Method and System to Automatically Adapt Web Services from One Protocol/Idiom to Another Protocol/Idiom

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a method and system to convert an existing web services request from a first web services implementation type to a second web services implementation type. Example implementation types include SOAP-based and Representational State Transfer (RESTful). Conversion may be achieved through use of a generic web services adaptor. The generic web services adaptor can provide a plurality of interface types and convert requests to a request type supported by an existing web service provider endpoint. In some embodiments, requests not requiring a conversion may be forwarded directly to an existing web service provider endpoint.

1 . A method of processing a web services request on a programmable control device, the method comprising:
 receiving a web services request targeted for a first web services interface type;   translating the web services request, on the programmable control device, to a second web services interface type;   sending the translated web services request to a web services endpoint;   receiving a response from the web services endpoint;   translating the response to be compliant with the first web services interface type; and   responding to the received web services request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the web services endpoint functionality and the steps of translation are provided by a single computer system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first web services interface type is SOAP and the second web services interface type is RESTful. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first web services interface type is RESTful and the second web service interface type is SOAP. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the RESTful web services request is classified as part of the act of translating the web services request. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first web services interface type is selected from the group consisting of XML-RPC, JSON, HTTP, RESTful, and SOAP and the second web service interface type is selected from the group consisting of XML-RPC, JSON, HTTP, RESTful, and SOAP. 
     
     
         7 . A method of processing a web services request on a programmable control device, the method comprising:
 receiving, on a programmable control device, a web services request from a web services client in a first web services format and an indication of a web services endpoint;   identifying the web services endpoint using the indication;   determining an interface type of an exposed web service interface on the web services endpoint;   translating the received web services request to be compliant with the determined interface type if the determined interface type is not already compliant with the first web services format;   sending a compliant web services request to the web services endpoint;   receiving a response from the web services endpoint;   translating the response to be compliant with the first web services format if the response is not already compliant with the first web services format; and   sending a response, compliant with the first web services format, to the web services client.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the functionality of the identified web services endpoint and the steps of translation are provided by a single computer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first web services format is SOAP and the determined interface type is RESTful. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first web services format is RESTful and the determined interface type is SOAP. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the RESTful web services request is classified as part of the act of translating the received web services request. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first web services format is selected from the group consisting of XML-RPC, JSON, HTTP, RESTful, and SOAP and the determined interface type is selected from the group consisting of XML-RPC, JSON, HTTP, RESTful, and SOAP. 
     
     
         13 . A computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions stored thereon to cause a programmable control device to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions stored thereon to cause a programmable control device to perform the method of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         15 . A computer system comprising one or more programmable control devices communicatively coupled to each other and to a computer network, wherein the one or more programmable control devices are programmed to:
 receive a web services request, from the computer network, targeted for a first web services interface type;   translate the web services request, on the one or more programmable control devices, to a second web services interface type;   send the translated web services request to a web services endpoint;   receive a response from the web services endpoint;   translate the response to be compliant with the first web services interface type; and   respond to the received web services request.   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the first web services interface type is SOAP and the second web services interface type is RESTful. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the first web services interface type is RESTful and the second web service interface type is SOAP. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 15  wherein the one or more programmable control devices is further programmed to perform the programmed acts of receiving and sending to and from a plurality of web services endpoints and web services clients concurrently and wherein the programmed act of translating a plurality of different web services interface types is also performed concurrently. 
     
     
         19 . A computer system comprising one or more programmable control devices communicatively coupled to each other and to a computer network, wherein the one or more programmable control devices are programmed to:
 receive, on one of the one or more programmable control devices via the computer network, a web services request from a web services client in a first web services format and an indication of a web services endpoint;   identify the web services endpoint using the indication;   determine an interface type of an exposed web service interface on the web services endpoint;   translate the received web services request to be compliant with the determined interface type if the determined interface type is not already compliant with the first web services format;   send a compliant web services request to the web services endpoint;   receive a response from the web services endpoint;   translate the response to be compliant with the first web services format if the response is not already compliant with the first web services format; and   send a response, compliant with the first web services format, to the web services client.   
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the first web services format is SOAP and the determined interface type is RESTful. 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the first web services format is RESTful and the determined interface type is SOAP. 
     
     
         22 . A computer network comprising:
 a plurality of processing units communicatively coupled to a computer network;   a first processing unit configured to perform at least a portion of the method of  claim 1  wherein the entire method of  claim 1  is performed collectively by the plurality of processing units.   
     
     
         23 . A computer network comprising:
 a plurality of processing units communicatively coupled to a computer network;   a first processing unit configured to perform at least a portion of the method of  claim 7  wherein the entire method of  claim 7  is performed collectively by the plurality of processing units.