Method and apparatus for operating an open API network having a proxy

• US 7,426,737 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Panken, Franciscus Josephus Maria, Hellenthal, Jan Willem
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van H
• Application Number:
  US10/764,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 719/318, 719/320, 719/328, 719/330, 709/217, 709/219, 709/224, 709/226, 709/203, 370/465, 370/469, 379/201.03
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A telecommunication system, method, apparatus, and computer readable media that implements an open application program interface (API) system in which open API servers pass and receive API commands to applications through a novel proxy. The proxy assists implementing various management functions, such as assigning open API servers to application and monitoring the overall system, and service contract control, all beneficially in a transparent manner. The proxy enables the telecommunication system to handle geographically diverse applications and open API servers. All API command can, but need not, pass through the proxy.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of open API servers adapted for communicating with a plurality of user devices and for sending and receiving application programming interface commands; and

a proxy comprising a processor and a memory, said proxy adapted for receiving said application programming interface commands from said open API servers, for sending said application programming interface commands received from said open API servers to an application, for receiving responses from said application, and for sending said received responses to said open API servers;

wherein said proxy processes service contract terms to determine local service contract implementation parameters for each of the open API servers and sends the local service contract implementation parameters to the respective open API servers, wherein the local service contract implementation parameters sent to the open API servers direct the open API servers to implement local service contract terms;

wherein each of said open API servers controls sending application programming interface commands based on the respective local service contract implementation parameters sent to the open API servers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said service contract terms and said local service contract implementation parameters are related to a service contract.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a database for storing control parameters, wherein said proxy accesses and processes said stored control parameters to form said local service contract implementation parameters.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a registration and discovery device that receives control parameters, wherein said proxy processes said stored control parameters to form said local service contract implementation parameters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a computer readable media for storing program information that at least partially controls said proxy to produce said local service contract implementation parameters.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said open API servers is adapted for requesting modified local service contract implementation parameters based on service usage.

7. A method of operating a telecommunication network, comprising:

obtaining service contract terms by a proxy, wherein said proxy includes a processor and a memory;

storing the obtained service contract terms in said memory;

processing the service contract terms to determine local service contract implementation parameters for each of a plurality of open API servers;

sending said local service contract implementation parameters to said respective open API servers, wherein the respective local service contract implementation parameters sent to the open API servers direct the open API servers to implement local service contract terms;

receiving application programming interface commands from the open API servers, wherein each open API server sends said application programming interface commands based on the respective local service contract implementation parameters sent to the open API servers;

passing said received application programming interface commands received from said open API servers to at least one application;

receiving responses from said application; and

sending said received responses to said open API servers.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

identifying, at said one of said open API servers, a condition requiring modification of at least one of said local service contract terms associated with said one of said open API servers; and

sending said at least one request to modify said at least one of said local service contract terms.