Management and arbitration of mobile service discovery

• US 7,930,214 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Knauerhase, Robert C., Robinson, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levine; Adam
• Application Number:
  US10/430,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,906 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/5, 705/6, 705/13, 705400-499, 709230-237
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893

Abstract

A Registry, such as a UDDI registry, dynamically manages (e.g. filters and/or re-orders) answers to service queries by Service Consumers based at least on one or more of the individual states/status of Service Providers, the collective service environment state, and policies employed by the environment. The Registry may be configured to infer operational state/status about a Service Provider, such as impending unavailability due to very low battery reserves, and to remove providers from the registry if determined to be unavailable. The Registry may be configured to associate a shelf-life with a provider registration based on characteristics of the Service Provider, or based on past experience with the Service Provider. Such dynamic management allows the Registry to implement intelligent task distribution and load balancing between Service Providers, and to insulate Service Providers on fragile platforms (e.g. notebooks, handhelds, etc.) that may otherwise be overwhelmed by offering themselves as a traditional provider.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a host machine, a service request from one of a plurality of service consumer devices for a service, wherein the host machine includes a microprocessor, a random access memory, and a body configured to physically host the microprocessor and the random access memory;

identifying, by the host machine, service providers registered with a service registry operated by the host machine to provide the requested service;

selecting, by the host machine, a service provider best able to provide the service from the identified service providers, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on meta-data associated with the identified service providers;

receiving, by the host machine, notification from at least the one of the plurality of service consumer devices about unavailability of one of the identified service providers;

determining, by the host machine, that the one of the plurality of service consumer devices is trusted;

de-registering, by the host machine, the unavailable identified service provider from the service registry responsive to said receiving of notification from the one of the plurality of service consumer devices that is trusted; and

adding the de-registered service provider to a check status list for later testing for availability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said meta-data associated with registered service providers comprises an identification of energy available thereto, and wherein said selecting is based on service provider energy availability.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying, by the host machine, the registered service provider for updated meta-data for the registered service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the host machine, a publication from the service provider for at least services offered by the service provider;

registering, by the host machine, the service provider;

determining, by the host machine, for each service provider registration, meta-data describing characteristics of the service provider;

associating, by the host machine, the meta-data with said registration of the service provider.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving from the service provider, by the host machine, at least meta-data of the service provider, when receiving the publication from the service provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service registry is a UDDI registry.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating, by the host machine, a shelf-life with service provider registrations.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

tangible non-transitory machine-accessible media; and

a plurality of programming instructions stored on the machine-accessible media and configured to program a host machine having a processor and a memory, and enable the host machine, in response to execution of the instructions by the host machine, to service a plurality of service consumer devices, including performing operations to

receive a service request from one of the service consumer devices for a service;

identify service providers registered with a service registry operated by the host machine to provide the requested service;

select a service provider best able to provide the service from the identified service providers, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on meta-data associated with the identified service providers;

identify said selected service provider to the one of the service consumer devices;

receive notification from at least the one of the service consumer devices about unavailability of one of the identified service provider;

determine that the one of the service consumer devices is trusted;

de-register the unavailable identified service provider from the service registry responsive to said receiving of notification from the one of the service consumer devices that is trusted; and

add the de-registered service provider to a check status list for later testing for availability.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein performing operations further include performing operations to

receive a publication from the service provider for at least services offered by the service provider;

register the service provider;

determine for each service provider registration, meta-data describing characteristics of the service provider;

associate the meta-data with said registration of the service provider.

10. A host machine for servicing a plurality of service consumer devices, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a random access memory coupled to the microprocessor,

a body configured to physically host the microprocessor and the random access memory;

and

logic operated by the processor and adapted to

receive a publication from one or more service providers configured to offer a service;

register the one or more service providers with a service registry operated by the host machine;

determine, for each service provider registration, meta-data describing characteristics of the one or more service providers;

associate the meta-data with the one or more service providers;

receive a service request from one of the service consumer devices for the service offered by the one or more service providers,

identify the one or more service providers;

select one of the one or more service providers best able to provide the service, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on said meta-data associated with the one or more service providers;

receive notification from at least the one of the service consumer devices about unavailability of one of the one or more service providers;

determine that the one of the service consumer devices is trusted;

de-register the unavailable identified service provider from the service registry responsive to said receiving of notification from the one of the service consumer devices that is trusted; and

adding the de-registered service provider to a check status list for later testing for availability.

11. The host machine of claim 10, wherein the logic is further adapted to apply policies to meta-data of registered service providers to facilitate said selecting the service provider best able to provide for the particular service request.