Framework for dynamic composition of Web services

• US 20040176976A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boughannam, Akram
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A framework for Web services integration can include a Web services integrator having a scheduler coupled to a control. The control can have a coupling to a consumer preferences repository. The scheduler, by comparison, can have couplings both to a state data repository and also to a service activation repository. Finally, the framework can include an interface to the Web service integrator. Notably, an agenda can be disposed within the scheduler. Moreover, a collection of service activation rules can be disposed within the service activation repository. The framework yet further can include a collection of service requestor preferences disposed within the consumer preferences repository. Finally, the framework can include service request state data disposed within the state data repository.

Claims

1. A framework for Web services integration comprising:

a Web services integrator having a scheduler coupled to a control, said control having a coupling to a consumer preferences repository, said scheduler having couplings both to a state data repository and also to a service activation repository; and

,

an interface to said Web service integrator.

2. The framework of claim 1, further comprising an agenda disposed within said scheduler.

3. The framework of claim 1, further comprising a collection of service activation rules disposed within said service activation repository.

4. The framework of claim 1, further comprising a collection of service requestor preferences disposed within said consumer preferences repository.

5. The framework of claim 1, further comprising service request state data disposed within said state data repository.

6. The framework of claim 2, further comprising control data disposed within said control, said control data guiding said control in selecting for execution a particular Web service from among a selection of Web services listed in said agenda.

7. The framework of claim 6, further comprising a reusable script coupled to said control, said script specifying a set of Web services which when combined satisfy a specific service request.

8. In a marketplace for Web services, a Web services integration method, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a change to state data for a received service request;

responsive to said detection, scheduling at least one service activation rule (SAR) for execution;

determining which of said scheduled SARs to execute; and

,

executing at least one Web service specified by a determined one of said SARs according to said determining step in order to satisfy said received service request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said scheduling step comprises the steps of:

selecting all SARs whose trigger conditions are satisfied by said detected change; and

,

placing said selected SARs in an executable agenda.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said scheduling step comprises the steps of:

responsive to at least one event stored in an event queue, sequentially processing said SARs to determine whether an associated trigger event has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace; and

,

for each SAR in which an associated trigger event has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace, adding said SAR to an execution agenda if an associated execution event further has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

selecting individual ones of said scheduled Web services based upon a service action specified in said corresponding ones of said SARs; and

,

executing said selected Web services.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

recording a script of said at least one Web service selected for execution according to said determining step; and

,

invoking said script in lieu of said scheduling step in response to a subsequently received identical service request.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

recording a script of said at least one Web service selected for execution according to said determining step; and

,

invoking said script in lieu of said scheduling step in response to a subsequently received similar service request.

14. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for Web services integration in a marketplace for Web services, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

detecting a change to state data for a received service request;

responsive to said detection, scheduling at least one service activation rules (SAR) for execution;

determining which of said scheduled SARs to execute; and

,

executing at least one Web service specified by a determined one of said SARs according to said determining step in order to satisfy said received service request.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein said scheduling step comprises the steps of:

selecting all SARs whose trigger conditions are satisfied by said detected change; and

,

placing said selected SARs in an executable agenda;

16. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein said scheduling step comprises the steps of:

responsive to at least one event stored in an event queue, sequentially processing said SARs to determine whether an associated trigger event has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace; and

,

for each SAR in which an associated trigger event has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace, adding said SAR to an execution agenda if an associated execution event further has been satisfied by the state of the marketplace.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

selecting individual ones of said scheduled Web services based upon a service action specified in said corresponding ones of said SARs; and

,

executing said selected Web services.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

recording a script of said at least one Web service selected for execution according to said determining step; and

,

invoking said script in lieu of said scheduling step in response to a subsequently received identical service request.