Embedded system web server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9697299-B2
Application number	US-201313956823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 1, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A method for implementing a web server in an embedded system is provided. Registration information is received at the web server in the embedded system from a plurality of objects. Each object provides a link to itself in the registration information. The registration information is stored in a registry as a list of links mapped to the objects. A web page is dynamically generated at runtime by the web server based on the registration information in the registry to provide a user interface including a visual depiction of the links on the web page. The web page is provided to a web browser external to the embedded system such that the objects are accessible to the web browser based on the links through the user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a web server in an embedded system, the method comprising:
receiving registration information at the web server in the embedded system from a plurality of objects, each object providing a link to itself in the registration information;
storing the registration information in a registry as a list of links mapped to the objects, wherein the registration information provided by each object further comprises a desired display position of the link to itself on a web page as identified by a row number defined in the desired display position and an indication as to whether each object supports a real-time data feed;
dynamically generating the web page at runtime by the web server based on the registration information in the registry to provide a user interface comprising a visual depiction of the links on the web page based on the desired display position of each of the links as defined by each of the objects, wherein the web server is an embedded software web server in a processing subsystem of the embedded system and the embedded system further comprises a hardware subsystem comprising an embedded hardware web server configured to link a hardware object in the hardware subsystem to the web page, and the hardware subsystem performs low-level signal control and timing to support operation of a controlled system coupled to the embedded system, wherein the controlled system is a radar system controlled by the hardware object, and the hardware object implements a plurality of user-initiated built-in tests of the radar system through the web page;
providing the web page to a web browser external to the embedded system such that the objects are accessible to the web browser based on the links through the user interface, wherein the objects comprise a plurality of software objects that map to the controlled system and one or more devices, wherein the one or more devices comprise a global positioning system locator accessible through the web page by one of the software objects;
accessing the registry by the web server to get a selected object based on a request from the web browser;
determining whether the selected object supports the real-time data feed based on the stored indication in the registry as to whether each object supports the real-time data feed;
based on determining that the selected object supports the real-time data feed, establishing the real-time data feed between the selected object and the web browser, and streaming data from the selected object to the web browser as updates occur;
based on determining that the selected object does not support the real-time data feed, calling the selected object for user interface content and returning the user interface content to the web browser upon each interaction between the web browser and the selected object; and
based on detecting a change to a displayed parameter in the registry, dynamically regenerating the web page.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the objects is configured to provide the registration information to the web server upon initialization.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the registration information provided by each object further comprises an image associated with the object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the objects provides its own user interface.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the web page includes an object user interface region that displays the user interface provided by the selected object and updates the user interface in the object user interface region according to whether the selected object supports the real-time data feed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the software objects links to another web server that is external to the embedded system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardware object is configured to provide the registration information to the embedded software web server through the embedded hardware web server upon initialization.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the hardware object is configured to provide its own user interface to enable a user to perform one or more of: running a detailed hardware test, uploading acceptance data, downloading initialization data, delivering fault information, and updating runtime statistics via the web browser.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the software objects is configured to provide its own user interface to enable a user to perform one or more of: running detailed software or system tests, uploading acceptance data, downloading initialization data, delivering fault information, and updating runtime statistics via the web browser.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a hypertext transfer protocol port connection between the web browser and the web server;
performing a protocol switch between a hypertext transfer protocol and a websocket protocol; and
sending and receiving data between the web browser and the objects using the websocket protocol.

11. An embedded system, comprising:
a hardware subsystem configured to communicate via a network, wherein the hardware subsystem comprises an embedded hardware web server configured to link a hardware object in the hardware subsystem to a web page and perform low-level signal control and timing to support operation of a controlled system coupled to the embedded system, wherein the controlled system is a radar system controlled by the hardware object, and the hardware object implements a plurality of user-initiated built-in tests of the radar system through the web page; and
a processing subsystem configured to communicate with a web browser via the network, wherein the processing subsystem comprises a registry and an embedded software web server, the embedded software web server configured to:
receive registration information from a plurality of objects, wherein each object provides a link to itself in the registration information;
store the registration information in the registry as a list of links mapped to the objects, wherein the registration information provided by each object further comprises a desired display position of the link to itself on the web page as identified by a row number defined in the desired display position and an indication as to whether each object supports a real-time data feed;
dynamically generate the web page at runtime based on the registration information in the registry to provide a user interface comprising a visual depiction of the links on the web page based on the desired display position of each of the links as defined by each of the objects;
provide the web page to the web browser external to the embedded system such that the objects are accessible to the web browser based on the links through the user interface, wherein the objects comprise a plurality of software objects that map to the controlled system and one or more devices, wherein the one or more devices comprise a global positioning system locator accessible through the web page by one of the software objects;
access the registry to get a selected object based on a request from the web browser;
determine whether the selected object supports the real-time data feed based on the stored indication in the registry as to whether each object supports the real-time data feed;
based on a determination that the selected object supports the real-time data feed, establish the real-time data feed between the selected object and the web browser, and stream data from the selected object to the web browser as updates occur;
based on a determination that the selected object does not support the real-time data feed, call the selected object for user interface content and return the user interfa

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Herbel Richard S

Classifications

• G06F16/972 Primary

  Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation · CPC title

• G06F17/30893 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic