Method and apparatus for processing workflow through a gateway

A method in a data processing system for handling a request, the method comprising:

• receiving a document from a client;
• parsing the document to identify a state of the document;
• selecting a registered service from a set of registered services based on the state of the document to form a selected registered service;
• initiating the selected registered service to process the document, wherein the document is altered;
• repeating the selecting and initiating steps until the document has a selected state;
• and
• returning the document having the selected state to the client.

A method in a data processing system for processing an extensible markup language document, the method comprising:

• receiving the extensible markup language document from a client;
• identifying a state of the extensible markup language document;
• determining whether the state corresponds to a service registered with the data processing system;
• responsive to the state corresponding to a service, calling the service, wherein the service executes a process and alters the extensible markup language document to form an altered extensible markup language document;
• and
• returning the altered extensible markup language document to the client.

A data processing system for managing processing of a document, the data processing system comprising:

• a bus system;
• a communications unit connected to the bus system;
• a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to identify a set of services registered for use in processing a document received from a client in which registration information for each service within the set of services provides input requirements;
• select a service from the set of registered services to form a selected service by comparing a current state of the document with the input requirements for each service within the set of registered services;
• initiate execution of the selected service on the document in which a state transition occurs to a new state, which becomes the current state of the document;
• repeat instructions to select and the initiate until a response is returned to the client;
• and dynamically alter the set of registered services provided for processing of the document to include the new service in response to a request to register a new service.

A data processing system for handling a request, the data processing system comprising:

• a bus system;
• a communications unit connected to the bus system;
• a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a document from a client;
• parse the document to identify a state of the document;
• select a registered service from a set of registered services based on the state of the document to form a selected registered service;
• initiate the selected registered service to process the document in which the document is altered;
• repeat the instructions to select and initiate until the document has a selected state;
• and return the document having the selected state to the client.

A data processing system for processing an extensible markup language document, the data processing system comprising:

• a bus system;
• a communications unit connected to the bus system;
• a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive the extensible markup language document from a client;
• identify a state of the extensible markup language document;
• determine whether the state corresponds to a service registered with the data processing system;
• call the service in which the service executes a process and alters the extensible markup language document to form an altered extensible markup language document in response to the state corresponding to a service;
• and return the altered extensible markup language document to the client.

A data processing system for managing processing of a document, the data processing system comprising:

• identifying means for identifying a set of services registered for use in processing a document received from a client, wherein registration information for each service within the set of services provides input requirements;
• selecting means for selecting a service from the set of registered services to form a selected service by comparing a current state of the document with the input requirements for each service within the set of registered services;
• initiating means for initiating execution of the selected service on the document, wherein a state transition occurs to a new state, which becomes the current state of the document;
• repeating means for repeating instructions of the selecting means and the initiating means until a response is returned to the client;
• and
• altering means, responsive to a request to register a new service, for dynamically altering the set of registered services provided for processing of the document to include the new service.

A data processing system for handling a request, the data processing system comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a document from a client;
• parsing means for parsing the document to identify a state of the document;
• selecting means for selecting a registered service from a set of registered services based on the state of the document to form a selected registered service;
• initiating means for initiating the selected registered service to process the document, wherein the document is altered;
• repeating means for repeating initiation of the selecting means and initiating means until the document has a selected state;
• and
• returning means for returning the document having the selected state to the client.

A data processing system for processing an extensible markup language document, the data processing system comprising:

• receiving means for receiving the extensible markup language document from a client;
• identifying means for identifying a state of the extensible markup language document;
• determining means for determining whether the state corresponds to a service registered with the data processing system;
• calling means, responsive to the state corresponding to a service, for calling the service, wherein the service executes a process and alters the extensible markup language document to form an altered extensible markup language document;
• and
• returning means for returning the altered extensible markup language document to the client.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for managing processing of a document, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for identifying a set of services registered for use in processing a document received from a client, wherein registration information for each service within the set of services provides input requirements;
• second instructions for selecting a service from the set of registered services to form a selected service by comparing a current state of the document with the input requirements for each service within the set of registered services;
• third instructions for initiating execution of the selected service on the document, wherein a state transition occurs to a new state, which becomes the current state of the document;
• fourth instructions for repeating the second instructions and the third instructions until a response is returned to the client;
• and
• fifth instructions, responsive to a request to register a new service, for dynamically altering the set of registered services provided for processing of the document to include the new service.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for handling a request, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for receiving a document from a client;
• second instructions for parsing the document to identify a state of the document;
• third instructions for selecting a registered service from a set of registered services based on the state of the document to form a selected registered service;
• fourth instructions for initiating the selected registered service to process the document, wherein the document is altered;
• fifth instructions for repeating the third and fourth instructions until the document has a selected state;
• and
• sixth instructions for returning the document having the selected state to the client.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing an extensible markup language document, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for receiving the extensible markup language document from a client;
• second instructions for identifying a state of the extensible markup language document;
• third instructions for determining whether the state corresponds to a service registered with the data processing system;
• fourth instructions, responsive to the state corresponding to a service, for calling the service, wherein the service executes a process and alters the extensible markup language document to form an altered extensible markup language document;
• and
• fifth instructions for returning the altered extensible markup language document to the client.