Uniform resource discovery provider

• US 20050187924A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sather, Dale A., Brubacher, Douglas K., Ayala, Roland J., Lipe, Ralph Allen
• Application Number:
  US11/061,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5015 Service provider selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A request is received for one or more function instances. The request specifies a resource category. A resource provider is selected from a plurality of resource providers based on the resource category. One or more function instances are created by the selected resource provider to satisfy the request. Each of the created function instance is associated with a resource and specifies resource metadata and activation data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for one or more function instances, the request specifying a resource category;

selecting a resource provider from a plurality of resource providers based on the resource category;

creating one or more function instances that satisfy the request using the selected resource provider, each created function instance being associated with a resource and specifying resource metadata and activation data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request further specifies a resource subcategory and wherein creating one or more function instances is based at least on the resource subcategory.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the creating one or more function instances further comprises using an application programming interface associated with the resource.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request further specifies criteria and wherein the creating one or more function instances further comprises filtering the function instances using the criteria.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected resource provider is associated with a mapped function instance provider.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected resource provider is associated with Plug and Play resources.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected resource provider is associated with Simple Service Discovery Protocol resources.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected resource provider is associated with Universal Plug and Play resources.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected resource provider is associated with Web Service Discovery resources.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the resource metadata is based on metadata associated with the resource and on metadata associated with the resource provider.

11. One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, implement the following acts:

selecting a resource provider from a plurality of resource providers based on a request indicating a specified resource category, each resource provider being associated with a predetermined type of resource;

enumerating resources associated with the selected resource provider using the selected resource provider; and

creating at least one function instance that satisfies the request using the selected resource provider, the at least one function instance being associated with a resource and specifying resource metadata and activation data.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the request further specifies a resource subcategory and wherein the act of creating the at least one function instance is based at least on the resource subcategory.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the act of creating the at least one function instance further comprises using an application programming interface associated with the resource.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the request further specifies criteria and wherein the at least one function instance further comprises filtering the function instances associated with the selected resource provider using the criteria.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of resource providers is a mapped function instance provider.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of resource providers is a mapped function instance provider and one of the plurality of resource providers is associated with Plug and Play type resources.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of resource providers is a mapped function instance provider, one of the plurality of resource providers is associated with Plug and Play type resources, and one of the plurality of resource providers is associated with Simple Service Discovery Protocol type resources.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein resource metadata is based on metadata associated with a resource and on metadata associated with a resource provider.

19. A system including:

means for receiving a request for one or more function instances, the request specifying a resource category; and

means for selecting a resource provider from a plurality of resource providers based on the specified resource category, the selected resource provider creating one or more function instances that satisfy the request, each created function instance being associated with a resource and specifying resource metadata and activation data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of resource providers includes a mapped function instance provider.