Service Discovery Using Pre-Compiled Scopes

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current Web Services protocols, such as WS-Discovery, generate significant network traffic and burden devices with complex processing due to multicast messages for service location, which is inefficient and resource-intensive, especially for devices with limited computational power.

Innovation Solution

A method where a user inputs search criteria to compile a scope, allowing a computer system to perform a simple string match instead of complex processing, and optionally using a proxy to compare queries with pre-compiled scopes, reducing network bandwidth and processing power requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multicast messages are used to locate services, then service discovery capability is improved, but network traffic and congestion increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice discovery capabilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the service discovery function from the multicast message mechanism. Instead of using multicast messages that flood the network, the invention creates a dedicated service location message structure that contains pre-compiled scope information, allowing service discovery without generating excessive network traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-compiling scope information before service discovery occurs. The scope is compiled in advance using matching rules, so that when service location is needed, the system can directly use the pre-processed scope without performing complex processing at discovery time, reducing network traffic and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multicast messages are used for service location, then service discovery is enabled, but devices with limited computational power are burdened by complex processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice location functionalityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-compiling scope information using matching rules before service discovery occurs. This shifts the complex processing work to a preliminary stage, allowing devices with limited computational power to simply compare pre-compiled scopes without performing complex algorithms during actual service location operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating a simplified copy of the service location mechanism. Instead of requiring devices to process complex multicast messages and perform sophisticated matching algorithms, the invention creates a copied scope structure that can be directly compared using simple string matching, reducing processing complexity while maintaining service location functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If complex processing algorithms are used to determine service capability, then accurate service matching is achieved, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice matching accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-compiling scope information using matching rules before service discovery occurs. This shifts the complex processing work to a preliminary stage, allowing devices with limited computational power to simply compare pre-compiled scopes without performing complex algorithms during actual service location operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of scope representation from complex structured data requiring sophisticated algorithms to a simplified format using wildcard patterns and string matching. This parameter change maintains service matching accuracy while dramatically reducing processing time and computational resource requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2036257B1Locating services using compiled scopes
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2036257B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2036257B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2036257B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a computing environment incorporating multiple computing systems capable of intercommunication, a computing system assists in locating a service offered by other computing system(s). For instance, upon receiving a query that represents a scope of a service to be located, the scope represented in the query may be compared with compiled scope information, each scope compiled using different matching rules. The provider of the service may then be located based on the comparison. The service provider may then be identified.