Apparatus and methods for provisioning services
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for provisioning services, the method comprising:
- providing a service manager system operable to mediate messages sent with respect to a plurality of services of a plurality of different providers, wherein the services include different sets of one or more computer applications;
receiving a first offer pertaining to a first service and a second offer pertaining to a second service that includes one or more computer applications that differ from the one or more computer applications of the first service, the first offer being provided by a first provider of the first service to which the first offer pertains and being transmitted from a first device to the service manager system, the second offer being provided by a second provider of the second service to which the second offer pertain and being transmitted from a second device to the service manager system;
receiving identifying information regarding one or more first invitees to be invited to access the first service of the first offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees being transmitted from the first device to the service manager system, and receiving identifying information regarding one or more second invitees to be invited to access the second service of the second offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees being transmitted from the second device to the serve manager system;
in response to receipt of the first offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more first invitees to access the first service of the first offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees; and
in response to receipt of the second offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more second invitees to access the second service of the second offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for effectively provisioning services for access by other entities or services. In general, a service manager is configured to manage the provisioning of services between remote entities within a computer network. In general terms, a remote entity offers a service to another remote entity through the service manager. The service manager facilitates formation of the offer to one or more Invitee(s) specified by the service provider. After an offer is formed, it may then be provided to the specified Invitee(s). After an Invitee receives an offer, the Invitee may accept the offer through the service manager or let the offer expire. The service manager also preferably tracks the status of each offer and whether each specified Invitee has accepted such offer. After an Invitee accepts an offer, the service manager preferably records information sufficient for the Invitee to use the offered service.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method for provisioning services, the method comprising:
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providing a service manager system operable to mediate messages sent with respect to a plurality of services of a plurality of different providers, wherein the services include different sets of one or more computer applications; receiving a first offer pertaining to a first service and a second offer pertaining to a second service that includes one or more computer applications that differ from the one or more computer applications of the first service, the first offer being provided by a first provider of the first service to which the first offer pertains and being transmitted from a first device to the service manager system, the second offer being provided by a second provider of the second service to which the second offer pertain and being transmitted from a second device to the service manager system; receiving identifying information regarding one or more first invitees to be invited to access the first service of the first offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees being transmitted from the first device to the service manager system, and receiving identifying information regarding one or more second invitees to be invited to access the second service of the second offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees being transmitted from the second device to the serve manager system; in response to receipt of the first offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more first invitees to access the first service of the first offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees; and in response to receipt of the second offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more second invitees to access the second service of the second offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system operable to provisioning services within a message interchange network, the computer system comprising:
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a service manager system operable to mediate messages sent with respect to a plurality of services of a plurality of different providers, wherein the services include different sets of one or more computer applications; one or more processors associated with the service manager system; one or more memory associated with the service manager system receiving a first offer pertaining to a first service and a second offer pertaining to a second service includes one or more computer applications that differ from the one or more computer applications of the first service, the first offer being provided by a first provider of the first service to which the first offer pertains and being transmitted from a first device to the service manager system, the second offer being provided by a second provider of the second service to which the second offer pertain and being transmitted from a second device to the service manager system; receiving identifying information regarding one or more first invitees to be invited to access the first service of the first offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees being transmitted from the first device to the service manager system, and receiving identifying information regarding one or more second invitees to be invited to access the second service of the second offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees being transmitted from the second device to the serve manager system; in response to receipt of the first offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more first invitees to access the first service of the first offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees; and in response to receipt of the second offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees, providing by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more second invitees to access the second service of the second offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer program product, stored on a machine-readable medium, for provisioning services within a message interchange network, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause a computer to:
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in a service manager system operable to mediate messages sent with respect to a plurality of services of a plurality of different providers, wherein the services include different sets of one or more computer applications, receive a first offer pertaining to a first service and a second offer pertaining to a second service that includes one or more computer applications that differ from the one or more computer applications of the first service, the first offer being provided by a first provider of the first service to which the first offer pertains and being transmitted from a first device to the service manager system, the second offer being provided by a second provider of the second service to which the second offer pertain and being transmitted from a second device to the service manager system; receive identifying information regarding one or more first invitees to be invited to access the first service of the first offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees being transmitted from the first device to the service manager system, and receive identifying information regarding one or more second invitees to be invited to access the second service of the second offer, the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees being transmitted from the second device to the serve manager system; in response to receipt of the first offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees, provide by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more first invitees to access the first service of the first offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more first invitees; and in response to receipt of the second offer and the identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees, provide by the service manager system an invitation to each of the one or more second invitees to access the second service of the second offer through the service manager system and based on the received identifying information regarding the one or more second invitees. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification