Apparatus and method for processing web service descriptions

• US 7,596,622 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Owen, Russell Norman, Yach, David Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gupta; Muktesh G
• Application Number:
  US10/786,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20050193135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/230, 715/230, 370/352, 707/100
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing a web service description such that the web service description is adapted for use with mobile devices. A web services accelerator is adapted to receive a web service description that defines an interface to a web service, create at least one accelerator output file from the web service description, and transmit the at least one accelerator output file to a mobile device. Accelerator output files are used by the mobile device to invoke web services.

Claims

1. A method of processing a web service description so that said web service description is adapted for use with a mobile device, said web service description comprising a plurality of web service description elements, wherein said method is performed at a computing device remotely coupled to the mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving a first web service description file comprising said web service description, wherein said web service description defines an interface to a web service;

creating at least one accelerator output file from said web service description, said creating comprising optimizing said web service description for said mobile device;

wherein said at least one accelerator output file comprises a second web service description file, said second web service description file comprising an optimized web service description adapted for processing by said mobile device;

and transmitting said at least one accelerator output file to said mobile device, wherein said at least one accelerator output file facilitates invocations of said web service by said mobile device;

wherein said optimizing comprises resolving symbolic references in said web service description of said first web service description file such that said at least one accelerator output file is parseable by said mobile device in one pass;

and wherein said resolving comprises representing the plurality of web service description elements as nodes in a graph, re-ordering the nodes into a tree data structure so that said symbolic references are resolved in a forward direction, and creating said at least one accelerator output file from said tree data structure;

wherein each of a subset of said plurality of web service description elements is associated with transport protocols not supported by said mobile device, and wherein said optimizing further comprises identifying said subset, and excluding said subset from said at least one accelerator output file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein both said web service description of said first web service description file and said optimized web service description of said second web service description file are in Web Service Description Language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein invocations of the web service by the mobile device are performed in accordance with a Simple Object Access Protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said optimizing further comprises modifying one or more names associated with each of one or more web service description elements.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating said at least one accelerator output file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing said at least one accelerator output file by identifying web service description elements that define inputs to said web service, a destination, and a format for said inputs from said optimized web service description.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising invoking said web service by transmitting input data to said destination in said format.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving output data from said web service in response to said invoking.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said optimizing further comprises extracting invocation information from said web service description, and storing said invocation information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing said at least one accelerator output file by identifying web service description elements that define inputs to said web service and obtaining operation parameters based on said inputs.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating input data by combining said operation parameters with said invocation information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising invoking said web service by transmitting said input data to said web service.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving output data from said web service in response to said invoking.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one accelerator output file comprises code adapted for execution on said mobile device, for obtaining input data used to invoke said web service, and for invoking said web service using said input data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said creating comprises:

identifying web service description elements that define inputs to said web service from said web service description;

producing first instructions for generating a user interface to prompt a user for one or more of said inputs to said web service;

producing second instructions for obtaining input data associated with said one or more inputs;

identifying web service description elements that define a destination and a format for said inputs to said web service; and

producing third instructions for invoking said web service by transmitting said input data to said destination in said format.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said creating further comprises:

identifying web service description elements that define outputs from said web service in response to invocations of said web service and a format for said outputs from said web service description; and

producing fourth instructions for receiving output data in said format from said web service.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said creating further comprises:

producing fifth instructions for outputting output data received from said web service to said user.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said creating further comprises compiling instructions produced at said creating into said code.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said code represents an executable Java application.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising processing said at least one accelerator output file by executing said code.

21. A web services accelerator comprising a processor, which resides on a computing device in a network in which said computing device is coupled to a mobile device, wherein said processor is configured to perform a method of processing a web service description so that said web service description is adapted for use with said mobile device, said web service description comprising a plurality of web service description elements, said method comprising:

receiving a first web service description file comprising said web service description, wherein said web service description defines an interface to a web service;

creating at least one accelerator output file from said web service description, said creating comprising optimizing said web service description for said mobile device, wherein said at least one accelerator output file comprises a second web service description file, said second web service description file comprising an optimized web service description adapted for processing by said mobile device;

and transmitting said at least one accelerator output file to said mobile device, wherein said at least one accelerator output file facilitates invocations of said web service by said mobile device;

wherein said optimizing comprises resolving symbolic references in said web service description of said first web service description file such that said at least one accelerator output file is parseable by said mobile device in one pass;

and wherein said resolving comprises representing the plurality of web service description elements as nodes in a graph, re-ordering the nodes into a tree data structure so that said symbolic references are resolved in a forward direction, and creating said at least one accelerator output file from said tree data structure;

wherein each of a subset of said plurality of web service description elements is associated with transport protocols not supported by said mobile device, and wherein said optimizing further comprises identifying said subset, and excluding said subset from said at least one accelerator output file created at said creating.

22. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein both said web service description of said first web service description file and said optimized web service description of said second web service description file are in Web Service Description Language.

23. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein invocations of the web service by the mobile device are performed in accordance with a Simple Object Access Protocol.

24. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein said optimizing further comprises modifying one or more names associated with each of one or more web service description elements.

25. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises validating said at least one accelerator output file.

26. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein said optimizing comprises extracting invocation information from said web service description, and storing said invocation information.

27. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises obtaining operation parameters based on said inputs from said mobile device.

28. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 27, wherein said method further comprises generating input data by combining said operation parameters with said invocation information.

29. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 28, wherein said method further comprises invoking said web service by transmitting said input data to said web service.

30. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 29, wherein said method further comprises receiving output data from said web service in response to said invoking.

31. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 30, wherein said method further comprises transmitting at least a subset of said output data to said mobile device.

32. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises receiving input data from said mobile device and invoking said web service by transmitting said input data to said web service.

33. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 32, wherein said method further comprises receiving output data from said web service in response to said invoking and transmitting said output data to said mobile device.

34. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 33, wherein said method further comprises detecting changes to said output data from said web service in response to said invoking and transmitting said changes to said mobile device.

35. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 21, wherein said at least one accelerator output file comprises code adapted for execution on said mobile device, wherein said code comprises instructions for obtaining input data used to invoke said web service, and for invoking said web service using said input data.

36. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 35, wherein said creating comprises:

identifying web service description elements that define inputs to said web service from said web service description;

producing first instructions for generating a user interface to prompt a user for one or more of said inputs to said web service;

producing second instructions for obtaining input data for said one or more inputs;

identifying web service description elements that define a destination and a format for said inputs to said web service; and

producing third instructions for invoking said web service by transmitting input data to said destination in said format.

37. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 36, wherein said third instructions comprise instructions for receiving said input data from said mobile device and transmitting said input data to said web service.

38. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 37, wherein said creating further comprises:

identifying web service description elements that define outputs from said web service in response to invocations of said web service and a format for said outputs from said web service description; and

producing fourth instructions for receiving output data in said format from said web service.

39. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 38, wherein said creating further comprises:

producing fifth instructions for outputting output data received from said web service to said user.

40. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 39, wherein said fifth instructions comprise instructions for receiving said output data from said web services and for transmitting said output data to said mobile device.

41. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 40, wherein said method further comprises detecting changes to said output data from said web service in response to said invoking and transmitting said changes to said mobile device.

42. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 29, wherein said creating further comprises compiling instructions produced at said creating into said code.

43. The web services accelerator comprising the processor of claim 29, wherein said code represents an executable Java application.

44. A storage media comprising program instructions which are executable at a computing device remotely coupled to a mobile device, to implement a method of processing a web service description so that said web service description is adapted for use with said mobile device, said web service description comprising a plurality of web service description elements, said method comprising:

receiving a first web service description file comprising said web service description, wherein said web service description defines an interface to a web service;

creating at least one accelerator output file from said web service description, said creating comprising optimizing said web service description for said mobile device, wherein said at least one accelerator output file comprises a second web service description file, said second web service description file comprising an optimized web service description adapted for processing by said mobile device;

and transmitting said at least one accelerator output file to said mobile device, wherein said at least one accelerator output file facilitates invocations of said web service by said mobile device;

wherein said optimizing comprises resolving symbolic references in said web service description of said first web service description file such that said at least one accelerator output file is parseable by said mobile device in one pass;

and wherein said resolving comprises representing the plurality of web service description elements as nodes in a graph, re-ordering the nodes into a tree data structure so that said symbolic references are resolved in a forward direction, and creating said at least one accelerator output file from said tree data structure;

wherein each of a subset of said plurality of web service description elements is associated with transport protocols not supported by said mobile device, and wherein said optimizing further comprises identifying said subset, and excluding said subset from said at least one accelerator output file.