Web browser as web service server in interaction with business process engine
First Claim
1. A system for enabling a business process engine to invoke a web browser as a web service server, the system comprising one or more computers configured to implement:
- a communication server coupled to a communication network to send information to and receive information from a web browser;
a business process engine configured to implement at least one business process comprising a plurality of activities, the business process engine configured to send web service requests in a web service format and to receive web service responses in the web service format;
a plurality of page templates predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; and
a servlet configured to;
receive, from the business process engine, a particular web service request that is associated with a particular activity of the business process and that is intended for the web browser;
determine a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity;
cause the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from the web service format into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser;
cause the particular web page to be sent by the communication server to the web browser;
receive, via the communication server, a response from the web browser;
convert the response into a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and
provide the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques for using a Web-service based business process to interact with a Web browser as if the Web browser were a Web service server. In one exemplary implementation, an interface module with a HTTP server is provided to convert data from the Web browser into an XML document from a Web service server and to convert data from the business process engine in an XML document to a Web service server into a Web page for the Web browser. The business process engine may be programmed in the Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL) or other suitable business process execution languages.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for enabling a business process engine to invoke a web browser as a web service server, the system comprising one or more computers configured to implement:
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a communication server coupled to a communication network to send information to and receive information from a web browser; a business process engine configured to implement at least one business process comprising a plurality of activities, the business process engine configured to send web service requests in a web service format and to receive web service responses in the web service format; a plurality of page templates predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; and a servlet configured to;
receive, from the business process engine, a particular web service request that is associated with a particular activity of the business process and that is intended for the web browser;
determine a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity;
cause the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from the web service format into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser;
cause the particular web page to be sent by the communication server to the web browser;
receive, via the communication server, a response from the web browser;
convert the response into a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and
provide the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising one or more computers configured to implement:
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a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server coupled to a communication network to send information to and receive information from a web browser; a business process engine configured to implement at least one business process comprising a plurality of activities, the business process engine configured to send web service requests in a web service format and to receive web service responses in the web service format, wherein the web service format takes the form of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document; a plurality of page templates predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process, wherein the page templates take the form of Java Server Pages (JSP'"'"'s); and a servlet configured to;
receive, from the business process engine, a particular web service request in the form of a request XML document that is associated with a particular activity of the business process and that is intended for the web browser;
determine a particular JSP that is associated with the particular activity;
cause the request XML document to be converted, in accordance with the particular JSP, into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser;
cause the particular web page to be sent by the HTTP server to the web browser;
receive, via the HTTP server, a response from the web browser;
convert the response in the web page format into a response XML document that is in the web service format; and
provide the response XML document to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for enabling a business process engine to invoke a web browser as a web service server, comprising:
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receiving, from a business process engine, a particular web service request that is intended for a web browser, wherein the business process engine implements a business process comprising a plurality of activities, wherein the particular web service request is associated with a particular activity of the business process, and wherein the business process engine sends web service requests in a web service format and receives web service responses in the web service format; determining a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity, wherein the particular page template is one of a plurality of page templates that are predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; causing the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from the web service format into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser; causing the particular web page to be sent to the web browser; receiving a response from the web browser; converting the response into a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and providing the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for enabling a business process engine to invoke a web browser as a web service server, comprising:
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receiving, from a business process engine, a particular web service request that is intended for a web browser, wherein the business process engine implements a business process comprising a plurality of activities, wherein the particular web service request is associated with a particular activity of the business process, wherein the business process engine sends web service requests in a web service format and receives web service responses in the web service format, and wherein the web service request format takes the form of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document; determining a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity, wherein the particular page template is one of a plurality of Java Server Pages that are predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; causing the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from an XML document into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser; causing the particular web page to be sent to the web browser; receiving a response from the web browser; converting the response into a response XML document that represents a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and providing the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An article comprising one or more machine readable storage media that store machine executable instructions that cause a machine to:
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receive, from a business process engine, a particular web service request that is intended for a web browser, wherein the business process engine implements a business process comprising a plurality of activities, wherein the particular web service request is associated with a particular activity of the business process, and wherein the business process engine sends web service requests in a web service format and receives web service responses in the web service format; determine a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity, wherein the particular page template is one of a plurality of page templates that are predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; cause the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from the web service format into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser; cause the particular web page to be sent to the web browser; receive a response from the web browser; convert the response into a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and provide the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An article comprising one or more machine readable storage media that store machine executable instructions that cause a machine to:
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receive, from a business process engine, a particular web service request that is intended for a web browser, wherein the business process engine implements a business process comprising a plurality of activities, wherein the particular web service request is associated with a particular activity of the business process, wherein the business process engine sends web service requests in a web service format and receives web service responses in the web service format, and wherein the web service request format takes the form of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document; determine a particular page template that is associated with the particular activity, wherein the particular page template is one of a plurality of Java Server Pages that are predefined in accordance with the activities of the business process; cause the particular web service request to be converted, in accordance with the particular page template, from an XML document into a particular web page that is in a web page format that can be processed by the web browser; cause the particular web page to be sent to the web browser; receive a response from the web browser; convert the response into a response XML document that represents a particular web service response that is in the web service format; and provide the particular web service response to the business process engine as a response to the particular web service request, thereby, enabling the business process engine to invoke the web browser as a web service server. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification