Method for automatic creation and configuration of license models and policies

• US 20050071276A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kussmaul, Timo, Kuebler, Dietmar, Bruchlos, Joachim, Hagmeier, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 10,521,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

The present invention refers to the field of networked computer telecommunication, and in particular to a method and system for processing services associated with a contract between a service requester (SC) and a service provider (SP) wherein said services are to be provided via a network, wherein at least one service contract is defined between said service requester and said service provider. In order to improve the processing of web services, license management facilities (75A) are included into the prior art method cooperating closely with a Contract Management component (74A) and a Service Metering Component (76A). Preferably, a plurality of different license types are provided for selection to be used, which may further be combined also, in order to match best the needs of a customer.

Claims

1. A method for processing services associated with a contract between a service requester (SC) and a service provider (SP) wherein said services are to be provided via a network, wherein at least one service contract is defined between said service requester and said service provider, characterized by the steps of:

a) in case of a valid contract and on an incoming service request, reading predefined license condition data concluded between said service requester (SC) and said service provider (SP) from a first data source,

b) reading usage information characterizing the usage of services provided currently or prior to the current service request from a second data source,

c) checking by aid of said usage information, if said license condition data allows the provision of the requested service,

d) initialize the provision of said requested service, if it is allowed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said license condition data comprises at least one license type selected from a group of predefined different license types.

3. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one license type is selected from the group of:

a) consumptive license type,

b) concurrent license type,

c) time-based license type,

d) person-ralated license type,

e) restriction-free license type, or

f) usage-condition license type.

4. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein a valid license can be combined from one or more of said different license types.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a definition of a license is part of a contract-describing XML-document.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a metering software component is defined for metering the technical details of the requested services, further comprising the step of:

a) processing metering data associated with the current contract ID,

b) including said metering data into the checking step, if or if not to allow a service provision.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a license verification program module is used having a modular structure for each license type.

8. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said license verification program module comprises software interfaces to a Contract Management software component, and to said Metering component.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a Profile Service, a Contracting Service, and a Metering Service is operated remotely by the Service Provider with respective separated database application systems, and wherein said Services interact with respective Handler components resident in an Application Server at the Service Provider site.

11. A computer program for execution in a data processing system comprising computer program code portions for performing respective steps of the method according to anyone of the preceding claims 1,

when said computer program code portions are executed on a computer.

12. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform the method of anyone of the claims 1,

when said computer program product is executed on a computer.

10. An application server system for processing services associated with a contract between a service requester (SC) and a service provider (SP), wherein said services are to be provided via a network, wherein at least one service contract is defined between said service requester and said service provider, comprising a functional component for performing the steps of:

a) in case of a valid contract and on an incoming service request, reading predefined license condition data concluded between said service requester (SC) and said service provider (SP) from a first data source,

b) reading usage information characterizing the usage of services provided currently or prior to the current service request from a second data source,

c) checking by aid of said usage information, if said license condition data allows the provision of the requested service,

d) initialize the provision of said requested service, if it is allowed.