Methods and systems for obtaining imaging device event notification subscription

• US 8,051,125 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• 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: Lum, Joey P., Nguyen, Uoc H., Plewnia, Boguslaw Ludwik, Sojian, Lena
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin; Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Chau
• Application Number:
  US11/240,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.13, 709/201, 709/224, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• 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: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1234 Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting G06F3/1261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• 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 selective imaging device event notification based on user credentials and/or job execution timing. Some aspects may limit notification subscription to authorized credential holders. Some aspects relate to event notification message formats and destinations.

Claims

1. A method for imaging device (IDev) event notification subscription via a core web service framework (CWSF), said method comprising:

sending a subscription request, in the form of a of a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request, to a web service module (WSM), on said IDev, wherein said WSM provides a SOAP interface for remote applications and wherein said subscription request is configured to instruct said WSM to allow said remote application to control IDev hardware and wherein said subscription request can be translated to an IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to components within said IDev;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said WSM to translate said subscription request and forward said translated subscription request to a job queue manager (JQM), wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to manage multiple, concurrent IDev system jobs through the use of job objects related to user processes, wherein each job is represented by a job identifier (job ID) associated with job settings and wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to manage an access control list (ACL) comprising detailed information about access to job information by notification subscribers, wherein said ACL allows said JQM to restrict job notification access to entities listed on said ACL, wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to perform job object creation, performs job object destruction, manages job settings and tracks security data associated with a job'"'"'s user and wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said JQM to maintain a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev or associated hardware or applications;

wherein said subscription request causes said IDev to record a subscription;

wherein said subscription request comprises instructions instructing said WSM to forward said translated subscription request to an IDev system architecture layer (SAL), wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to translate high-level application requests into job-type-specific requests at a hardware interface (HWIF) level, wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to group together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions and to provide a logical connection with said HWIF, and wherein said subscription request causes said SAL to monitor events described in said subscription request for notification purposes;

wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said SAL to send a subscription message from said SAL to said HWIF, said HWIF comprising a set of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs) that receive translated requests from said SAL, said SAL has interpreted said requests from input received from said WSM, wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said HWIF to provide communication with and control of multiple IDev hardware devices, and wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said HWIF to provide device-specific operation of IDev hardware devices by converting translated SAL requests that do not comprise hardware-specific commands into hardware-specific commands that comprise hardware architecture details, wherein said translated subscription request comprises instructions instructing said HWIF to act as a source for an event notification;

wherein said subscription request further causes said WSM to send local notification message content from said WSM to a user interface (UI) processor when an event described in said subscription request occurs, wherein said local notification message content is formatted as a markup language message;

wherein said subscription request further causes formatting of said local notification message content at said UI processor to create front panel display notification message content, wherein said front panel display notification message content is formatted as a markup language message;

wherein said subscription request further causes sending said front panel display notification message to an IDev front panel;

wherein said subscription request further causes displaying said front panel display notification message at said IDev front panel; and

receiving a notification message from said IDev when a status monitoring module (SMM) on said IDev, said SMM monitors changes in device and job states detects a condition identified in said subscription request.

2. An apparatus for imaging device (IDev) event notification subscription via a core web service framework (CWSF), said apparatus comprising:

a remote computing device (RCD) comprising a processor, a memory and a communication link to said IDev, said RCD also comprising a remote application;

wherein said remote application comprises a subscription request generator for generating a subscription request, said subscription request comprising a subscribing application address (SAA) and a subscription event identification (SEID);

wherein said subscription request instructs a hardware interface (HWIF) to monitor for events described in said subscription request for notification purposes, wherein said HWIF is implemented with a processor and a memory, said HWIF comprises a set of device-independent application programming interfaces (APIs) that receive translated requests from a system architecture layer (SAL), said SAL has interpreted said requests from input received from a web service module (WSM), wherein said HWIF provides communication with and control of multiple IDev hardware devices, and wherein said HWIF provides device-specific operation of IDev hardware devices by converting translated SAL requests that do not comprise hardware-specific commands into hardware-specific commands that comprise hardware architecture details;

wherein said subscription request instructs said SAL to provide a logical connection with said HWIF module by translating high-level application requests, received via said WSM, into job-type-specific requests at a HWIF level, wherein said SAL groups together a sequence of atomic operations into high-level functions, wherein said SAL acts as a source for an event notification and wherein said SAL has registered a set of notification callbacks with said HWIF module;

wherein said subscription request instructs a job queue manager (JQM) to manage multiple, concurrent IDev system jobs through the use of job objects related to user processes, wherein each job is represented by a job identifier (job ID) associated with job settings and wherein said JQM manages an access control list (ACL) comprising detailed information about access to job information by notification subscribers, wherein said ACL allows said JQM to restrict job notification access to entities listed on said ACL, wherein said JQM performs job object creation, performs job object destruction, manages job settings and tracks security data associated with a job'"'"'s user, wherein said JQM maintains a job object database of jobs currently being executed on said IDev or associated hardware or applications and said subscription request instructs said JQM to monitor for events described in said subscription request for notification purposes;

wherein said subscription request instructs a status monitoring module (SMM) to monitor for events described in said subscription request for notification purposes, wherein said SMM monitors changes in device and job states;

wherein said subscription request instructs said IDev to send a notification message to said remote application when at least one of the following occurs;

i) said HWIF indicates that an event described in said subscription request has occurred;

ii) said SAL indicates that an event described in said subscription request has occurred;

iii) said JQM indicates that an event described in said subscription request has occurred;

iv) said SMM indicates that an event described in said subscription request has occurred;

wherein said subscription request is formatted to be received by a subscriber manager (SM) communicating through the WSM, said WSM provides a simple object access protocol (SOAP) interface with said remote application;

wherein said remote application also comprises an IDev Command Generator for generating an IDev Command message in the form of a SOAP request that is translated to an IDev device language by said WSM and forwarded to elements within said IDev;

sending local notification message content from said WSM to a user interface (UI) processor when said at least one of the following occurs, wherein said local notification message content is formatted as a markup language message;

formatting said local notification message content at said UI processor to create front panel display notification message content, wherein said front panel display notification message content is formatted as a markup language message;

sending said front panel display notification message to an IDev front panel; and

displaying said front panel display notification message at said IDev front panel.