QUEUE PROCESSOR FOR DOCUMENT SERVERS

• US 20140344393A1
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open TEXT SA (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Rebert, Treber, Isabelle, Jonathan, Webster, Jason K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,594,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• 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 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling

Abstract

A configurable queue processor for document servers is described. The configurable queue processor strives to allocate server resources in an optimal manner such that document servers can process documents efficiently. In various embodiments, the facility includes a configurable queue processor for allocating document flows for handling documents, document transport module for transporting documents between network devices, such as printers, fax boards, and content servers and across local and wide-area networks; functionality for routing optimization with other communications networks, such as messaging services, telephony, and IP networks; and flexible document transport capabilities to workflow applications and multifunction devices (such as all-in-one print/scan/copy/fax/telephone/answering machine devices) and multifunction devices enhanced with video and video capture, messaging, email, network router and gateway capabilities.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of document transport modules, the plurality of document transport modules operating independently of each other in a distributed manner across a network environment, wherein each document transport module of the plurality of document transport modules transports content and related metadata across the network environment based on a document type or a transport type; and

a document server having;

a document queue embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a configurable queue processor for allocating or deallocating document flows in the document server, the document flows configured for managing processing of one or more documents or document types; and

a server module for associating an allocated document flow with one or more document transport modules of the plurality of document transport modules, wherein the allocated document flow retrieves a document from the document queue and provides the retrieved document to an associated document transport module for processing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the document in the document queue was assigned for processing to the allocated document flow based on the document'"'"'s properties.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the document in the document queue has a set of metadata or properties and wherein the allocated document flow retrieves the document from the document queue based on an indication of the set of metadata or properties.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the indication of the set of metadata or properties is included in a configuration of the allocated document flow.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein documents in the document queue have a first set of metadata or properties and wherein the configurable queue processor is operable to dynamically reconfigure a document flow to handle documents having a second set of metadata or properties.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable queue processor is operable to change a number of the document flows in the document server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable queue processor is operable to evaluate resources associated with the document server.

8. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform:

allocating or deallocating document flows in a document server based on the document server'"'"'s resource utilization, the document flows configured for managing processing of one or more documents or document types; and

associating an allocated document flow with one or more document transport modules of a plurality of document transport modules, the one or more document transport modules operating independently of each other in a distributed manner across a network environment;

wherein each document transport module of the plurality of document transport modules transports content and related metadata across the network environment based on a document type or a transport type; and

wherein the allocated document flow retrieves a document from a document queue and provides the retrieved document to an associated document transport module for processing.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the document in the document queue was assigned for processing to the allocated document flow based on the document'"'"'s properties.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the document in the document queue has a set of metadata or properties and wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to retrieve the document from the document queue based on an indication of the set of metadata or properties.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the indication of the set of metadata or properties is included in a configuration of the allocated document flow.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein documents in the document queue have a first set of metadata or properties and wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to dynamically reconfigure a document flow to handle documents having a second set of metadata or properties.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to change a number of the document flows in the document server.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to evaluate resources associated with the document server.

15. A method, comprising:

at a document server having a configurable queue processor and a server module, allocating or deallocating document flows in the document server by the configurable queue processor of the document server based on the document server'"'"'s resource utilization, the document flows configured for managing processing of one or more documents or document types; and

associating, by the server module of the document server, an allocated document flow with one or more document transport modules of a plurality of document transport modules, the one or more document transport modules operating independently of each other in a distributed manner across a network environment;

wherein each document transport module of the plurality of document transport modules transports content and related metadata across the network environment based on a document type or a transport type; and

wherein the allocated document flow retrieves a document from a document queue and provides the retrieved document to an associated document transport module for processing.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the document in the document queue was assigned for processing to the allocated document flow based on the document'"'"'s properties.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the document in the document queue has a set of metadata or properties and wherein the allocated document flow retrieves the document from the document queue based on an indication of the set of metadata or properties.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the indication of the set of metadata or properties is included in a configuration of the allocated document flow.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein documents in the document queue have a first set of metadata or properties and wherein the configurable queue processor is operable to dynamically reconfigure a document flow to handle documents having a second set of metadata or properties.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the configurable queue processor is operable to change a number of the document flows in the document server.