Application network communication method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method of routing application information, comprising:
- receiving application information in a proprietary application protocol format over a network wherein the application information and the proprietary application protocol are associated with at least one application selected from a set of applications within an application network of applications that initially cannot exchange and use application data with each other;
converting the application information in the proprietary application protocol format into a neutral protocol format compatible with one or more application router devices on the network utilizing meta-data also provided by the one or more application router devices describing one of structures, interfaces and proprietary application protocols used by the one application selected form the set of applications within the application network of applications; and
forwarding the converted application information in the neutral protocol format along with state information describing the status of processing the application information to one or more application router devices on the network wherein the state information keeps the application router devices from losing track of information and status of the processing of the application information as it moves between the application router devices;
converting further application information in the neutral protocol format back into the proprietary application protocol when communicating the further application information back to the at least one application selected from the set of applications within the application network thereby facilitating the exchange and use of application data between the set of applications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided to discover and integrate applications in an application router framework. The discovery operation includes receiving a registration notification for an application on a network, adding information describing the application to a repository into a data structure and publishing the data structure onto an application router. The association operations include querying one or more application routers on an application network for meta-data and other information on applications, exchanging the meta-data and other information between the application routers and associating the applications together automatically using their respective application protocols. Routing operations include receiving application information in an application protocol format, converting the application information in the application protocol format into a neutral protocol format and forwarding the application information in the neutral protocol format along with state information to other application router devices on the network.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method of routing application information, comprising:
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receiving application information in a proprietary application protocol format over a network wherein the application information and the proprietary application protocol are associated with at least one application selected from a set of applications within an application network of applications that initially cannot exchange and use application data with each other; converting the application information in the proprietary application protocol format into a neutral protocol format compatible with one or more application router devices on the network utilizing meta-data also provided by the one or more application router devices describing one of structures, interfaces and proprietary application protocols used by the one application selected form the set of applications within the application network of applications; and forwarding the converted application information in the neutral protocol format along with state information describing the status of processing the application information to one or more application router devices on the network wherein the state information keeps the application router devices from losing track of information and status of the processing of the application information as it moves between the application router devices; converting further application information in the neutral protocol format back into the proprietary application protocol when communicating the further application information back to the at least one application selected from the set of applications within the application network thereby facilitating the exchange and use of application data between the set of applications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for integrating the processing of applications, comprising:
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an application network of applications that initially cannot exchange and use application data with each other having at least one application router having a processor and memory with instructions executable for providing meta-data to one or more other application router devices describing one of structures, interfaces and proprietary application protocols used by the one application selected form the set of applications within the application network of applications capable of communicating information about one or more applications with other application routers in a neutral protocol format once application data is converted from the proprietary application protocols; and an application associated with the at least one application router that communicates in a proprietary application protocol and is converted by the at least one application router into the neutral protocol format utilizing meta-data provided by one or more application router devices describing one of structures, interfaces and proprietary application protocols used by an application selected form the set of applications within the application network of applications. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An application router that routes application information, comprising:
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a processor operable to execute instructions; memory containing instructions when executed on the processor cause the application router to receive application information in a proprietary application protocol format over a network wherein the application information and the proprietary application protocol are associated with at least one application selected from a set of applications within an application network of applications that initially cannot exchange and use application data with each other, convert the application information in the proprietary application protocol format into a neutral protocol format compatible with one or more application router devices on the network utilizing meta-data also provided by the one or more application router devices describing one of structures, interfaces and proprietary application protocols used by the one application selected form the set of applications within the application network of applications, forward the converted application information in the neutral protocol format along with state information describing the status of processing the application information to one or more application router devices on the network wherein the state information keeps the application router devices from losing track of information and status of the processing of the application information as it moves between the application router devices and converting further application information in the neutral protocol format back into the proprietary application protocol when communicating the further application information back to the at least one application selected from the set of applications within the application network thereby facilitating the exchange and use of application data between the set of applications. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification