System for distributing, installing and running web applications (agents)

• US 7,636,749 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Wolff, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US10/697,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A networked information appliance for use on a network, comprising a plurality of agency base units, wherein each base unit is configured on the network with an address and a plurality of agent cards, wherein each agent card includes state for at least one functionality that is provided to a user of the network at an address dependent on the address of the agency base unit into which the agent card is mounted.

Claims

1. A method of processing information for use on a network, comprising:

configuring a plurality of agency base units such that each agency base unit is addressable at an address on the network;

storing, on an agent card of a plurality of agent cards, at least one response functionality for implementing one or more response functions;

storing, on the agent card, a state for the at least one response functionality that is provided to a user of the network at an address dependent on the address of the agency base unit into which the agent card is mounted;

mounting the agent card into one of the plurality of agency base units by inserting the agent card into the agency base unit;

in response to mounting the agent card into the base unit, instantiating the at least one response functionality using an on board processor of the agent card;

after instantiating the at least one response functionality of the agent card, providing an agent identifier from the agent card to the agency base unit identifying the at least one response functionality instantiated on the agent card;

receiving, via the agency base unit in which the agent card is mounted, a request to execute the at least one response functionality received over the network, the request including the agent identifier;

executing the at least one response functionality using the processor of the agent card in response to the request; and

updating the state for the at least one response functionality on the agent card in response to executing the at least one response functionality.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adapting the agent card to perform on-card processing for processing messages received from an agency base unit through a message passing interface.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising processing, on the agent card, messages received from then agency base unit through the message passing interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is issued to the agency base unit over the network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the plurality of agency base units to an agency device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the plurality of agency base units to an HTTP server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the state as an XML file in a file system on the agent card.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing transformations of documents, as described by a tagset, as a tagset file in a file system on the agent card.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising adapting the agent card with program instructions for applying transforms specified in a tagset to a document.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing state, tagsets and data for the agent card in a file structure.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing state, tagsets and data for the agent card in a static file structure.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for an ejection request indicating a desire to eject the agent card; and

in response to receipt of an ejection request, writing a state of the agent card to the agent card prior to the agent card being removed from the agency base unit.

13. A method of processing information for use on a network, comprising:

configuring a plurality of agency base units such that each agency base unit is addressable at an address on the network;

coupling each of the plurality of agency base units to an HTTP server;

storing, on an agent card of a plurality of agent cards, at least one response functionality for implementing one or more response functions;

storing, in an XML file in a file system on the agent card, state for the at least one response functionality that is provided to a user of the network at an address dependent on the address of the agency base unit into which the agent card is mounted, wherein the state included on the agent card is a state of the at least one response functionality;

mounting the agent card into one of the plurality of agency base units by inserting the agent card into the agency base unit;

in response to mounting the agent card into the base unit, instantiating the at least one response functionality using an on board processor of the agent card;

after instantiating the at least one response functionality of the agent card, providing an agent identifier from the agent card to the agency base unit identifying the at least one response functionality instantiated on the agent card;

receiving, via the agency base unit in which the agent card is mounted, a request to execute the at least one response functionality, the request including the agent identifier;

executing the at least one response functionality using the processor of the agent card in response to the request; and

updating the state for the at least one response functionality on the agent card in response to executing the at least one response functionality.