Content based messaging for e-learning including the extension of a remote procedure call

• US 7,146,616 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Dorner, Elmar, Grossmann, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, QING YUAN
• Application Number:
  US10/232,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 719/330, 719/318
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A content based messaging-remote procedure call (CBM-RPC) protocol is provided as an extension of a CBM system that allows an application to directly access a remote procedure and, for example, obtain data returned by the procedure (e.g., stored in an associated database or storage device). An application may specify a procedure name (e.g., a unique identification (ID), such as a uniform resource identification (URI)) and parameters (e.g., a list of name/value-pairs) in a request (or a CBM-RPC), which is published to a CBM network. One or more, procedures or functions may subscribe to the request and generate responses (e.g., the requested information or a fault if the request is not valid) that are published to the CBM network.

Claims

1. A content based messaging (CBM) system including the extension of a remote procedure call (RPC) comprising:

a producer application to publish information corresponding to an event;

a subscriber application, wherein;

the subscriber application subscribes to the published information, and

the subscriber application is configured to publish a CBM-RPC request to directly access a remote procedure and obtain data generated by the remote procedure;

a CBM network to receive the CBM-RPC request and to transmit a request notification to the remote procedure; and

a distribution device located on the CBM network to receive the published information from the producer application and deliver the published information to the subscriber application,

wherein;

the remote procedure is configured to receive the request notification, process the request notification, and publish a return value to the CBM network,

the CBM network is configured to receive the return value, determine the subscriber application subscribing to the return value, and publish the return value to the subscriber application, and

the CBM-RPC request includes a request identifier to distinguish the CBM-RPC request from other CBM-RPC requests published by the subscriber application and to match the CBM-RPC request to its corresponding return value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the CBM network determines the remote procedure based on a subscription to the CBM network from the remote procedure.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the CBM network determines the remote procedure based on a subscription to the CBM network from the remote procedure and the request identifier.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the request identifier includes a namespace to distinguish between procedures that have the same name.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the request identifier includes a service class used to group one or more procedures into a logical family of one or more procedures.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the request identifier includes a procedure name.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the request identifier includes an identifier of the application, a namespace, and a service class.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the CBM-RPC request includes a procedure identification and parameters.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the parameters are name and value pairs.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the return value includes information requested by the subscriber application.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the return value includes a fault if the CBM-RPC request is not valid.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the request identifier includes a namespace to distinguish between procedures that have the same name.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the request identifier includes a service class used to group one or more procedures into a logical family of one or more procedures.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the request identifier includes a procedure name.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the request identifier includes an identifier of the application, a namespace, and a service class.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a database wherein the remote procedure is configured to access the database and to include information in the return value based on the accessed data.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the remote procedure is a state access function to access learner information stored in the database.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the request identifier include an identification number to distinguish the CBM-RPC request from other CBM-RPC requests published by the subscriber application and to match the CBM-RPC request to its corresponding return value.

19. A method for generating a content based messaging (CBM)-remote procedure call (RPC) comprising:

receiving, at a CBM network, published information from a producer application;

delivering the published information, via a distribution device located at the CBM network, to a subscriber application that subscribes to the published information, the subscriber application being configured to directly access a remote procedure and obtain data generated by the remote procedure;

receiving, at the CBM network, a CBM-RPC request from the subscriber application;

transmitting, at the CBM network, a request notification to the remote procedure;

receiving, at the CBM network, a return value from the remote procedure, which subscribes to the request notification;

determining, at the CBM network, the subscriber application requesting the return value; and

publishing the return value to the subscriber application,

wherein;

receiving the CBM-RPC request includes receiving a request identifier to distinguish the CBM-RPC request from other CBM-RPC requests published by the subscriber application and to match the CBM-RPC request to its corresponding return value.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining the remote procedure based on a subscription to the CBM network from the remote procedure.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining the remote procedure based on a subscription to the CBM network from the remote procedure and the request identifier.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein determining the remote procedure includes determining a namespace of the request identifier to distinguish between procedures that have the same name.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein determining the remote procedure includes determining a service class of the request identifier used to group one or more procedures into a logical family of one or more procedures.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein determining the remote procedure includes determining a procedure name of the request identifier.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein determining the remote procedure includes determining an identifier of the application, a namespace, and a service class.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the CBM-RPC request includes receiving a procedure identification and parameters.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the parameters include name and value pairs.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the return value includes receiving information requested by the subscriber application.

29. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the return value includes receiving a fault if the CBM-RPC request is not valid.

30. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the request identifier includes receiving a namespace to distinguish between procedures that have the same name.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the request identifier includes receiving a service class used to group one or more procedures into a logical family of one or more procedures.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the request identifier includes receiving a procedure name.

33. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the request identifier includes receiving an identifier of the application, a namespace, and a service class.

34. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the return value includes receiving information based on data accessed from a remote database wherein the remote procedure is configured to access the remote database.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving the return value from the remote procedure includes receiving the return value from a state access function that accesses learner information stored in the remote database.

36. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the request identifier includes receiving an identification number that distinguishes the CBM-RPC request from other CBM-RPC requests published by the subscriber application application and matches the CBM-RPC request to its corresponding return value.