107 results about "Service broker" patented technology

A method and system for communication between server-less computing devices or clients in computers communicating over networks, such as the World Wide Web (WWW) using stateless protocols, e.g., HTTP. In this scheme, there are two classes of clients which can operate independently or can be combined in computers communicating over the network: a) clients that issue commands and request status or data, and b) clients that function as service brokers for providing services and processing commands, updating status and providing specific data—resembleing a server device but without accessible TCP / IP ports. Each service providing device is authenticated, retains a unique identity and establishes a soft state with the globally accessible server or servers. All devices and clients can compile and process a globally common command language established between all communicating network clients. The central server includes a CGI processing program and a database to retain client specific information. The server database represents a collection of queues, each having a client unique identifiable status, pending commands and / or data components. In this scheme, commands and signaling transmitted between the servers and clients utilize standard HTTP protocol semantics and HTML or standard markup language syntax. Clients encapsulate or embed information as parameters passed to HTTP CGI as a set of standard HTTP conversations. A CGI processing program converts, parses or processes each conversation and passes arguments with or without data to queues.

The present invention provides a method for providing a simultaneous ring and check presence prior to terminating service for a plurality of called phones in a simultaneous ring set. The simultaneous ring set includes a plurality wireline or wireless units. A service broker intercepts a call invitation message generated by a calling phone and intended for the simultaneous ring set. Upon determining that the simultaneous ring set has simultaneous ring service, the service broker determines the status of each of the plurality of called phones that are members of the simultaneous ring set. The service broker sends an invitation accept message for the responding unit of the simultaneous ring set to the calling phone, thereby completing the call between the calling phone and the responding unit of the simultaneous ring set.

The invention provides quality assured network services in a multi-domain network and comprises a network service management device for managing device clusters incorporated within the operations management network of each provider network and receiving service orders, and a multi-domain service broker for providing a broker function for achieving agreement between a plurality of providers, and the multi-domain service broker further comprises a device for collecting domain information and information relating to the services each provider is able to provide from the network service management devices, and a device which on receipt of a network service request from a customer, extracts the network service management device of the domain which is able to satisfy the required quality level, and then issues instructions for the setting of the required information within the extracted network service management device.

Arbitrarily fine-grained limitation of access to information stored in a resource of a data processor network is provided in a manner compatible with existing network browsers by mapping user identity and credentials with randomly assigned security cookie information which thus serves as a surrogate credential accompanying each user request during a session. Labels are imbedded within HTML files / text which may embody any desired security policy, including mandatory access control (MAC) arrangements which are not available through native browser functions. Data is retrieved in response to a user request which includes a security cookie from a location in the resource which is not directly accessible through use of a URL; the location being stored in a configuration file which is hidden from users. The retrieved data is then filtered in accordance with labels provided for each page and / or embedded in the text and used to build a response which may include hypertext links or other user interfaces for transmission to the user. Provision is made for viewing or changing of labels, credentials and passwords.

A telecommunications network uses a supervisory service broker in a packet messaging environment, particularly Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messaging, to changeably allocate and to account for the usage of network resources by users. The SIP INVITE and other messages are passed through the supervisory broker, monitored for accounting and potentially redirected to change allocations of resources. The resources can generally comprise applications and applications servers such as media storage and playback, voicemail and directory services, subnet messaging and instant messaging, voice-over-Internet, wireless linkages and others, and can be logically grouped in packages that are allocable. Users such as telecom carriers and others can contract for usage and also can contract to provide resources for use by others, in an unlimited way or according to terms, and for appropriate credit.

A system for transacting in a network includes a service broker connected to the network, having access to necessary credentials, a service provider connected to the network, requiring credentials for transacting in regard to a client, and a client station connected to the network. A client using the client station sends a preliminary request for a transaction to the service broker, which initiates, at the appropriate time, the transaction for the client by a request to the service provider, accompanied by the appropriate credentials, and the service broker monitors the service provider after the write request for an acknowledgement of the request.

A services broker provides session suspend and resume capabilities to a computer-supported multi-user session made up of associations between a plurality of participants and the services broker. The services broker includes: a memory; an input / output subsystem for transmission of session data and for communicating with the plurality of participants; a processor, operatively connected to the memory, for carrying out instructions. The instructions cause the processor to: receive a trigger event from at least one of the plurality of participants, the trigger event for resuming a suspending session; verify that the suspending session can be resumed; transmit a resume request to the plurality of participants; and re-establish associations among the plurality of participants. Additionally, the services broker will transmit a stored session state and stored session data to at least one environmental device for resuming the suspended session at the point where the suspended session ended. The services broker also carries out instructions for suspending a joint session.

