic within the schema definition.

36. A method accordance with claim 35, wherein the act of matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions further comprises the following:

an act of determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition; and

an act of determining whether the node characteristic represented by the subscription request corresponds to the node characteristics corresponding to the position where the notification would fit into the schema definition.

37. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of receiving only event notifications of a first type at a first notification channel, wherein the act of receiving only event notifications of a first type comprises the act of receiving an event notification from an event source.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, further comprising the following:

an act of receiving only event notifications of a second type at a second notification channel.

39. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the event source and at least one of the event consumers reside in a single computer system.

40. A method in accordance with claim 39, wherein the event source and at least one of the event consumers reside in different computer systems.

41. A computer program product for use in a computer system that includes one or more event sources and one or more event consumers, the computer program product for implementing a method for conditionally processing events fired by the one or more event sources based on subscriptions received by one or more event consumers, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting receipt of one or more subscription requests from one or more event consumers for event notifications having particular characteristics to be sent to the one or more event consumers;

computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of an event notification from an event source, for an event structured in accordance with a predetermined schema definition;

computer-executable instructions for matching the event notification against the one or more subscriptions received from the one or more event consumers;

computer-executable instructions for passing the event notification to each event consumer that submitted a subscription that matches the event notification; and

computer-executable instructions for filtering out the event notification without passing the event notification to any event consumer that did not submit a subscription that matches the event notification.

42. A computer program product in accordance with claim 41, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical storage media.

43. A computer program product in accordance with claim 41, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining whether the requesting entity has security rights to subscribe to event notifications.

44. A computer program product in accordance with claim 41, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for constructing a tree of filters that comprises a plurality of interconnected filters, the tree of filters incorporating the subscription request with other previously received subscription requests.

45. A computer program product in accordance with claim 41, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition based on a classification of the event notification.

46. A computer program product in accordance with claim 45, wherein the computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of a subscription request from a requesting entity comprises the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of a request that represents a position within the schema definition.

47. A computer-executable instructions in accordance with claim 46, wherein computer-executable instructions for matching the event notification against one or more subscriptions comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining whether the schema definition position represented by the subscription request corresponds to the position where the event notification would fit into the schema definition.