Apparatus and method for dynamic web service discovery

• US 7,987,163 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Keshavarz-Nia, Navid, Dickerson, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAWSON, DONALD L
• Application Number:
  US12/030,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 717/105, 706/47, 707/694, 707/732, 707/733
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided to dynamically search for available Web services by persistently searching a distributed multi-level UDDI registry chain, interrogating their published technical specifications and enabling the consumer to find, bind, and invoke the desired Web service in real-time and without intervention by the consumer. The search criteria includes identifying candidate published services that fall within an acceptable margin of error based on information previously published within a consumer service profile. The measure of conformance between the registry semantic map and consumer service profile is parameterized and chosen by the consumer in advance. The service profile includes an XML schema which exposes consumer profile metadata and corresponding information sets used by a rules engine for pattern matching purposes.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically discovering services in a multi-tiered distributed registry system comprising:

conducting a search with a rules engine within a chain of one or more service registries based on consumer profile matching criteria contained within a consumer service profile;

generating a result set of replacement services that correspond to a selected service utilized by a service consumer corresponding to the consumer service profile; and

detecting an interruption of the selected service and dynamically selecting a replacement service from the result set to be provided to the service consumer;

wherein the rules engine conducts a stochastic search of the service registries;

wherein the stochastic search conducted by the rules engine determines whether a service is working or not working;

wherein the rules engine further performs a semantic association process to determine similarities between the selected service and services determined to be working;

wherein the rules engine further performs a canonicalization process to generate a consistent representation of the selected service with respect to services that meet the requirements of the semantic association process;

wherein the rules engine further performs a correlation analysis on services subjected to the canonicalization process;

wherein the rules engine further performs a twig pattern analysis on the services subjected to the correlation analysis;

wherein the rules engine performs a variance analysis on the services subjected to the twig pattern analysis; and

wherein the rules engine, if the results of the variance analysis are statistically significant, performs a probability rating process on the services subjected to the variance analysis to assign a probability value to the services, wherein the probability value reflects the probability that a particular service is identical in functionality and characteristics to the selected process.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service registries are UDDI registries in which services are published by a service provider.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rules engine continuously searches the service registries and updates the result set.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rules engine performs a threshold analysis to compare the probability ratings assigned by the probability rating process to a predefined threshold.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the predefined threshold is contained within the consumer service profile.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rules engine performs a prioritization and categorization process on those services having a probability rating that meets the predefined threshold.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rules engine performs a significant assignment process on the services prioritized and categorized by the prioritization and categorization process.

8. An apparatus of dynamically discovering services in a multi-tiered distributed registry system comprising:

at least one service registry storage device;

a rules engine processing device that conducts a search within the service registry storage device for replacement services based on consumer profile matching criteria contained within a consumer service profile and generates a result set of replacement services that correspond to a selected service utilized by a service consumer that corresponds to the consumer service profile; and

means for detecting an interruption of the selected service and dynamically selecting a replacement service from the result set to be provided to the service consumer;

wherein the rules engine conducts a stochastic search of the service registries;

wherein the stochastic search conducted by the rules engine determines whether a service is working or not working;

wherein the rules engine further performs a semantic association process to determine similarities between the selected service and services determined to be working;

wherein the rules engine further performs a canonicalization process to generate a consistent representation of the selected service with respect to services that meet the requirements of the semantic association process;

wherein the rules engine further performs a correlation analysis on services subjected to the canonicalization process;

wherein the rules engine further performs a twig pattern analysis on the services subjected to the correlation analysis;

wherein the rules engine performs a variance analysis on the services subjected to the twig pattern analysis; and

wherein the rules engine, if the results of the variance analysis are statistically significant, performs a probability rating process on the services subjected to the variance analysis to assign a probability value to the services, wherein the probability value reflects the probability that a particular service is identical in functionality and characteristics to the selected process.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the service registries are UDDI registries in which services are published by a service provider.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rules engine continuously searches the service registries and updates the result set.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rules engine performs a threshold analysis to compare the probability ratings assigned by the probability rating process to a predefined threshold.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rules engine performs a prioritization and categorization process on those services having a probability rating that meets the predefined threshold.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rules engine performs a significant assignment process on the services prioritized and categorized by the prioritization and categorization process.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the predefined threshold utilized by the rules engine is contained within the consumer service profile.