Automated API License Composition via Meta-Model Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current service licensing for APIs is complex and static, failing to effectively manage capacity-based and usage-based models, leading to tedious manual management and inability to capture business constraints, with existing agreements being data-centric and primarily capacity-based.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for automatically composing licenses using a meta-model that structures service license terms of published APIs, incorporating standardized syntax and semantics, allowing for the representation of business constraints, license metric calculations, quality of service calculations, and pricing rules, enabling the creation of composite licenses for applications using multiple APIs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual license management is used, then flexibility in handling complex licensing scenarios is maintained, but labor intensity and time consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLicense management easeVSAvoidTime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service license management by automatically analyzing API license terms, generating composite licenses, and resolving conflicts without requiring manual intervention. The automated license composer processes licensing information and generates comprehensive license agreements, eliminating the need for manual review and negotiation of complex licensing scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical license management processes with an automated computational system. The license analyzer and composer use algorithms to process licensing terms, generate composite licenses, and resolve conflicts, substituting human manual operations with automated mechanical processes that are faster and more consistent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If static capacity-based licensing agreements are used, then simplicity of license terms is maintained, but ability to capture business constraints and usage-based models is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLicensing model adaptabilityVSAvoidLicense term complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms static license agreements into dynamic, adaptive licensing models that can automatically adjust based on usage patterns, capacity requirements, and business constraints. The automated license composer generates licenses that incorporate usage-based metrics and can adapt to changing conditions without requiring manual renegotiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments complex licensing scenarios into distinct components including capacity-based metrics, usage-based metrics, quality of service parameters, and business constraints. Each component is analyzed and processed separately by the automated license composer, allowing complex licensing models to be built from manageable segments rather than dealing with monolithic complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If existing data-centric licensing approaches are used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but comprehensive capture of business constraints and quality of service is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLicense compliance reliabilityVSAvoidBusiness constraint information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The automated license composer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it analyzes capacity-based metrics, usage-based metrics, quality of service parameters, and business constraints. This multi-functional approach ensures comprehensive capture of all relevant licensing information in a single system, eliminating the need for separate processes for each license component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the license analyzer continuously monitors and analyzes licensing terms, and the automated license composer adjusts generated licenses based on this feedback. This ensures comprehensive capture of business constraints and quality of service requirements, with the system learning from previous analyses to improve accuracy over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10216486B2Automatic generation of license terms for service application marketplaces

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

One or more processors receive information regarding a program module that includes a description of a function, license terms, and non-functional properties of the program module. The license terms, the description of function, and the non-functional properties of the program module are identified, based on an analysis of the information. An object of interest of each license term of the license terms is determined, such that the object of interest is directed to a condition influencing license term compliance. Rules corresponding to compliance of the one or more license terms of the program module are determined, and the analyzed information of the program module is stored in a meta-model format organized into categories including the description of function, the one or more license terms, and the non-functional properties of the program module, utilizing standardized syntax and semantics.