Rating system for web services

• US 20040193696A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Harper, William R. Jr., Howard, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system for rating web services is disclosed. The system includes a computer with a network interface for electronic communications with a communications network. The computer is configured to process rating information input regarding a web service and use the rating information input. The computer is also configured to respond to a request for rating information. The system also includes multiple web services identifications for identifying web services. Web service information that relates to the web services is also included. The web service information is obtained through use of the rating information input.

Claims

1. A system for rating web services, the system comprising:

a computer including a network interface for electronic communications with a communications network, wherein the computer is configured to process rating information input regarding a web service and use the rating information input, and wherein the computer is also configured to respond to a request for rating information;

a plurality of web service identifications for identifying web services; and

web service information that relates to the web services, wherein the web service information was obtained through use of the rating information input.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises a web services provider report.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises a requestor report.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises a third-party monitoring service report.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises out-of-band feedback.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises randomly-generated information.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises observations from the system for rating web services.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input comprises in-band feedback.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the web service information comprises historical data.

10. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the historical data is selected from the group consisting of speed, bandwidth, job size, quality assertions, provider assertions, length of rating history, diversity of rating sources and ratings of rating providers.

11. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a prediction engine for predicting behavior based on prediction inputs.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the prediction inputs are selected from the group consisting of historical data, system dependencies, non-system dependencies and web service parameters.

13. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rating information input regarding a web service is sent to the computer via a computer network.

14. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to respond to a request for rating information sent to the computer from a requestor via a computer network.

15. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to respond to a request for rating information sent to the computer from a requestor via a computer network, and wherein the request for rating information includes a plurality of query inputs.

16. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a web services directory.

17. A system for rating web services, the system comprises:

a processor;

a network interface in electronic communication with the processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor for storing data;

program instructions stored in the memory and implementing a method to process rating information input regarding a web service, to use the rating information input, and to respond to a request for rating information;

a plurality of web service identifications for identifying web services; and

web service information that relates to the web services, wherein the web service information was obtained through use of the rating information input.

18. A method for rating a web service from a provider, the method comprising:

receiving rating information input regarding a web service;

using the rating information input to update web service information that relates to the web service;

receiving a request for rating information;

accessing the web service information;

preparing a response to the request for rating information; and

sending the response to the request for rating information.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises a web services provider report.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises a requester report.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises a third-party monitoring service report.

22. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises out-of-band feedback.

23. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises randomly-generated information.

24. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises observations from a system for rating web services.

25. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input comprises in-band feedback.

26. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the web service information comprises historical data.

27. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein the historical data is selected from the group consisting of speed, bandwidth, job size, quality assertions, provider assertions, length of rating history, diversity of rating sources and ratings of rating providers.

28. The method as defined in claim 26, further comprising predicting behavior based on prediction inputs.

29. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the prediction inputs are selected from the group consisting of the historical data, system dependencies, non-system dependencies and web service parameters.

30. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the rating information input regarding a web service is sent via a computer network.

31. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the request for rating information includes a plurality of query inputs.

32. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method in a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving rating information input regarding a web service;

using the rating information input to update web service information that relates to the web service;

receiving a request for rating information;

accessing the web service information;

preparing a response to the request for rating information; and

sending the response to the request for rating information.