METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THROTTLING CALLS TO A SERVICE APPLICATION THROUGH AN OPEN API

• US 20120180021A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Byrd, Nathaniel David, Kirk, Stephen Christopher, Pilling, Cynthia Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems

Abstract

A method and system for throttling a volume of request messages to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform is provided. The SP computer system is in communication with a memory device. The method includes storing a throttling profile for a developer application within the memory device wherein the throttling profile includes at least a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period, receiving at the API platform a request message initiated by the developer application wherein the request message is included within a volume of request messages initiated by the developer application, identifying the request message as being associated with the developer application, retrieving the throttling profile for the developer application, and validating the volume of request messages as complying with the throttling profile.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for throttling a volume of request messages to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform, the SP computer system in communication with a memory device, said method comprising:

storing a throttling profile for a developer application within the memory device, the throttling profile including at least a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period;

receiving at the API platform a request message initiated by the developer application, the request message included within a volume of request messages initiated by the developer application;

identifying the request message as being associated with the developer application;

retrieving the throttling profile for the developer application, the API platform retrieves the throttling profile from the memory device; and

validating the volume of request messages as complying with the throttling profile.

2. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a request message further comprises:

receiving a request message initiated by the developer application, the request message being the most recently received request message of the volume of request messages initiated by the developer application.

3. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing a throttling profile further comprises:

storing a throttling profile including a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period within the memory device, wherein the throttling amount threshold is a predefined number of request messages that may be submitted to the service application for processing within the throttling time period, and wherein the throttling time period restarts upon expiration.

4. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing a throttling profile further comprises storing a throttling profile based on whether the developer application has been assigned premium access or general access to the service application.

5. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing a throttling profile further comprises storing a throttling profile within the memory device, wherein the throttling profile includes a criteria matrix including at least one of:

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe and service application;

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe, service application and developer identity;

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe and developer identity; and

total access across all service applications by timeframe and developer identity.

6. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

storing a counter for the developer application within the memory device, the counter configured to maintain an access count for the developer application, wherein the access count represents a number of times the developer application submits a request message to the service application during the throttling time period.

7. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 6, wherein validating the volume of request messages further comprises:

validating that the throttling time period has not expired;

retrieving, using the API platform, the access count for the developer application from the memory device;

increasing the access count by 1;

storing the increased access count in the memory device as an updated access count; and

comparing, using the API platform, the updated access count to the throttling amount threshold.

8. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 7, wherein comparing the updated access count further comprises:

validating the request message as complying with the throttling profile when the updated access count is not greater than the throttling amount threshold.

9. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 8, wherein validating the request message further comprises:

storing the updated access count in the memory device as a new access count; and

forwarding the developer request message to the service application for processing.

10. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 9, wherein validating the request message further comprises:

setting the new access count to zero when the throttling time period has expired prior to the request message being received; and

setting a new throttling time period expiration.

11. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

forwarding the request message to the service application for processing after validation.

12. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a developer request message further comprises:

receiving the developer request message at the open API platform from a user computer device, wherein the user computer device is associated with a user including at least one of a developer, a consumer, a merchant, an acquirer, a processor and an issuer.

13. A computer system for throttling a volume of request messages to a service application stored within a service owner (SO) computer device, the SO computer device associated with a SO, the computer system comprising:

a memory device for storing data; and

a service provider (SP) computer system comprising a processor and an open application programming interface (API) platform, the SP computer system in communication with the memory device and the SO computer device, said SP computer system programmed to;

store a throttling profile for a developer application within the memory device, the throttling profile including at least a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period;

receive a request message initiated by the developer application, the request message included within a volume of request messages initiated by the developer application;

identify the request message as being associated with the developer application;

retrieve the throttling profile for the developer application, the API platform retrieves the throttling profile from the memory device; and

validate the volume of request messages as complying with the throttling profile.

14. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

receive a request message initiated by the developer application, the request message being the most recently received request message of the volume of request messages initiated by the developer application.

15. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

store a throttling profile including a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period within the memory device, wherein the throttling amount threshold is a predefined number of request messages that may be submitted to the service application for processing within the throttling time period, and wherein the throttling time period restarts upon expiration.

16. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to store a throttling profile based on whether the developer application has been assigned premium access or general access to the service application.

17. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to store a throttling profile within the memory device, wherein the throttling profile includes a criteria matrix including at least one of:

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe and service application;

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe, service application and developer identity;

a throttling amount threshold by timeframe and developer identity; and

total access across all service applications by timeframe and developer identity.

18. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

store a counter for the developer application within the memory device, the counter configured to maintain an access count for the developer application, wherein the access count represents a number of times the developer application submits a request message to the service application during the throttling time period.

19. A computer system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

validate that the throttling time period has not expired;

retrieve the access count for the developer application from the memory device;

increase the access count by 1;

store the increased access count in the memory device as an updated access count; and

compare the updated access count to the throttling amount threshold.

20. A computer system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to validate the request message as complying with the throttling profile when the updated access count is not greater than the throttling amount threshold.

21. A computer system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

store the updated access count in the memory device as a new access count; and

forward the developer request message to the service application for processing.

22. A computer system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

set the new access count to zero when the throttling time period has expired prior to the request message being received; and

set a new throttling time period expiration.

23. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

forward the request message to the service application for processing after validation.

24. A computer system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said SP computer system is further programmed to:

receive the developer request message at the open API platform from a user computer device, wherein the user computer device is associated with a user including at least one of a developer, a consumer, a merchant, an acquirer, a processor and an issuer.

25. One or more computer-readable non-transitory media comprising a computer-executable program that instructs at least one processor to throttle a volume of request messages to a service application stored within a service provider computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform, said computer-executable program comprising at least one code segment that instructs the at least one processor to:

store a throttling profile for a developer application within a memory device, the throttling profile including at least a throttling amount threshold and a throttling time period;

receive a request message initiated by the developer application, the request message included within a volume of request messages initiated by the developer application;

identify the request message as being associated with the developer application;

retrieve the throttling profile for the developer application, the API platform retrieves the throttling profile from the memory device; and

validate the volume of request messages as complying with the throttling profile.