METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTEXT-BASED SERVICE LOOK UP

• US 20080243535A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dolivo, Francois Bernard, Binding, Carl, Hermann, Reto Josef, Hoertnagl, Christian, Schade, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5015 Service provider selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a context-based service look up, wherein a service instance, having a scope includes at least one service instance data set having a hierarchy of levels. A service consumer data set, having a hierarchy of levels is received from a service consumer, having a situation. Comparisons are made of each service consumer data set with each service instance data set, for the same level. Dependent on results of the comparisons, it is determined whether said situation of said service consumer matches said scope of said service instance.

Claims

1. A method for a context-based service lookup that includes a service instance having a scope, including at least one service instance data set having a hierarchical state structure, with each state of each hierarchy level contained in the respective higher-level state of the hierarchy, the method comprising:

receiving from a service consumer having a situation, at least one service consumer data set having said hierarchical state structure, wherein said service instance data set contains an amount of state levels independent from an amount of levels contained in said service consumer data set;

comparing each service consumer data set with each service instance data set by performing comparisons of the respective state values of states of the same level of hierarchy;

aggregating the results of the comparisons; and

determining, depending on the aggregate results, if said situation of said service consumer matches said scope of said service instance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said comparing comprises comparing the respective state values of states of the same level of hierarchy starting with the highest level in the hierarchy and then going down the hierarchy until the lowest level state in the hierarchy of either of said service consumer data set or said service instance data set has been compared.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning a match value to a compare variable, if said state values of said respective states of the same level in the hierarchy of said service consumer data set and said service instance data set match each other or if both have a wild card value or if only said state value of said respective state of said service instance data set has said wild card value.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising accumulating said results of the comparisons by first initializing an accumulation variable with said match value, and then keeping said match value for the accumulation variable only as long as while going down the state hierarchy,

wherein said compare variable has said match value.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said aggregating further comprises first initializing an aggregation variable with said match value, and then keeping said match value of said aggregation variable only as long as said accumulation variable has said match value after said comparison of the respective service consumer data set with the respective service instance data set.

6. The method according to one of the claim 3, wherein said aggregating further comprises assigning a partial match value to said compare variable, if only said state value of said respective state of said service consumer data set has said wildcard value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said aggregating further comprises assigning said partial match value to said accumulation variable, if, while going down said state hierarchy the compare variable has said match value, or said partial match value and said accumulation variable has said match value or said partial match value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said aggregating further comprises assigning said partial match value to said aggregation variable, if, while aggregating said results of said comparison of each respective service consumer data set with each respective service instance data set:

said aggregation variable has said match value and said accumulation value has said partial match value or a fail value;

said aggregation variable has said partial match value;

or

said aggregation variable has said fail value and said accumulation variable has said match value or said partial-match value, and otherwise assigning to said aggregation variable said fail value.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said states comprise locations or time intervals.

19. A computer program element comprising a computer program code means which, when loaded in a processor of a data processing system, configures the processor to perform a method comprising the steps recited in claims 1.

20. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code for a context-based service look up, said program code including instructions for causing a server to implement a method, comprising the steps recited in claims 1.

10. An apparatus for a context-based service lookup, the apparatus comprising:

a service instance, having a scope, comprising at least one service instance data set having a hierarchical state structure, with each state of each hierarchy level being contained in the respective higher level state of hierarchy,

wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive from a service consumer, having a situation, at least one service consumer data set having said hierarchical state structure, and

wherein said service instance data set contains an amount of hierarchy levels which are independent from an amount of hierarchy levels contained in said service consumer data set, and

wherein the apparatus is further designed to perform comparisons of each service consumer data set with each service instance data set by comparing the respective state values of states of the same hierarchy level, and aggregate the results of the comparisons, and determine, depending on the aggregate results, whether said situation of said service consumer matches said scope of said service instance.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said comparing of the respective state values of states of the same hierarchy level comprises starting with the highest level in hierarchy and then going down the hierarchy until the lowest level in hierarchy state of either of said service consumer data set or said service instance data set has been compared.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is adapted to assign a match value to a compare variable, if said state values of said respective states of the same hierarchy of said service consumer data set and said service instance data set match each other, or if both have a wild card value, or if only said state value of said respective state of said service instance data set has said wild card value.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is adapted to accumulate said comparison results by first initializing an accumulation variable with said match value, second keeping said match value for the accumulation variable only as long as while going down the state hierarchy, said compare variable has said match value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is adapted to aggregate the results of the comparison of each respective service consumer data set with each respective service instance data set by first initializing an aggregation variable with said match value, and then keeping said match value of said aggregation variable only as long as said accumulation variable has said match value after said comparison of the respective service consumer data set with the respective service instance data set.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is adapted to assign a partial match value to said compare variable, if only said state value of said respective state of said service consumer data set has said wildcard value.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus is adapted to assign said partial match value to said accumulation variable if, while going down said state hierarchy, the compare variable has said match value or said partial match value, and said accumulation variable has said match value or said partial match value.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is adapted to assign said partial match value to said aggregation variable if, while aggregating said results of said full comparison of each respective service consumer data set with each respective service instance data set:

said aggregation variable has said match value and said accumulation value has said partial match value or a fail value;

said aggregation variable has said partial match value;

or

said aggregation variable has said fail value and said accumulation variable has said match value, or said partial match value, and otherwise assigning to said aggregation variable said fail value.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said states comprise locations or time intervals.

21. A method of equipping a client system with a context-based service lookup, comprising:

providing the system capable of;

comparing each service consumer data set of a service consumer with each service instance data set of a service instance by comparing respective state values of states of the same level of hierarchy of said service consumer data set or said service instance data set, starting with the highest level in the hierarchy and then going down the hierarchy;

aggregating the results of the comparisons of each respective service consumer data set with each respective service instance data set; and

determining, depending on the aggregate results, whether a situation of said service consumer matches a scope of said service instance.