ELECTRONIC MARKETPLACE FOR HOSTED SERVICE IMAGES

• US 20130085892A1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thimsen, John Daniel, Tyra, Andrew S., Zipkin, David, Hanold, Terrance D., Golden, Manine R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.62
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed which facilitate providing a marketplace for acquisition of service images to be executed in a hosted computing environment. Service image providers submit service images for inclusion in the service image marketplace. Providers may further specify pricing and usage conditions associated with the service images. Customers browse and select service images for hosting on either the marketplace hosted computing environment, or an alternate hosted computing environment. If necessary, customers may submit payment information. The service image marketplace may monitor usage of hosted service images and bill customers according to use.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a marketplace for service images comprising:

receiving at least one service image and associated pricing information from each of a plurality of providers and an operator of the marketplace, wherein each service image, when executed on a hosted computing environment, implements one or more network accessible services;

storing each received service image and associated pricing information in an electronic catalog, the electronic catalog being accessible to search for one or more service images for execution on a hosted computing environment;

providing, to a computing device associated with a customer, access to the electronic catalog for searching for one or more service images for execution on a hosted computing environment;

receiving, from the computing device associated with the customer, a selection of a service image stored in the electronic catalog;

causing the selected service image to be executed within a hosted computing environment, such that the one or more network accessible services corresponding to the selected service image are implemented; and

providing, to the computing device associated with the customer, access to the implemented one or more network accessible services corresponding to the selected service image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing, to the computing device associated with the customer, access to the electronic catalog comprises providing information associated with each service image stored in the electronic catalog, the provided information corresponding to at least one of the pricing information associated with the service image, reviews of the service image, recommendations for other service images, and reliability information associated with the service image.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the associated pricing information comprises at least one of a one-time price associated with the service image, a monthly price associated with the service image, and an hourly price associated with the service image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing the selected service image to be executed within the hosted computing environment includes causing the selected service image to be executed by a virtual computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hosted computing environment is at least one of a hosted computing environment associated with a provider of a service image and a hosted computing environment associated with the operator of the marketplace.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected service image includes at least one application program.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of service images is associated with usage conditions, and wherein providing, to the computing device associated with the customer, access to the implemented one or more services corresponding to the selected service image comprises determining that the customer has satisfied the usage conditions associated with the selected service image.

8. A system for providing a marketplace for service images comprising:

at least one electronic catalog configured to store a plurality of service images and associated pricing information, each service image capable of being executed on a hosted computing environment, the electronic catalog accessible to search for one or more service images for execution on the hosted computing environment; and

a marketplace computing device in communication with the at least one electronic catalog, the computing device configured to;

generate a user interface that presents to a customer computing device information regarding each of the plurality of service images stored in the electronic catalog, wherein for each of the plurality of services images said information comprises a price associated with the service;

receive from the customer computing device a selection of a service image from the user interface; and

cause the selected service image to be executed by the hosted computing environment, such that the one or more services corresponding to the selected service image are implemented by the hosted computing environment.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one electronic service image catalog is further configured to store, for each of the plurality of service images, usage conditions associated with the service image, and wherein the marketplace computing device is further configured to, prior to causing the selected service image to be executed by the hosted computing environment, verify that the customer has accepted the usage conditions associated with the selected service image.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the marketplace computing device is further configured to receive from the customer computing device a selection of additional entities which may access the implemented one or more services corresponding to the selected service image, and transmit to hosted computing environment information corresponding to the additional entities.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a usage monitoring computing device configured to determine a usage of the implemented one or more services; and

a billing computing device in communication with the usage monitoring computing device, the billing computing device configured to;

determine a cost corresponding to the selected service image based at least in part on the determined usage of the implemented one or more services and on pricing information associated with the selected service image; and

bill the customer according to the determined cost.

12. The system of claim 11, the billing computing device further configured to provide a payment to the provider associated with the selected service image, the payment determined based in part on the determined cost.

13. The system of claim 11 the billing computing device further operative to obtain a payment from the customer according to the determined cost, and provide a payment to the provider associated with the selected service image.

14. The system of claim 8, the marketplace computing device further configured to receive from the customer a selection of an additional number of computing devices on which to execute the selected service image and to cause the selected service image to be executed by the additional number of computing devices within the hosted computing environment.

15. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having computer-executable modules for generating a marketplace for service images, the computer-executable modules comprising:

a marketplace module in communication with at least one service image catalog configured to store a plurality of service images, each service image capable of being executed by a hosted computing environment, the electronic service image catalog accessible to search for one or more service images for execution on the hosted computing environment, the marketplace module configured to;

generate a user interface that presents to a customer computing device information regarding each of the plurality of service images stored in the electronic service image catalog, wherein said information for each of the plurality of service images comprises a price associated with the service image;

receive from the customer computing device a selection of a service image from the user interface; and

cause the selected service image to be executed the hosted computing environment, such that the one or more services corresponding to the selected service image are implemented by the hosted computing environment.

16. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the user interface further includes, for each of the plurality of service images, information associated with the service image, the information corresponding to at least one of the pricing information associated with the service image, reviews of the service image, recommendations for other service images, and reliability information associated with the service image.

17. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the price associated with each of the plurality of service images corresponds to at least one of a one-time price associated with the service image, a monthly price associated with the service image, and an hourly price associated with the service image.

18. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15 wherein the marketplace module is further configured to receive from the customer computing device a selection of additional entities which may access the implemented one or more services corresponding to the selected service image, and transmit to the hosted computing environment information corresponding to the additional entities.

19. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15 further comprising:

a usage monitoring module configured to determine a usage of the implemented one or more services; and

a billing module in communication with the usage monitoring module, the billing module configured to;

determine a cost corresponding to the selected service image based at least in part on the determined usage of the implemented one or more services and on the pricing information associated with the selected service image; and

bill the customer associated with the customer computing device according to the determined cost.

20. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 19, the billing computing device further configured to obtain a payment from the customer according to the determined cost, and provide a payment to the provider associated with the selected service image.

21. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 16, the marketplace module further configured to receive from the customer computing device a selection of an additional number of computing devices on which to execute the selected service image and to cause the selected service image to be executed by the additional number of computing devices within the hosted computing environment.

22. A computer-implemented method for providing a marketplace for service images comprising:

maintaining a searchable electronic catalog comprising a plurality of service images, each service image of the plurality of service images executable on a hosted computing environment to implement one or more network accessible services;

in response to a request from a customer computing device, transmitting to the customer computing device information regarding at least one service image stored in the electronic service image catalog for presentation on the customer computing device;

receiving from the customer computing device a selection of the at least one service image from the searchable electronic catalog;

causing the selected service image to be executed within the hosted computing environment, such that the one or more network accessible services corresponding to the selected service image are implemented; and

providing, to the customer computing device, access to the implemented one or more network accessible services corresponding to the selected service image.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the maintained searchable electronic catalog further comprises, for each of the plurality of service images, at least one of pricing information associated with the service image and usage conditions associated with the service image.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein causing the selected service image to be executed within the hosted computing environment includes causing the selected service image to be executed by a virtual computing device.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the hosted computing environment is at least one of a hosted computing environment associated with a provider of a service image and a hosted computing environment associated with the electronic service image catalog.