An automated building service broker can include a Global Positioning System (GPS) data processor for processing GPS data associated with communicatively linked service providers wherein the GPS data corresponds to a geographic position. The automated service broker also can include an event handler for responding to maintenance and repair events received from communicatively linked building systems. Finally, the automated building service broker can include a service provider selector for selecting a particular service provider to respond to a particular received maintenance and repair event received from a particular communicatively linked building system. More particularly, the service provider can be selected based on whether the selected service provider is suitable to perform required maintenance and repair on the particular communicatively linked building system, and the geographic position of the particular service provider relative to the particular building system as reported by GPS data associated with the particular service provider.

A telecommunications architecture processes telecommunications service requests received from third parties through a secure access gateway. The third parties may be other telecommunications service providers which employ the services to support their own products and services or may be or individual subscribers. The service broker provides a flexible and efficient layer in the telecommunications architecture for processing the service request. The service broker also overcomes the technical problems associated with third party service request processing. In addition to providing technical solutions for efficient and secure processing of service requests for exposed services, the architecture also provides an additional revenue channel for existing telecommunication service providers.

A service broker system is presented for mediating events or messages to be sent to or received from a plurality of applications to control service interaction and to provide service blending in a communications system. The service broker system includes steplet functional components that determine a desired mediation for feature interaction or service blending associated with an event or message, along with a message manager component with a dispatcher for the steplet functional components, where the message manager creates and maintains a unique message object for a received request message. A user and end point data manager component is provided to obtain user data and endpoint data and to bind attribute data to a user ID associated with a current service session, and a session context component for binding attribute data to session ID associated with the current service session. In one embodiment, the system includes two or more message manager components individually associated with a different message type.

Arbitrarily fine-grained limitation of access to information stored in a resource of a data processor network is provided in a manner compatible with existing network browsers by mapping user identity and credentials with randomly assigned security cookie information which thus serves as a surrogate credential accompanying each user request during a session. Labels are imbedded within HTML files / text which may embody any desired security policy, including mandatory access control (MAC) arrangements which are not available through native browser functions. Data is retrieved in response to a user request which includes a security cookie from a location in the resource which is not directly accessible through use of a URL; the location being stored in a configuration file which is hidden from users. The retrieved data is then filtered in accordance with labels provided for each page and / or embedded in the text and used to build a response which may include hypertext links or other user interfaces for transmission to the user. Provision is made for viewing or changing of labels, credentials and passwords.

Apparatus and methods are provided for managing the power or bandwidth consumed by a network of interconnected devices. The apparatus includes a service broker and a token processor disposed within one or more of the devices. The service broker monitors traffic over the network, and directs the one or more of the devices in the network to operate in a tokenized data mode. The token processor receives first tokenized data from the service broker and decodes the first tokenized data into first meaningful data. The token processor also encodes second meaningful data into second tokenized data for transmission to the service broker.

An automated service broker can include a Global Positioning System (GPS) data processor for processing GPS data associated with communicatively linked service providers wherein the GPS data corresponds to a geographic position. The automated service broker also can include an event handler for responding to maintenance and repair events received from communicatively linked systems. Finally, the automated service broker can include a service provider selector for selecting a particular service provider to respond to a particular received maintenance and repair event received from a particular communicatively linked system. More particularly, the service provider can be selected based on whether the selected service provider is suitable to perform required maintenance and repair on the particular communicatively linked system, and the geographic position of the particular service provider relative to the particular system as reported by GPS data associated with the particular service provider.

The present invention relates to network computing and in particular to a method and respective system for operating a Web Services search method in a networked environment—in particular the Internet, wherein a Service Broker is requested by a Service Consumer for offering Web Services, and a Service Provider provides a requested Web Service to the Service Consumer, and wherein a Service Provider registers Web Services at the Service Broker and wherein the Web Services are implemented preferably by respective Remote Portlets running on a Portal Server of the Service Provider. In order to increase the search precision and the recall rate it is proposed to perform the steps of: a) retrieving data mining input data relating to description details of the inquired Web Services from respective Service descriptions of the inquired Web Services, b) performing a data mining function on said data mining input data, wherein a clustering is performed with a distance calculation function including said description details and wherein the clustering yields a cluster model comprising a plurality of clusters and a mapping for each Web Service to one of said clusters, wherein Web Services having a similar semantic meaning are collected in a single cluster, yielding a data mining result, c) adding cluster information comprised of said data mining result to a service model and storing this cluster information in a database, d) offering search response data based on said cluster model and service model.

A service brokering apparatus which can easily build a service integration system that provides a complex service by integrating a plurality of elementary services realized on computers. This apparatus achieves a system that can easily adapt itself to expanding or changing the services. The service brokering apparatus includes a storage device that stores service description information for each elementary service, the service description information having a combination of identification information of elementary service entities, declarative description information on information needed to realize the elementary services, and declarative description information on processing results of the elementary services. Further, the service brokering apparatus includes a transmitter / receiver for transmitting and receiving messages, and a device decomposing the complex service into the elementary services using the service description information upon receipt of a request message for the complex service from the outside, and generating an elementary service request plan having strings of combinations of at least elementary service request information needed to realize the complex service, and identification information of elementary service entities.

A method of brokering a network resource 10 includes providing a service broker processor 12 and a service broker registry 13. On receiving a request at the service broker processor to register a network resource to provide a network service, the service broker processor authenticates the request and authorises registration in the service broker registry. A network client 14 is updated with the availability of the registered network resource so that on receiving a third party request for the network service, the network client requests allocation of the registered network resource. A bearer path 54 is set up between the third party 21 and the network resource 10 to provide the requested network service.

A telecommunications architecture processes telecommunications service requests received from third parties through a secure access gateway. The third parties may be other telecommunications service providers which employ the services to support their own products and services or may be or individual subscribers. The service broker provides a flexible and efficient layer in the telecommunications architecture for processing the service request. The service broker also overcomes the technical problems associated with third party service request processing. In addition to providing technical solutions for efficient and secure processing of service requests for exposed services, the architecture also provides an additional revenue channel for existing telecommunication service providers.

An integrated travel service broker for facilitating transactions between travel inventory suppliers and buyers is disclosed. The system comprises a network with hub sites that provide a centralized connection for travel office point of service terminals and travel vendor databases and inventories. A user may purchase travel inventory by browsing a travel service broker database and a travel history database for travel itineraries, then selecting one of the travel itineraries and placing an order for travel services. The user also browses opaque bids placed in response to the order and selects one of the bids for purchase.

The invention provides quality assured network services in a multi-domain network and comprises a network service management device for managing device clusters incorporated within the operations management network of each provider network and receiving service orders, and a multi-domain service broker for providing a broker function for achieving agreement between a plurality of providers, and the multi-domain service broker further comprises a device for collecting domain information and information relating to the services each provider is able to provide from the network service management devices, and a device which on receipt of a network service request from a customer, extracts the network service management device of the domain which is able to satisfy the required quality level, and then issues instructions for the setting of the required information within the extracted network service management device.

A system and method for enabling user preferences and device characteristics to be used to generate a customized interface for services and particularly, for enabling interaction between heterogeneous mobile devices and services in a local environment through one's device. The system automates the creation of custom mobile interfaces for service interaction, since the author of a service is typically unaware of the different types of devices that will utilize the service. The method includes communicating, when a service is invoked, the input capabilities of the device to a service broker along with preferences of the user. The characteristics and functionality of the service is included in the specification of the service. A mapping function maps the triad of user preferences, device description, and service functions to optimize the placement of the services' functions (interfaces) on to the device's input controls while taking the user preferences and device output controls into account.

An arrangement for the management and integration of web services is disclosed. The arrangement includes a transaction adapter module and a query adapter module. Each of the adapter modules includes one or more adapters. The transaction adapter module receives client requests in a client-specific protocol and translates at least a portion of the requests to a predetermined protocol. The translated portions are communicated to a service broker, which directs the queries to query services through the query adapter module in the predetermined protocol. The query adapter module translates the query from the predetermined protocol to a service-specific protocol. The predetermined protocol allows the adapter modules and the service broker to be decoupled, thus allowing dynamic loading of adapters to the adapter modules.

A method and apparatus for dynamically discovering and communicating data in a communications network are described. A broker in a communications network receives a communication from a first service provider over the communications network, the broker comprising a metabroker and a service broker. The metabroker communicates messages to the service broker within defined time intervals to provide the service broker with any updated information about topics including a first topic. The broker sends information about the first topic to a first service consumer over the communications network within a first time interval from receipt of the communication comprising data about the first topic, and establishes peer-to-peer communication between the first service provider and the first service. The broker receives further communications about topics from multiple service providers over the communications network, and sends further data about to the first topic to the first service consumer.

