Methods and systems for imaging device event notification subscription

• US 8,065,384 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• 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: Plewnia, Boguslaw Ludwik, Sojian, Lena, Lum, Joey P., Nguyen, Uoc H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hwang, Joon H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE IV, THOMAS E
• Application Number:
  US11/241,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709217-219, 340 11- 161
• 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 a subscription application executable on a remote computing device, wherein the subscription application may generate and send a subscription request. Some aspects may limit notification subscription to authorized credential holders. Some aspects relate to event notification message formats and destinations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for subscribing to an imaging device (IDev) event notification subscription service, said apparatus comprising:

a subscription request generator (SRG) on a remote computing device (RCD) comprising a processor in electronic communication with a memory containing instructions for generating a subscription request formatted to be received by a web service module (WSM) on said IDev, wherein said subscription request instructs said WSM to translate said subscription request and send messages to various components on said IDev instructing said various components to provide said event notification subscription service;

wherein said subscription request is formatted in a markup language format compatible with a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface in said WSM, wherein said subscription request controls IDev hardware when translated to IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to elements within said IDev and wherein said subscription request instructs said WSM to translate and forward a portion of said subscription request to a subscription manager (SM) and wherein said subscription request comprises code notifying said WSM of said subscription request coming from an authorized source with sufficient rights to make said subscription request;

wherein said subscription request comprises, when translated by said WSM, hardware interface (HWIF) instructions for a HWIF communicating with multiple IDev hardware devices on said IDev, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions for a plurality of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs), controlled by said HWIF, to convert web service commands, in said translated subscription request, to hardware-device-specific commands meeting an interface standard, and wherein said HWIF instructions direct said HWIF to act as a source for an event notification by detecting events occurring on said IDev hardware;

wherein a first message in said subscription request, when translated by said WSM, directs said WSM to send said first message to a system architecture layer (SAL) logically located between said HWIF and said WSM, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to translate high-level application requests in said message received from said WSM, into job-type-specific requests at an HWIF level, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to group together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions and wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to act as a source for an event notification by registering a plurality of notification callbacks with said HWIF in response to receiving said first message;

wherein said subscription request comprises a job ID and a job message with instructions for 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 subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to create job objects, destroy job objects, manage job settings and keep track of security data associated with a job'"'"'s user, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to maintain 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 subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to maintain, for said job object database, an execution journal persisting across device power cycles, wherein said job message directs said JQM to verify whether a job identified in said job ID is currently running on said IDev or said associated hardware or said associated applications;

wherein said subscription request comprises a second message for a status monitoring module (SMM) monitoring changes in device and job states wherein said second message instructs said SMM to act as a source for an event notification;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions for said SM, via said WSM, to enter a sender of said subscription request in a subscriber database in which comprising subscriber data for event subscriptions;

wherein said subscription request comprises data for a notification module (NM) for receiving signals indicating internal IDev events and notifications of events occurring on IDev hardware devices, core web service framework (CWSF) modules and remote applications, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said NM to communicate with said SM to determine which subscribers are to receive notifications and to determine specific notification delivery methods defined in said subscription request;

wherein said subscription request comprises a subscriber address, an event identification and a subscriber credential and said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SM to create a subscription corresponding to said subscription request when said subscriber credential is authenticated;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SM to maintain an access control list (ACL) with subscriptions identifying said subscriber address and corresponding events identified in said event identification for subscribers whose subscriber credential is successfully validated; and

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions for a user interface (UI) processor logically located between said WSM and an IDev UI panel, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said UI processor to receive UI content from said WSM and relay said UI content to said IDev UI panel, wherein said UI content is derived from said subscription request, and wherein said subscription request instructions instruct said UI processor to receive user input from said IDev UI panel and relay said user input to said WSM whereupon said WSM formats and sends said user input to said sender of said subscription request.

2. A method for subscribing to an imaging device (IDev) event notification subscription service, said method comprising:

generating a subscription request formatted to be received by a web service module (WSM) on said IDev, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said WSM to translate said subscription request and send messages to various components on said IDev enabling said various components to provide said event notification subscription service;

wherein said subscription request is formatted in a markup language format compatible with a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface in said WSM, wherein said subscription request controls IDev hardware when translated to IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to elements within said IDev and wherein said subscription request instructs said WSM to translate and forward a portion of said subscription request to a subscription manager (SM) and wherein said subscription request comprises code notifying said WSM of said subscription request coming from an authorized source with sufficient rights to make said subscription request;

wherein said subscription request comprises, when translated by said WSM, hardware interface (HWIF) instructions for a HWIF communicating with multiple IDev hardware devices on said IDev, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing a plurality of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs), controlled by said HWIF, to convert web service commands, in said translated subscription request, to hardware-device-specific commands meeting an interface standard, and wherein said HWIF instructions direct said HWIF to act as a source for an event notification by detecting events occurring on said IDev hardware;

wherein a first message in said subscription request, when translated by said WSM, directs said WSM to send said first message to a system architecture layer (SAL) logically located between said HWIF and said WSM; and

, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to translate high-level application requests in said message received from said WSM, into job-type-specific requests at an HWIF level, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to group together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions and wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to act as a source for an event notification by registering a plurality of notification callbacks with said HWIF in response to receiving said first message;

wherein said subscription request comprises a job ID and a job message with instructions for 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 subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to create job objects, destroy job objects, manage job settings and keep track of security data associated with a job'"'"'s user, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to maintain 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 subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to maintain, for said job object database, an execution journal persisting across device power cycles, wherein said job message directs said JQM to verify whether a job identified in said job ID is currently running on said IDev or said associated hardware or said associated applications;

wherein said subscription request comprises a second message for a status monitoring module (SMM) monitoring changes in device and job states wherein said second message instructs said SMM to act as a source for an event notification;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions for said SM, via said WSM, to enter a sender of said subscription request in a subscriber database comprising subscriber data for event subscriptions;

wherein said subscription request comprises data for a notification module (NM) for receiving signals indicating internal IDev events and notifications of events occurring on IDev hardware devices, core web service framework (CWSF) modules and remote applications, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said NM to communicate with said SM to determine which subscribers are to receive notifications and to determine specific notification delivery methods defined in said subscription request;

wherein said subscription request comprises a subscriber address, an event identification and a subscriber credential and said subscription request comprises instructions instructing SM to create a subscription corresponding to said subscription request when said subscriber credential is authenticated;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SM to maintain an access control list (ACL) with subscriptions identifying said subscriber address and corresponding events identified in said event identification for subscribers whose subscriber credential is successfully validated; and

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions for a user interface (UI) processor logically located between said WSM and an IDev UI panel, wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said UI processor to receive UI content from said WSM and relay said UI content to said IDev UI panel, wherein said UI content is derived from said subscription request, and wherein said subscription request instructions instruct said UI processor to receives user input from said IDev UI panel and relay said user input to said WSM whereupon said WSM will formats and sends said user input to said sender of said subscription request.