Methods and systems for administrating imaging device event notification

• US 7,966,396 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lum, Joey P., Nguyen, Uoc H., Plewnia, Boguslaw Ludwik, Sojian, Lena
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOWFIGHI, AFSHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US11/240,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3221 of a job number or identification, e.g. communication number

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for imaging device event notification administration and subscription. Some aspects relate to selective imaging device event notification based on user credentials and/or the occurrence of a specific event. Some aspects relate to the construction, maintenance and use of an event subscription record that is used to manage imaging device event notification.

Claims

1. An apparatus for imaging device (IDev) event notification using a core web service framework (CWSF), said apparatus comprising:

a) a status monitoring module (SMM) for monitoring changes in device and job states and for acting as a source for an event notification;

b) a subscriber manager (SM) for receiving subscription requests from a web service module (WSM) and for communicating with a notification module (NM);

c) wherein said notification module (NM) receives event notifications from said sources for event notification and other sources and communicates with a job queue manager (JQM) to create an event data message and wherein said NM communicates with said SM to determine which subscribers are to receive notifications;

d) wherein said WSM provides a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface with remote applications, wherein said remote applications controls IDev hardware by sending a SOAP request that is translated to IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to elements within said IDev, wherein said WSM receives a subscription request from a remote application as a SOAP request and translate and forward said subscription request to said SM, and wherein said WSM receives an event notification from said SM when an event described in said subscription request occurs, and said WSM sends local notification menu content, formatted as a markup language message, to a UI processor in response to said receipt of an event notification;

e) a markup language library comprising a utility code library, wherein said markup language library is employed in parsing and generating markup language data;

f) a system abstraction layer (SAL) for grouping together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions; and

g) wherein said UI processor creates IDev front panel menu content in response to receiving said local notification menu content, wherein said IDev front panel menu content is formatted as a front panel markup language message and wherein said UI processor sends said front panel menu content to an IDev front panel user interface.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein a notification is passed to said CWSF via said SMM by means of a callback call.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said JQM maintains a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev and on associated hardware and applications.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said JQM comprises an execution journal that persists across IDev power cycles.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said NM may receive signals from remote applications indicating the occurrence of events at those remote applications.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said WSM further performs data validation using a web service definition language (WSDL) definition document for the SOAP interface.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said WSM further assures that a request comes from an authorized source with sufficient rights to make said request.

8. A method for imaging device (IDev) event notification using a core web service framework (CWSF), said method comprising:

a) receiving a subscription request via a Web Service Module (WSM);

b) parsing said subscription request using a markup language library comprising a utility code library;

c) sending said parsed subscription request to a subscriber manager (SM), which receives subscription requests from remote applications via said Web Service Module (WSM) and wherein said SM communicates with a notification module (NM);

d) determining whether a requester of said notification request is eligible to receive a notification, said determining being performed by a job queue manager (JQM), which manages IDev system jobs through the use of job objects related to user processes and wherein said JQM manages an access control list (ACL), which allows said JQM to restrict job notification access to entities listed on said ACL;

e) recording a subscription using said SM when said subscription requester is eligible for said subscription;

f) monitoring said IDev with a status monitoring module (SMM), which monitors changes in device and job states;

g) receiving an event notification, at said NM, from a component in said IDev;

h) creating an event data message with said NM in response to receipt of said event notification;

i) sending said event data message to said requester; and

j) receiving an event notification at said WSM from said SM;

k) creating local notification menu content, formatted as a markup language message with said WSM;

l) sending said local notification menu content to a UI processor;

m) creating IDev front panel menu content, at said UI processor, in response to receiving said local notification menu content, wherein said IDev front panel menu content is formatted as a front panel markup language message;

n) sending said front panel menu content from said UI processor to an IDev front panel user interface; and

o) displaying said front panel menu content at said front panel user interface; and

p) grouping together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions by a system abstraction layer (SAL).

9. A method as described in claim 8 wherein a notification is passed to said CWSF via said SMM by means of a callback call.

10. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said JQM maintains a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev and on associated hardware and applications.

11. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said JQM comprises an execution journal that persists across IDev power cycles.

12. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said NM receives signals from remote applications indicating the occurrence of events at those remote applications and create an event data message in response to said signals.

13. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said WSM further performs data validation using a web service definition language (WSDL) definition document for the SOAP interface.

14. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said WSM further assures that a request comes from an authorized source with sufficient rights to make said request.