Application task request and fulfillment processing

• US 8,601,476 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Oyarzabal, Randy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/952,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 718/100
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5013 Request control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Techniques for fulfilling requests and providing results to a requesting entity. Embodiments may poll a flag to determine when a fulfillment request from a requesting entity is pending. Upon detecting the fulfillment request is pending, embodiments may retrieve the request and perform one or more actions associated with the request to produce a fulfillment result. Embodiments may then store the fulfillment result in a storage location and transmit a notification to the requesting entity to indicate the fulfillment request has been fulfilled.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for fulfilling requests, comprising:

polling a flag in a predetermined location to determine whether a fulfillment request is pending to be processed;

upon detecting the fulfillment request is pending, retrieving the fulfillment request, wherein the fulfillment request is generated by a requesting entity having a first set of security credentials;

performing one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, by operation of one or more computer processors, wherein the fulfillment actions are performed using a second set of security credentials, and wherein the first set of security credentials are insufficient to perform the fulfillment actions; and

upon successfully performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request, transmitting a notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has been fulfilled.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the requesting entity is a software application, and further comprising:

retrieving an application pointer specifying information about the requesting entity, wherein the application pointer specifies at least the predetermined location for polling and the first storage location for storing the fulfillment results.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the application pointer includes at least one of (i) a geographic location for the requesting entity, (ii) a name for the requesting entity, (iii) a network address for the requesting entity, and (iv) a type of the requesting entity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the fulfillment actions comprise at least one of (i) generating a report, (ii) generating a document, (iii) generating a billing statement, and (iv) issuing a query against a data store.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, further comprises:

invoking one or more embedded processes, wherein each of the one or more embedded processes is configured to perform at least one fulfillment action associated with the fulfillment request.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the fulfillment results in a first storage location, wherein the first storage location is accessible by the requesting entity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request has failed, transmitting a second notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has not been fulfilled, wherein the second notification includes an explanation of the failure.

8. A computer program product for fulfilling requests, comprising:

a computer-readable memory having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code to poll a flag in a predetermined location to determine whether a fulfillment request is pending to be processed;

computer readable program code to, upon detecting the fulfillment request is pending, retrieve the fulfillment request, wherein the fulfillment request is generated by a requesting entity having a first set of security credentials;

computer readable program code to perform one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, wherein the fulfillment actions are performed using a second set of security credentials, and wherein the first set of security credentials are insufficient to perform the fulfillment actions; and

computer readable program code to, upon successfully performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request, transmit a notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has been fulfilled.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the requesting entity is a software application, and further comprising:

computer readable program code to retrieve an application pointer specifying information about the requesting entity, wherein the application pointer specifies at least the predetermined location for polling and the first storage location for storing the fulfillment results.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the application pointer includes at least one of (i) a geographic location for the requesting entity, (ii) a name for the requesting entity, (iii) a network address for the requesting entity, and (iv) a type of the requesting entity.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the fulfillment actions comprise at least one of (i) generating a report, (ii) generating a document, (iii) generating a billing statement, and (iv) issuing a query against a data store.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program code to perform one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, further comprises:

computer readable program code to invoke one or more embedded processes, wherein each of the one or more embedded processes is configured to perform at least one fulfillment action associated with the fulfillment request.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer readable program code to store the fulfillment results in a first storage location, wherein the first storage location is accessible by the requesting entity.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer readable program code to, upon determining that performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request has failed, transmit a second notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has not been fulfilled, wherein the second notification includes an explanation of the failure.

15. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for fulfilling requests, comprising;

polling a flag in a predetermined location to determine whether a fulfillment request is pending to be processed;

upon detecting the fulfillment request is pending, retrieving the fulfillment request, wherein the fulfillment request is generated by a requesting entity having a first set of security credentials;

performing one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, by operation of one or more computer processors, wherein the fulfillment actions are performed using a second set of security credentials, and wherein the first set of security credentials are insufficient to perform the fulfillment actions; and

upon successfully performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request, transmitting a notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has been fulfilled.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the requesting entity is a software application, and the operation further comprising:

retrieving an application pointer specifying information about the requesting entity, wherein the application pointer specifies at least the predetermined location for polling and the first storage location for storing the fulfillment results.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the application pointer includes at least one of (i) a geographic location for the requesting entity, (ii) a name for the requesting entity, (iii) a network address for the requesting entity, and (iv) a type of the requesting entity.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the fulfillment actions comprise at least one of (i) generating a report, (ii) generating a document, (iii) generating a billing statement, and (iv) issuing a query against a data store.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein performing one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request to produce fulfillment results, further comprises:

invoking one or more embedded processes, wherein each of the one or more embedded processes is configured to perform at least one fulfillment action associated with the fulfillment request.

20. The system of claim 15, the operation further comprising:

upon determining that performing the one or more fulfillment actions associated with the fulfillment request has failed, transmitting a second notification to the requesting entity indicating the fulfillment request has not been fulfilled, wherein the second notification includes an explanation of the failure.