A method for supporting mobility of at least one mobile telecommunications terminal (5.1-5.3) in operative connection with a telecommunications network (2) having a plurality of telecommunications resources (3.1-3.6) accessible via a plurality of access networks (4.1-4.3) and associated access technologies (4.1a,b-4.3a,b) in operative connection with the telecommunications network (2), wherein the mobile telecommunications terminal (5.1-5.3) is provided with information about access networks (4.1-4.3) and access technologies (4.1a,b-4.3a,b) available at least at its present geographic location for choosing an access to the telecommunications network (2) via one of the respective access networks (4.1-4.3) and associated access technologies (4.1a,b-4.3a,b) in accordance with specifications of at least one telecommunications resource (3.1-3.6) requested by the mobile telecommunications terminal (5.1-5.3), and wherein the information are provided independently of the access networks (4.1-4.3) by means of a mobility service broker system (6) in operative connection with a plurality of access networks (4.1-4.3). Introduction of an operator independent broker system (6) leads to considerable advantages on the subscriber terminal side, e.g. for reasons of pricing and by limiting power consumption of the mobile telecommunications terminal (5.1-5.3).

A Healthcare Funding Exchange (“HFX”) is implemented as a business service domain of service components communicating with each other wherein the execution of a complete interaction with an external actor is effected by the combined performance of executions by the service components. Each component can operate independently of all the others, and can be accessed by the others through service requests conveyed by a service broker. A complete interaction with an actor external to the domain occurs by one component performing its role, providing a service response, and potentially also issuing new service requests to other components, either during or at the end of its own processing. The service components in a business service domain also all have access to data they may share. One component generally has the responsibility for changing any given element of the shared data, but any components may read it.

A method and apparatus for providing terminating services to calls is disclosed. In a first embodiment, a service broker in a VoIP network determines service match information corresponding to the call that originates in a PSTN network in order to determine whether terminating services are required for the call. The service broker then forwards that service match information to an application server where the required terminating services, if any, are applied to the call. The application server then forwards the call and the results of any applied terminating services to a CCE in order to continue call set up. In a second embodiment the call originates in an IP network.

A data access layer operable to manage data requests from one or more software applications is provided. The data access layer includes a query processor, a metadata repository, a transaction data store, and an exception handler. The query processor manages transaction processing of data requests between applications, such as commercial-off-the-shelf software applications, and data stores. The metadata repository maintains a logical data model related to the data to provide instructions regarding handling the data requests from the application. The transaction data store maintains transaction information. A data warehouse may be updated along with the data stores by publication and subscription of data updates. When an error related to processing the one of the data requests is detected, the exception handler uses the transaction information to return any of the data to its previous state using compensating transactions.

A communication system that is particularly suited to switch a full duplex session to a half duplex session. The system includes a VoIP server that sets up a full duplex session; and a dispatch call controller server that receives a request to switch the full duplex session to a half duplex session; forwards the request to the target subscriber unit; receives an acceptance of the request; and sets up the half duplex session between the subscriber units. In another embodiment, the VoIP server receives the request to switch to the half duplex session; forwards the request to the target subscriber unit; receives an acceptance of the request; and instructs the dispatch call controller to set up the half duplex session. In yet another embodiment, a service broker receives the request, instructs the dispatch call controller to set up the half duplex session, and instructs the VoIP server to terminate the full duplex session. In yet another embodiment, the switch from full-to-half is network-driven instead of user-driven.

A method and system for communication between server-less computing devices or clients in computers communicating over networks, such as the World Wide Web (WWW) using stateless protocols, e.g., HTTP. In this scheme there are two classes of clients which can operate independently or can be combined in computer communicating over the network: a) Clients that issue commands and request status or data, and b) clients which function as service brokers for provide services and processing commands, updating status and providing specific data. Based on the description of the latter client device it would resemble a server device but without accessible TCP / IP ports. Each service providing device is authenticated, retains a unique identity and establishes a soft state with the globally accessible server or servers. All devices and clients can compile and process a globally common command language established between all communicating network clients. The central server includes a CGI processing program and a database to retain client specific information. The server database represents a collection of queues, each having a client unique identifiable status, pending commands and / or data components. In this scheme commands and signaling transmitted between the servers and clients utilize standard HTTP protocol semantics and HTML or standard markup language syntax. Clients encapsulate or embed information as parameters passed to HTTP CGI as a set of standard HTTP conversations. A CGI processing program converts, parses or processes each conversation and passes arguments with or without data to queues. Each conversation is includes a client identification key(s) and commands which are structured as attribute-value pair tuples. The service-handler client connects to the central server and accesses the client queue on the central server to check for any pending commands or update their status in either synchronous or asynchronous manner. The synchronous server access scheme is regulated temporally by either deterministic clocking on server response or by a server based adaptive algorithm which can monitor network and client activities and optimize client access patterns.