Methods and systems for imaging device notification access control

• US 8,032,608 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): Hwang; Joon H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/241,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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 15/5091 for user-identification or authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• 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: 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 may limit notification subscription to authorized credential holders. Some aspects relate to conditional event notification based on the occurrence of a specific event identified in the notification request.

Claims

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

a) a hardware interface (HWIF), implemented with a processor and a memory, for communicating with multiple IDev hardware devices on said IDev, wherein said HWIF comprises a plurality of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs) for converting from web service commands to hardware-device-specific commands meeting an interface standard, and for acting as a source for an event notification by detecting events occurring on said IDev hardware;

b) a system architecture layer (SAL) logically located between said HWIF and a web service module (WSM), wherein said SAL translates high-level application requests, received from said WSM, into job-type-specific requests at an HWIF level, wherein said SAL groups together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions and wherein said SAL acts as a source for an event notification by registering a plurality of notification callbacks with said HWIF;

c) a job queue manager (JQM) for managing a plurality of concurrent IDev system jobs employing differing IDev hardware devices through the use of job objects related to user processes, wherein said job objects comprise a job identifier (job ID) identifying job settings, job results and an access control list (ACL) entry, wherein said JQM creates job objects, destroys job objects, manages job settings and keeps track of security data associated with a job'"'"'s user, wherein said JQM maintains a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev and jobs currently being executed on associated hardware or associated applications and wherein said job object database comprises an execution journal persisting across device power cycles;

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

e) a subscriber manager (SM) for receiving subscription requests from remote applications, via said WSM, wherein said SM maintains a subscriber database comprising subscriber data for event subscriptions;

f) a notification module (NM) for receiving signals indicating internal IDev events and notifications of events occurring on IDev hardware devices, CWSF modules and remote applications, wherein said NM communicates with said SM to determine whether subscribers are to receive notifications and to determine specific notification delivery methods defined in a subscription request;

g) a web service module (WSM) for providing a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface with remote applications, wherein said remote applications may control IDev hardware by sending a SOAP request to be translated to IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to elements within said IDev and wherein said WSM receives a subscription request from a remote application as a SOAP request and translates and forwards said subscription request to said SM and wherein said WSM further assures said request comes from an authorized source with sufficient rights to make said subscription request;

h) wherein said subscription request comprises a subscriber address and an event identification and said SM creates a subscription corresponding to said subscription request;

i) wherein said SM maintains an access control list (ACL) with subscriptions identifying said subscriber address and corresponding events identified in said event identification;

j) wherein said NM sends an event notification to said subscriber address when an event described in said event identification occurs if said subscriber address and said event are listed in said ACL; and

k) a user interface (UI) processor logically located between said WSM and an IDev UI panel, wherein said UI processor receives UI content from said WSM and relays said UI content to said IDev UI panel and wherein said UI processor receives user input from said IDev UI panel and relays said user input to said WSM and wherein said WSM receives IDev display content from a remote application and directs said IDev display content to said UI processor and said WSM receives said user input from said UI processor and directs said user input to said remote application.

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

a) communicating, via a hardware interface (HWIF) with multiple IDev hardware devices on said IDev, wherein said HWIF comprises a plurality of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs) for converting from web service commands to hardware-device-specific commands meeting an interface standard, and for acting as a source for an event notification by detecting events occurring on said IDev hardware;

b) translating high-level application requests using a system architecture layer (SAL) logically located between said HWIF and a web service module (WSM), wherein said SAL translates said high-level application requests, received from said WSM, into job-type-specific requests at an HWIF level, wherein said SAL groups together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions and wherein said SAL acts as a source for an event notification by registering a plurality of notification callbacks with said HWIF;

c) managing a plurality of concurrent IDev system jobs using a job queue manager (JQM), wherein said IDev system jobs employ differing IDev hardware devices, said managing being performed through the use of job objects related to user processes, wherein said job objects comprise a job identifier (job ID) identifying job settings, job results and an access control list (ACL) entry, wherein said JQM creates job objects, destroys job objects, manages job settings and keeps track of security data associated with a job'"'"'s user;

d) maintaining, with said JQM, a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev and jobs currently being executed on associated hardware or associated applications and wherein said job object database comprises an execution journal persisting across device power cycles;

e) monitoring changes in device and job states with a status monitoring module (SMM), wherein said SMM also acts as a source for an event notification;

receiving subscription requests from remote applications, via said WSM, using a subscriber manager (SM);

g) maintaining a subscriber database, with said SM, said subscriber database comprising subscriber data for event subscriptions;

h) receiving signals, via a notification module (NM), said signals indicating internal IDev events and notifications of events occurring on IDev hardware devices, CWSF modules and remote applications;

i) communicating between said NM and said SM, wherein said communication determines whether subscribers are to receive notifications and determines specific notification delivery methods defined in a subscription request;

j) providing a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface to remote applications using a web service module (WSM),

k) receiving a subscription request, at said WSM, from a remote application as a SOAP request;

l) translating said subscription request with said WSM;

m) forwarding said subscription request from said WSM to said SM when said subscription request is translated, wherein said subscription request comprises a subscriber address and an event identification;

n) creating, with said SM, a subscription corresponding to said subscription request;

o) maintaining an access control list (ACL) with said SM, wherein said subscriptions identify said subscriber address and corresponding events identified in said event identification;

p) sending an event notification to said subscriber address, using said NM, when an event described in said event identification occurs and if said subscriber address and said event are listed in said ACL; and

q) receiving UI content from said WSM at a user interface (UI) processor logically located between said WSM and an IDev UI panel;

r) relaying said UI content to said IDev UI panel;

s) receiving user input from said IDev UI panel, at said UI processor, in response to said relaying;

t) forwarding said user input from said UI processor to said WSM;

u) receiving IDev display content, at said WSM, from a remote application;

v) directing said IDev display content to said UI processor;

w) receiving, at said WSM, said user input from said UI processor; and

x) directing said user input from said WSM to said remote application.