GB2365570A

GB2365570A - Accessing content from an embeded web server

Info

Publication number: GB2365570A
Application number: GB0100924A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matt Howell; Shell S Simpson; Mark E Hodges
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Co
Current assignee: HP Inc
Priority date: 2000-01-24
Filing date: 2001-01-12
Publication date: 2002-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-12
Also published as: GB2365570B; GB0100924D0

Abstract

Web content of an embedded web server 8 in a peripheral device 2, 34 is exposed as a file system 12 of the device 2, 34. The file system 12 is then communicated to a computer 4, 28 either by exporting the file system 12 to a network where it is retrieved by the computer 4, 28, or by the peripheral device 2 returning the file system 12 to a computer 4, 38 in response to a request by the computer 4, 38. The computer exposes the file system 12 to its own operating system as a volume 24 accessible by a file system 20 of the computer's operating system. The computer 4, 38 may share the volume 24 to other computers 28 on a network. The volume 24 is accessible by either a web or file browser 26.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> ACCESSING CONTENT FROM AN EMBEDDED WEB SERVER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to embedded web servers and, more particularly, to accessing the contents of an embedded web server as a filesystem.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Complex peripheral devices require solutions for supporting the devices. Solutions for these devices typically take the form of either firmware embedded in the device or software components external to the device. These external components need to understand specific internal workings of the device(s) they support. PML, SNMP, and NFS are examples of device-specific implementations that are used to create such software components. Historically, this approach has been problematic because the internal workings of related devices differ from device to device.

It is difficult for developers to create solutions that work for more than one device because the device internals are different. It is also difficult to support and distribute solutions based on device-specific components.

Additionally, users of the devices often do not understand that they need different components or solutions to do the same thing to different devices. Even if a user does understand that different components or solutions may be required, it is often difficult for users to ensure they have the appropriate versions of the components for solutions.

For these reasons, it is beneficial for developers and users to embed solutions into devices - i.e., enable devices to "support themselves." A web server is an excellent standard way to implement this functionality.

A web server can provide device status as well as functionality to manage a device. A device (printer, scanner, all-in-one, etc) can be made to provide status and management for itself by embedding a web server within the device. Remote administration, remote configuration, consumables

management, and consumables reordering are other device solutions that are also well enabled by an embedded web server. The benefit of using an embedded web server to implement these solutions is that since the web server is embedded, the solutions are intimately tied to the device within which they reside.

Web content is typically accessed using HTTP, which is an encoding protocol that runs on the TCP/iP network protocol; thus, accessing web content in this manner requires that a user have a TCP/IP connection to their device. However, many users do not have a TCP/IP connection to their device.

Prior solutions to this problem require that TCP/IP networking be installed on users' computers, that devices with embedded web content support TCP/IP networking and HTTP, and that at least a part of the network is able to pass TCP/IP network traffic. The disadvantage to these solutions is the requirement for TCP/IP networking; TCP/IP networking is difficult to configure on computers, TCP/IP networking may require different network infrastructure hardware, and TCP/IP networking consumes network bandwidth and computer disk space and memory. Many users' computing systems do not currently include TCP/IP networking and some users consider the additional requirements to deploy TCP/IP networking an unacceptable burden.

Further, many users have a direct connection to their device. One way to access a device's embedded web server content over a direct connection would be to create a TCP/IP connection to the device by layering TCP/IP on top of a PPP connection. The disadvantages of this solution are the extra computer and device resources, software components, and configuration required. Both the user's computer and the device would need to have PPP and TCP/IP network software components installed and configured. Some users and system administrators consider these requirements to access their direct connected device an unacceptable burden. Also, some device manufacturers consider the additional device requirements (e.g., RAM, ROM) an unacceptable burden.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to principles of the present invention, Web content of an embedded web server in a peripheral device is exposed as a filesystem of the peripheral device. The filesystem is then communicated to a computer either by exporting the filesystem to a network where it is retrieved by the computer or by the peripheral device returning the filesystem to a computer in response to a request by the computer. The computer exposes the filesystem to its own operating system as a volume accessible by a filesystem of the computer's operating system. The volume is accessible by either a web browser or a file browser.

