Execution apparatus for executing a function in response to a request received via a network, and method of accepting a request received via a network

• US 7,890,607 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US12/022,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/223, 719/331, 700/19, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An execution apparatus for executing a function in response to a request received via a network obtains interface information representing an interface via which a component that provides a function accepts a request, and generates an interface for allowing the execution apparatus to accept a request via a network, based upon the obtained interface information of the component that accepts the request received via the network.

Claims

1. An execution apparatus for executing a function in response to a request received via a network, said apparatus comprising:

a managing unit adapted to manage a first component that provides a first function;

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain first interface information representing an first interface via which the managed first component that provides a function accepts a the request via the network;

a generation unit adapted to generate an first interface of the execution apparatus for accepting, a via the network, the request of the first function provided by the first component via a network, based upon the first interface information of the first component, wherein the generated first interface defines input data for the first function and output data for the first function, and the generated first interface is published to the network; and

a registering unit adapted to register a second component that provides a second function such that the registered second component is managed by the managing unit, wherein the generation unit generates a second interface of the execution apparatus for accepting via the network the request for the first function provided by the first component and a request for the second function provided by the second component, based upon the first interface information of the first component and second interface information that represents a second interface via which the registered second component accepts the request via the network, wherein the generated second interface defines the input data for the first function, the output data for the first function, input data for the second function and output data for the second function, and the generated second interface is published to the network.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining unit has a holding unit adapted to hold the first component that provides the first function and control information of the first component, and said obtaining unit obtains the first interface information of the first component being held by said holding unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said obtaining unit has a requesting unit adapted to request the first interface of the first component to execute the first function requested via the network, the request being made based upon the control information being held by said holding unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining unit accepts a request to register the second component, and said generation unit, based upon the second interface information of the registered second component, updates the first interface to the second interface via which the execution apparatus accepts a the request via the network.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said registering unit has an acquisition unit adapted to acquire the second component, which is for executing the requested function, via the network in response to a request for the second function, which is other than the first functions provided by the first component for which the first interface information has been obtained by said obtaining unit.

6. A method of accepting a request received via a network by an execution apparatus which manages a first component that provides a first function, comprising the steps of:

obtaining first interface information representing a first interface via which the managed first component that provides a function accepts the request via the network;

generating the first interface of the execution apparatus for accepting via the network the request for the first function provided by the first component based upon the obtained first interface information of the first component, wherein the generated first interface defines input data for the first function and output data for the first function;

publishing the generated first interface to the network;

registering a second component that provides a second function such that the registered second component is managed by the execution apparatus; and

generating a second interface of the execution apparatus for accepting via the network the request for the first function provided by the first component and a request for the second function provided by the second component, based upon the first interface information of the first component and second interface information representing a second interface via which the registered second component accepts the request via the network, wherein the generated second interface defines the input data for the first function, the output data for the first function, input data for the second function and output data for the second function, and the generated second interface is published to the network.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said obtaining step further comprises a holding step of holding the first component that provides the first function and control information of the first component, and said obtaining step includes obtaining the first interface information of the first component being held.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said obtaining step further comprises a requesting step of requesting the first interface of the first component to execute the first function requested via the network, the request being made based upon the control information being held.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said obtaining step includes accepting a request to register the second component, and said generation step includes, based upon the second interface information of the registered second component, updating the first interface to the second interface via which the execution apparatus accepts the request via the network.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said registering step further comprises an acquisition step of acquiring the second component, which is for executing the requested function, via the network in response to a request for the second function, which is other than the first function provided by the first components for which the first interface information has been obtained in said obtaining step.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, in executable form, for causing a computer to perform a method of accepting a request received via a network by an execution apparatus which manages a first component that provides a first function, said computer program comprising the steps of:

obtaining first interface information representing a first interface via which the managed first component that provides a function accepts the request via the network;

generating the first interface of the execution apparatus for accepting via the network the request for the first function provided by the first component, based upon the obtained first interface information of the first component, the generated first interface defines input data for the first function and output data for the first function;

publishing the generated first interface to the network;

registering a second component that provides a second function such that the registered second component is managed by the execution apparatus; and

generating a second interface of the execution apparatus for accepting via the network the request for the first function provided by the first component and a request for the second function provided by the second component, based upon the first interface information of the first component and a second interface information representing a second interface via which the registered second component accepts the request via the network, wherein the generated second interface defines the input data for the first function, the output data for the first function, input data for the second function and output data for the second function, and the generated second interface is published to the network.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said obtaining step further comprises a holding step of holding the first component that provides the first function and control information of the first component, said obtaining step includes obtaining the first interface information of the first component being held, and said obtaining step further comprises a requesting step of requesting the first interface of the first component to execute the first function requested via the network, the request being made based upon the control information being held.

13. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said obtaining step includes accepting a request to register the second component, and said generation step includes, based upon the second interface information of the registered second component, updating the first interface to the second interface via which the execution apparatus accepts the request via the network.

14. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said registering step further comprises an acquisition step of acquiring the second component, which is for executing the requested function, via the network in response to a request for the second function, which is other than the first functions provided by the first components for which the first interface information has been obtained in said obtaining step.