Method and system of remote diagnostic, control and information collection using a dynamic linked library of multiple formats and multiple protocols with intelligent formatter

• US 7,895,354 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US11/833,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20080022293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/234
• US Class Current: 709/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for (1) collecting information from a remote application unit and/or (2) diagnosing or controlling the remote application unit. By utilizing a shareable computer code device (e.g., a dynamic linked library), a new application can utilize tested, proven code without having to reproduce existing functionality. Moreover, by supporting multiple data formats and/or multiple communication protocols, a computer code device increases the likelihood that a supported format and/or protocol will be either receivable or understandable by a receiver.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a format used for data communication between a remote receiver and at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit, the system comprising:

means for providing plural communications formats capable of providing data transfer;

means for selecting a first format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit;

means for selecting a second format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit;

means for collecting events at the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit;

means for dynamically generating first and second format processors for implementing the first and second formats;

first means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit using the first format processor; and

second means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit using the second format processor after attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit using the first format processor, and for checking for a transmission failure before transferring the collected events using the second format.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for dynamically generating first and second format processors comprises means for implementing a container class including an entry for each of the plural formats, wherein each entry includes a key and a value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the value comprises a pointer to a function configured to dynamically generate a corresponding format processor of the first and second format processors as specified by the corresponding key.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the value further comprises an attribute for identifying whether the means for dynamically generating first and second format processors previously dynamically generated the corresponding format processor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the attribute stores (1) a zero value if the means for dynamically generating first and second format processors has not previously dynamically generated the corresponding format processor and (2) stores a pointer to the corresponding format processor if the means for dynamically generating first and second format processors previously dynamically generated the corresponding format processor.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the function configured to dynamically generate the corresponding format processor returns a format processing abstract class.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for implementing a container class comprises a map.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing comprises a library of code shared between first and second applications.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing comprises a dynamically linked library of code shared between first and second applications.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second means for attempting comprises means for transferring the collected events using the second format in order to increase redundancy.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes binary.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes text.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes hypertext markup language (HTML).

14. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes extended markup language (XML).

15. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes SGML.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plural communications formats includes a csv format.

17. A device for controlling a format used for data communication between a remote receiver and the device, the device comprising:

means for providing plural communications formats capable of providing data transfer;

means for selecting a first format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the device;

means for selecting a second format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the device;

means for collecting events at the device;

means for dynamically generating first and second format processors for implementing the first and second formats;

first means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the device using the first format processor; and

second means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the device using the second format processor after attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the device using the first format processor, and for checking for a transmission failure before transferring the collected events using the second format.

18. An appliance for controlling a format used for data communication between a remote receiver and the appliance, the appliance comprising:

means for providing plural communications formats capable of providing data transfer;

means for selecting a first format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the appliance;

means for selecting a second format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the appliance;

means for collecting events at the appliance;

means for dynamically generating first and second format processors for implementing the first and second formats;

first means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the appliance using the first format processor; and

second means for attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the appliance using the second format processor after attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the appliance using the first format processor, and for checking for a transmission failure before transferring the collected events using the second format.