Service broker for processing data from a data network

• US 7,032,002 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rezvani, Babak, Chen, Jack L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US09/698,981
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-219, 709227-229, 709/230, 709223-225, 707/10, 707/104.1, 370/449, 370/429
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for communication between server-less computing devices or clients in computers communicating over networks, such as the World Wide Web (WWW) using stateless protocols, e.g., HTTP. In this scheme, there are two classes of clients which can operate independently or can be combined in computers communicating over the network: a) clients that issue commands and request status or data, and b) clients that function as service brokers for providing services and processing commands, updating status and providing specific data—resembleing a server device but without accessible TCP/IP ports. Each service providing device is authenticated, retains a unique identity and establishes a soft state with the globally accessible server or servers. All devices and clients can compile and process a globally common command language established between all communicating network clients. The central server includes a CGI processing program and a database to retain client specific information. The server database represents a collection of queues, each having a client unique identifiable status, pending commands and/or data components. In this scheme, commands and signaling transmitted between the servers and clients utilize standard HTTP protocol semantics and HTML or standard markup language syntax. Clients encapsulate or embed information as parameters passed to HTTP CGI as a set of standard HTTP conversations. A CGI processing program converts, parses or processes each conversation and passes arguments with or without data to queues.

Claims

1. A service broker system for interactive monitoring and control of data to and from computers and Internet enabled devices of a client/server safety system over the Internet, for processing data from a data network including at least one data source, the system comprising:

a first communication module for initiating communication with a moderator and adapted to receive data from the moderator;

a second communication module for sending data to at least one of the data source and the moderator;

a service-action module for processing the received data and for performing a task based on the processed data; and

an export module in communication with the service-action module and for publishing data based at least in part on the performed task to the data network;

wherein at least one of the moderator and the data source comprises a virtual representation of the service broker and wherein the published data updates the virtual representation.

2. A service broker system for interactive monitoring and control of data to and from computers and Internet enabled devices of a client/server safety system over the Internet, for processing data from a data network including at least one data source, the system comprising:

a first communication module for initiating communication with a moderator and adapted to receive data from the moderator;

a second communication module for sending data to at least one of the data source and the moderator;

a service-action module for processing the received data and for performing a task based on the processed data; and

an export module in communication with the service-action module and for publishing data based at least in part on the performed task to the data network

wherein the performed task includes communicating a command based at least in part on the processed data to a device connected to the service broker system, at least one of the moderator and the data source comprises a virtual representation of the connected device and wherein the published data updates the virtual representation.

3. A method for transferring data from a data source to a service broker system for interactive monitoring and control of data to and from computers and Internet enabled devices of a client/server safety system over the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a data source and a service broker;

providing a moderator for receiving the data transferred by the data source;

providing a data store for storing data received by the moderator;

providing a communications module for transferring data from the data store;

providing a virtual representation of the service broker on the data source;

transferring data from the date source to the moderator, the data sent being related to or associated with the virtual representation;

storing the data received by the moderator in the data store;

retrieving the data from the data store via the communications module and forwarding the data to the service broker; and

updating the virtual representation when the service broker receives the data sent by the data source, whereby data is transferred between the data source and to the service broker.

4. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data transferred from the data source to the moderator is performed using the HTTP protocol.

5. The method set forth in claim 4, wherein the data is transferred using name/value pairs.

6. The method set forth in claim 5, wherein the name/value pair is transmitted using a field/value abstraction layer.

7. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data transferred from the moderator to the service broker is performed via the HTTP protocol.

8. The method set forth in claim 7, wherein the data is transferred using name/value pairs.

9. The method set forth in claim 8, wherein the name/value pair is transmitted using a field/value abstraction layer.

10. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data is a command for changing the state of the service broker and wherein the virtual representation is updated when the state of the service broker is changed.

11. The method set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one device is connected to the service broker and wherein the command is received by the service broker and forwarded to the at least one connected device.

12. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data sent is a command for changing the state of the service broker.

13. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the moderator and the data store are the same entity.

14. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data store and the communications module are the same device.

15. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the moderator, data store, and the communications module are the same entity.

16. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein there are a plurality of data stores.

17. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein there are a plurality of service brokers.

18. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein there are a plurality of moderators and data stores.

19. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data source and the service broker are at the same node.

20. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data store is a queue of commands.

21. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data transferred from the data store to the service broker is initiated by the service broker.

22. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the data is retrieved by specifying a specific device identifier.

23. A service broker system for interactive monitoring and control of data to and from computers and Internet enabled devices of a client/server safety system over the Internet, for processing data from a data network including at least one data source, the service broker system comprising:

a first communication module for initiating communication with a moderator and adapted to receive data from the moderator;

a second communication module for sending data to at least one of the data source and the moderator;

a service-action module for processing the received data and for performing a task based on the processed data; and

an export module in communication with the service-action module and for publishing data based at least in part on the performed task to the data network;

wherein at least one of the moderator and the data source comprises a virtual representation of the service broker system and wherein the published data updates the virtual representation, and wherein the virtual representation comprises a mapped control, group of controls, or user interface.