Scripting web services

• US 10,574,790 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTC Inc.
• Original Assignee: PTC Inc.
• Inventors: Biron, III, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US15/649,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 717115, 717717
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A process performed on a server includes configuring the server to enable script for a Web service to be defined dynamically, where the Web service includes an application program interface (API) for enabling access by, and interaction with, a computer program executing on a device other than the server. The process also includes compiling the script to produce machine-executable code for the Web service, receiving a call from the computer program to the Web service, executing the machine-executable code in response to the call to produce an output, and sending the output to the device.

Claims

1. A computing system on a computer network, comprising:

memory storing instructions that are executable; and

one or more processing devices to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving scripts for Web services from clients of the computing system, each Web service comprising a custom Web service for each user at a respective client;

providing, to one of the clients, a session identifier token, the session identifier token indicating that a user at the one of the clients is authenticated for a Web service of the Web services, the session identifier token being time-limited;

receiving, from the one of the clients, a call to the Web service, the call to the Web service comprising the session identifier token; and

executing the Web service in response to the call, the Web service being restricted in operation based on privileges of the user, the Web service being configured to access at least some assets based on the privileges, and the Web service being configured to provide, to the one of the clients, the session identifier token and information about the at least some assets;

wherein the Web service comprises script to switch between different contexts of operation while the Web service is run, where the different contexts define different privileges available to the Web service.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise outputting data representing a Web page to the clients;

and

wherein the scripts are received from the clients via instances of the Web page.

3. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the Web page comprises a control for triggering compilation of the scripts;

and

wherein the operations comprise compiling a script for the Web service in response to data received following triggering of the control on an instance of the Web page.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the information about the at least some of the assets comprises monitored information relating to an operational status of the at least some assets.

5. The computing system of claim 1, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data representing one or more updated parameters for the asset.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data for upgrading software on the monitoring device.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data for upgrading software on the asset.

8. The computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database storing executable code for each of the Web services, the database storing executable code for different versions of at least some of the Web services, a version of the Web service being specified in the call.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the Web service is executed in a secure environment on the computing system, the secure environment restricting operations of the Web service.

10. The computing system of claim 1, wherein script for one or more of the Web services is received by a second Web service outputting a query for the script.

11. Non-transitory machine-readable storage storing instructions that are executable on one or more processing devices of a computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving scripts for Web services from clients of the computing system, each Web service comprising a custom Web service for each user at a respective client;

providing, to one of the clients, a session identifier token, the session identifier token indicating that a user at the one of the clients is authenticated for a Web service of the Web services, the session identifier token being time-limited;

receiving, from the one of the clients, a call to the Web service, the call to the Web service comprising the session identifier token; and

executing the Web service in response to the call, the Web service being restricted in operation based on privileges of the user, the Web service being configured to access at least some assets based on the privileges, and the Web service being configured to provide, to the one of the clients, the session identifier token and information about the at least some assets;

wherein the Web service comprises script to switch between different contexts of operation while the Web service is run, where the different contexts define different privileges available to the Web service.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise outputting data representing a Web page to the clients;

and

wherein the scripts are received from the clients via instances of the Web page.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 12, wherein the Web page comprises a control for triggering compilation of the scripts;

and

wherein the operations comprise compiling a script for the Web service in response to data received following triggering of the control on an instance of the Web page.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the information about the at least some of the assets comprises monitored information relating to an operational status of the at least some assets.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data representing one or more updated parameters for the asset.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data for upgrading software on the monitoring device.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein an asset among the at least some assets is associated with a monitoring device configured to perform monitoring and control functions;

and

wherein the operations comprise outputting, to the monitoring device, data for upgrading software on the asset.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise:

accessing a database storing executable code for each of the Web services, the database storing executable code for different versions of at least some of the Web services, a version of the Web service being specified in the call.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the Web service is executed in a secure environment on the computing system, the secure environment restricting operations of the Web service.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage of claim 11, wherein script for one or more of the Web services is received by a second Web service outputting a query for the script.

21. A method performed by a computing system, comprising:

receiving scripts for Web services from clients of the computing system, each Web service comprising a custom Web service for each user at a respective client;

providing, to one of the clients, a session identifier token, the session identifier token indicating that a user at the one of the clients is authenticated for a Web service of the Web services, the session identifier token being time-limited;

receiving, from the one of the clients, a call to the Web service, the call to the Web service comprising the session identifier token; and

executing the Web service in response to the call, the Web service being restricted in operation based on privileges of the user, the Web service being configured to access at least some assets based on the privileges, and the Web service being configured to provide, to the one of the clients, the session identifier token and information about the at least some assets;

wherein the Web service comprises script to switch between different contexts of operation while the Web service is run, where the different contexts define different privileges available to the Web service.