According to further principles of the present invention, the volume may be shared through network file sharing. Other computers are able to access the web content by viewing the shared volume.

Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating several embodiments of the system of the present invention.

Figure 2 is flow chart illustrating the method of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates the system of the present invention in combination with a typical network configuration. The depicted network configuration illustrates various embodiments of the present invention and does not limit the scope of the present invention.

A peripheral device 2 communicates with a host computer 4 over a direct connection 6. Peripheral device 2 is any type of device that acts as a peripheral to a host computer. Examples of peripheral device 2 include printers, scanners, facsimile machines, and all-in-one type devices. Host computer 4 is any computer that may act as a host to a peripheral device 2.

Direct connection 6 is any means for communicating between a computer and a device that is not shared with other computers. Examples of direct connection 6 include parallel, serial, universal serial bus, and infrared connections.

Peripheral device 2 includes an embedded web server 8. Embedded web server 8 includes web server contents 10. Web server contents 10 are at least one web file stored in a filesystem 12.

Peripheral device 2 further includes an I/0 interface 14. i/0 interface 14 is any communication interface appropriate for allowing communication with computer 4 over direct connection 6.

Computer 4 also includes an I/0 interface 16. As in peripheral device 2, I/0 interface 16 is any communication interface appropriate for allowing communication with peripheral device 2 over direct connection 6.

Computer 4 additionally includes an operating system (not shown) having a filesystem 20 separate from filesystem 12 of peripheral device 2. Computer 4 also includes a means 22 for exposing filesystem 12 of peripheral device 2 to the operating system as a volume 24 accessible by the operating system's filesystem 20.

Most modern operating systems are able to read a filesystem 12 external to the operating system and include the external filesystem 12 as a volume 24 of the operating system's filesystem 20. Typically, the external filesystem 12 is included by mapping, mounting, or assigning the filesystem 12 to a logical volume 24 of the operating system's filesystem 20.

Conventional operating systems are not, however, able to recognize a filesystem 12 communicated over a direct connection 6. Therefore, means 22 is necessary for exposing filesystem 12 of peripheral device 2 to the operating system as a volume 24 accessible by the operating system's filesystem 20. Means 22 is any executable code for exposing filesystem 12 to the operating system of computer 4. Means 22 may be incorporated into the operating system of computer 4.

In one embodiment, host computer 4 additionally includes at least one browser 26 for accessing volume 24. Browser 26 may be a web browser, a file browser, or any means for viewing files in volume 24.

In an alternate embodiment, host 4 does not require browser 26. Instead browser 26 is located on a client computer 28. In order for browser 26 on client computer 28 to access volume 24, host computer 4 and client computer 28 each include a network interface 30 for communicating over a network link 32. Network interface is any interface for allowing a computer 4, 28 to communicate over a network 32.

Host computer 4 also includes a means for sharing the filesystem volume 24 through network file sharing. Additionally a means for communicating the shared filesystem volume 24 over network 32 is necessary. Typically, the means for sharing the filesystem volume 24 through network file sharing is incorporated in the operating system of host computer 4 and the means for communicating the shared filesystem volume 24 over network 32 is included in conventional networking software and hardware.

In a further alternate embodiment, embedded web server 8, web server content 10, and filesystem 12 reside on a network peripheral device 34. Network peripheral device 34 is similar to peripheral device 2 except that instead of I/0 interface 14, network peripheral device 34 includes network interface 36. Network interface 36 is any interface for allowing a network peripheral device 34 to communicate over a network 32. In this embodiment, means 22 for exposing filesystem 12 of peripheral device 2 to the operating system as a volume 24 accessible by the operating system's filesystem 20 is typically integral to the operating system of computer 4.

Referring to Figure 2, a method for practicing the present invention is illustrated. Although Figure 2 depicts steps of the method in a specific order, the present invention encompasses variations in the timing of the illustrated steps.

Web server content 10 is exposed 38 as filesystem 12. If the connection with host computer 4 is direct connection 6, host computer 4 must request 40

filesystem 12 from peripheral device 2. Filesystem 12 is then communicated 42 to computer 4.

If instead, the connection with host computer 4 is network link 32, host computer 4 need not request 40 filesystem 12 from peripheral device 34, as network devices are able to communicate 42 filesystems 12 without a request 40. However, it may be desirable to configure the present invention to require a request 40 before communicating 42 filesystem 12 to host computer 4.

Once filesystem 12 is communicated 42 to host computer 4, filesystem 12 is exposed 44 to the operating system of computer 4 as volume 24 accessible by the computer operating system's filesystem 20.

If volume 24 is to be shared 46 with client computer 28, host computer 4 must share 46 filesystem volume 24 through network file sharing. If volume 24 is not to be shared over network, sharing 46 may be omitted.

Whether volume 24 is shared or not, volume 24 can be accessed by browser 26. If volume 24 is not shared, browser 26 is included on host computer 4. If volume 24 is shared, browser 26 on client computer 28 may access shared volume 24.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A system for accessing content (10) from an embedded web server (8) of a peripheral device (2,34), the system comprising: (a) a peripheral device (2,34) having a communication interface (14), an embedded web server (8), and means for exposing the content (10) of the embedded web server (8) as a filesystem (12) of the peripheral device (2,34); (b) a computer (4) having a communication interface (16), an operating system, an operating system filesystem (12), and means (22) for exposing the filesystem (12) of the device (2,34) to the operating system as a volume (24) accessible by the operating system filesystem (20); (c) means for communicating the filesystem (12) of the peripheral device (2,34) from the peripheral device (2,34) through the communication interface (14) of the peripheral device (2,34) to the computer (4) through the communication interface (16) of the computer (4); and, (d) a browser (26) for accessing the volume (24).
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication interfaces of the peripheral device (34) and the computer (4) each include a network communication interface (30,36) and the means for communicating the filesystem (12) includes a network link (32) between the peripheral device (34) and the computer (4) and means for communicating the filesystem (12) over a network.
3. The system of claim 1 further including means for requesting the filesystem (12) from the peripheral device (2,34).

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4. The system of claim 3 further including wherein the communication interfaces of the peripheral device (2) and the computer (4) each include a direct communication interface (14,16) and the means for communicating the filesystem (12) includes a direct connection (6) between the peripheral device (2) and the computer (4) and means for communicating the filesystem (12) over the direct connection (6).
5. The system of claim 1 further including: (a) means for sharing the filesystem (12) volume (24) through network file sharing; (b) the computer (4) having a network interface (30); (c) a client (28) having a network interface (30); (d) a network link (32) between the computer (4) and the client (28); and, (e) means for communicating the shared filesystem volume (24) over a network (32).
6. A method for accessing content (10) from an embedded web server (8) of a peripheral device (2), the method comprising: (a) exposing (38) the content (10) of the embedded web server (8) as a filesystem (12) of the peripheral device (2,34); (b) communicating (42) the filesystem (12) of the peripheral device (2,34) from the peripheral device (2,34) to a computer (4); (c) exposing (44) the filesystem (12) of the device to an operating system of the computer (4) as a volume (24) accessible by a filesystem (20) of the operating system; and, (d) accessing (48) the volume (24) using a browser (26).
7. The method of claim 6 wherein communicating (42) the filesystem (12) includes communicating (42) the filesystem (12) over a network (32).

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8. The method of claim 6 further including the computer (4) requesting (40) the filesystem (12) from the peripheral device (2).
9. The method of claim 6 wherein communicating (42) the filesystem (12) includes communicating (32) the filesystem (12) over a direct connection (6).
10. The method of claim 6 further including sharing (46) the filesystem (12) volume (24) through network file sharing.