Method and apparatus for discovery of dynamic network services
First Claim
1. A method implemented in a computer system acting as a directory node, connected to a network, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a query from a user requesting information for a service, the query specifying a service category associated with the service;
determining, based on the service category, if there is at least one stored service record of at least one service provider having an associated service category that satisfies the query, wherein each service record comprises at least service description information and access information and wherein said stored service record is selected for storage by comparing said service description information to said associated service category; and
communicating to the user one or more service records associated with the service, in response to said determining step.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A framework of a service directory that can handle service records changing rapidly is provided by using a content-based routing network. A directory node for providing the service directory is called a data resolver. The data resolver listens for service advertisements for certain service categories from service providers, and stores such advertisement data in the form of service records in a local cache. If a data resolver receives a query for some services, it first looks in the cache. If the cache contains at least one service record that satisfies the query, the data resolver returns the record. Otherwise, the data resolver issues a secondary query corresponding to the query it received, to other data resolvers connected by the content-based routing network. Simultaneously, the data resolver begins listening for service advertisements (service records) from other data resolvers on the content-based routing network.
144 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method implemented in a computer system acting as a directory node, connected to a network, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a query from a user requesting information for a service, the query specifying a service category associated with the service; determining, based on the service category, if there is at least one stored service record of at least one service provider having an associated service category that satisfies the query, wherein each service record comprises at least service description information and access information and wherein said stored service record is selected for storage by comparing said service description information to said associated service category; and communicating to the user one or more service records associated with the service, in response to said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method implemented in a computer system acting as a directory node, connected to a computer network, to manage service records in at least one specific service category, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at said directory node, an advertisement for service including a service record from a service provider, said service provider being remote from said directory node and the service record specifying at least one service category, wherein each service record comprises at least service description information and access information; determining if a specified service category is within the scope of at least one specific service category for which said directory node manages service records which are transmitted to a requesting user, wherein said determining comprises comparing service description information with said at least one service category; and storing the service record at said directory node, responsive to a determination that the specified service category is within the scope of said at least one specific service category. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus acting as a directory node, connected to a computer network, to manage service records, said apparatus comprising:
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a storage to store a service record received from a service provider, the service record comprising at least service description information and access information and relating to at least one service category which is within the scope of at least one specific service category for which said directory node manages service records; and a service record manager to manage the service record stored in the storage in association with said at least one specific service category, wherein said manager comprises a categorizer and comparison component to determine if a received service record relates to a service category which is within the scope of at least one specific service category that is managed by said directory node by comparing said service description information to said at least one specific category; and a communicator to communicate to the user one or more service records associated with the service, in response to said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification