Method and system for providing access to remotely hosted services through a normalized application programming interface

• US 8,190,675 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: inDitto LLC
• Original Assignee: inDitto LLC
• Inventors: Tribbett, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US12/726,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

A server system having one or more processors and memory receives, from a client, a generic request to access remotely hosted services. The server system identifies a plurality of respective remotely hosted services that are each associated with a respective API. For each respective remotely hosted service, the server system translates the generic request to a respective API-specific request to access the respective remotely hosted service using API-specific parameters and sends the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service. In response to the requests, the server system receives, from a plurality of the respective remotely hosted services, respective API-specific responses, where a respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes respective content. The server system generates a final response that includes content from two or more of the API-specific responses and transmits the final response to the client.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory;

receiving, from a client, a generic request to access remotely hosted services, wherein the generic request uses generic parameters;

identifying a plurality of respective remotely hosted services that correspond to the generic request, wherein the remotely hosted services are each associated with a respective Application Programming Interface (API);

for each respective remotely hosted service, translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request to access the respective remotely hosted service using API-specific parameters, wherein;

the API-specific request and the API-specific parameters are specific to the respective API of the respective remotely hosted service; and

the translating includes, for a respective generic parameter in the generic request, identifying a corresponding respective API-specific parameter in an API database storing information about API-specific parameters for multiple distinct remotely hosted services, including the respective remotely hosted service, and using the corresponding respective API-specific parameter in place of the respective generic parameter in the respective API-specific request;

for each of the plurality respective remotely hosted services, sending the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service;

in response to the requests, receiving, from a plurality of the respective remotely hosted services, respective API-specific responses, where a respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes respective content;

generating a final response that includes content from two or more of the API-specific responses; and

transmitting, to the client, the final response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic request includes a request to perform a generic-named operation, and translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the request to perform the generic-named operation to an API-specific request to perform an API-specific-named operation at the respective remotely hosted service, wherein the API-specific-named operation is analogous to the generic-named operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the generic request includes a request to perform an operation using a generic name for the operation;

translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the generic name for the operation to an API-specific name for the operation; and

sending the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service includes sending, to the respective remotely hosted service, a request to perform the operation using the API-specific name for the operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:

communicating with the client using a first predefined communication protocol to receive the generic request and to send the final response; and

communicating with a respective remotely hosted service using a second predefined communication protocol that is distinct from the first predefined communication protocol to send a respective API-specific request and to receive a respective API-specific response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a user account is stored at the server system, the user account including previously registered user-supplied security credentials associated with a particular remotely hosted service; and

sending a particular API-specific request from the server system to the particular remotely hosted service includes authenticating the particular API-specific request using the user-supplied security credentials for the particular remotely hosted service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic request includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a user account associated with the generic request includes a definition for a command;

the definition for the command includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services; and

the generic request is associated with the user account and includes the command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending respective API-specific requests to the respective remotely hosted services includes:

sending a first API-specific request to a first remotely hosted service;

receiving a first API-specific response from the first remotely hosted service;

sending a second API-specific request to a second remotely hosted service that is distinct from the first remotely hosted service, wherein the second API-specific request is based at least in part on the first API-specific response; and

receiving a second API-specific response from the second remotely hosted service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes one or more respective API-specific return parameters; and

the method includes translating the one or more respective API-specific return parameters into generic return parameters.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the final response includes:

for each of the respective API-specific responses, translating the API-specific response to a respective generic response; and

combining a plurality of the respective generic responses from a plurality of distinct remotely hosted services to generate the final response.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

each of the respective API-specific responses includes at least one API-specific return parameter; and

translating a respective API-specific response from a respective remotely hosted service to a respective generic response includes;

retrieving, from the API database, information about formatting of responses from the respective remotely hosted service; and

converting the respective API-specific return parameter to a generic return parameter in accordance with the information retrieved from the API database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes processing multiple respective API-specific responses without modifying the content of the multiple respective API-specific responses, and the final response includes the unmodified content of the multiple respective API-specific responses.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the final response is in a customized response format specified by a user of the client.

14. A server system for providing normalized access to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) of one or more remotely hosted services at host servers coupled to a communications network, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions executed by the one or more processors for;

receiving, from a client, a generic request to access the remotely hosted services, wherein the generic request uses generic parameters;

identifying a plurality of respective remotely hosted services that correspond to the generic request, wherein the remotely hosted services are each associated with a respective API of the APIs;

for each respective remotely hosted service, translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request to access the respective remotely hosted service using API-specific parameters, wherein;

the API-specific request and the API-specific parameters are specific to the respective API of the respective remotely hosted service; and

the translating includes, for a respective generic parameter in the generic request, identifying a corresponding respective API-specific parameter in an API database storing information about API-specific parameters for multiple distinct remotely hosted services, including the respective remotely hosted service, and using the corresponding respective API-specific parameter in place of the respective generic parameter in the respective API-specific request;

for each of the plurality respective remotely hosted services, sending the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service;

in response to the requests, receiving, from a plurality of the respective remotely hosted services, respective API-specific responses, where a respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes respective content;

generating a final response that includes content from two or more of the API-specific responses; and

transmitting, to the client, the final response.

15. The server system of claim 14, wherein the generic request includes a request to perform a generic-named operation, and translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the request to perform the generic-named operation to an API-specific request to perform an API-specific-named operation at the respective remotely hosted service, wherein the API-specific-named operation is analogous to the generic-named operation.

16. The server system of claim 14, wherein:

the generic request includes a request to perform an operation using a generic name for the operation;

translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the generic name for the operation to an API-specific name for the operation; and

sending the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service includes sending, to the respective remotely hosted service, a request to perform the operation using the API-specific name for the operation.

17. The server system of claim 14, wherein generating the final response includes:

for each of the respective API-specific responses, translating the API-specific response to a respective generic response; and

combining a plurality of the respective generic responses from a plurality of distinct remotely hosted services to generate the final response.

18. The server system of claim 17, wherein:

each of the respective API-specific responses includes at least one API-specific return parameter; and

translating a respective API-specific response from a respective remotely hosted service to a respective generic response includes;

retrieving, from the API database, information about formatting of responses from the respective remotely hosted service; and

converting the respective API-specific return parameter to a generic return parameter in accordance with the information retrieved from the API database.

19. The server system of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

communicating with the client using a first predefined communication protocol to receive the generic request and to send the final response; and

communicating with a respective remotely hosted service using a second predefined communication protocol that is distinct from the first predefined communication protocol to send a respective API-specific request and to receive a respective API-specific response.

20. The server system of claim 14, wherein:

a user account is stored at the server system, the user account including previously registered user-supplied security credentials associated with a particular remotely hosted service; and

sending a particular API-specific request from the server system to the particular remotely hosted service includes authenticating the particular API-specific request using the user-supplied security credentials for the particular remotely hosted service.

21. The server system of claim 14, wherein the generic request includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services.

22. The server system of claim 14, wherein:

a user account associated with the generic request includes a definition for a command;

the definition for the command includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services; and

the generic request is associated with the user account and includes the command.

23. The server system of claim 14, wherein sending respective API-specific requests to the respective remotely hosted services includes:

sending a first API-specific request to a first remotely hosted service;

receiving a first API-specific response from the first remotely hosted service;

sending a second API-specific request to a second remotely hosted service that is distinct from the first remotely hosted service, wherein the second API-specific request is based at least in part on the first API-specific response; and

receiving a second API-specific response from the second remotely hosted service.

24. The server system of claim 14, wherein:

the respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes one or more respective API-specific return parameters; and

the one or more programs further comprise instructions for translating the one or more respective API-specific return parameters into generic return parameters.

25. The server system of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for processing multiple respective API-specific responses without modifying the content of the multiple respective API-specific responses, and the final response includes the unmodified content of the multiple respective API-specific responses.

26. The server system of claim 14, wherein the final response is in a customized response format specified by a user of the client.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of a server system, the one or more programs comprising instructions to be executed by the one or more processors so as to:

receive, from a client, a generic request to access remotely hosted services, wherein the generic request uses generic parameters;

identify a plurality of respective remotely hosted services that correspond to the generic request, wherein the remotely hosted services are each associated with a respective Application Programming Interface (API);

for each respective remotely hosted service, translate the generic request to a respective API-specific request to access the respective remotely hosted service using API-specific parameters, wherein;

the API-specific request and the API-specific parameters are specific to the respective API of the respective remotely hosted service; and

the translating includes, for a respective generic parameter in the generic request, identifying a corresponding respective API-specific parameter in an API database storing information about API-specific parameters for multiple distinct remotely hosted services, including the respective remotely hosted service, and using the corresponding respective API-specific parameter in place of the respective generic parameter in the respective API-specific request;

for each of the plurality respective remotely hosted services, send the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service;

in response to the requests, receive, from a plurality of the respective remotely hosted services, respective API-specific responses, where a respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes respective content;

generate a final response that includes content from two or more of the API-specific responses; and

transmit, to the client, the final response.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the generic request includes a request to perform a generic-named operation, and translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the request to perform the generic-named operation to an API-specific request to perform an API-specific-named operation at the respective remotely hosted service, wherein the API-specific-named operation is analogous to the generic-named operation.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the generic request includes a request to perform an operation using a generic name for the operation;

translating the generic request to a respective API-specific request includes translating the generic name for the operation to an API-specific name for the operation; and

sending the respective API-specific request to the respective remotely hosted service includes sending, to the respective remotely hosted service, a request to perform the operation using the API-specific name for the operation.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein generating the final response includes:

for each of the respective API-specific responses, translating the API-specific response to a respective generic response; and

combining a plurality of the respective generic responses from a plurality of distinct remotely hosted services to generate the final response.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein:

each of the respective API-specific responses includes at least one API-specific return parameter; and

translating a respective API-specific response from a respective remotely hosted service to a respective generic response includes;

retrieving, from the API database, information about formatting of responses from the respective remotely hosted service; and

converting the respective API-specific return parameter to a generic return parameter in accordance with the information retrieved from the API database.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

communicating with the client using a first predefined communication protocol to receive the generic request and to send the final response; and

communicating with a respective remotely hosted service using a second predefined communication protocol that is distinct from the first predefined communication protocol to send a respective API-specific request and to receive a respective API-specific response.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

a user account is stored at the server system, the user account including previously registered user-supplied security credentials associated with a particular remotely hosted service; and

sending a particular API-specific request from the server system to the particular remotely hosted service includes authenticating the particular API-specific request using the user-supplied security credentials for the particular remotely hosted service.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the generic request includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

a user account associated with the generic request includes a definition for a command;

the definition for the command includes identifiers for the plurality of respective remotely hosted services; and

the generic request is associated with the user account and includes the command.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein sending respective API-specific requests to the respective remotely hosted services includes:

sending a first API-specific request to a first remotely hosted service;

receiving a first API-specific response from the first remotely hosted service;

sending a second API-specific request to a second remotely hosted service that is distinct from the first remotely hosted service, wherein the second API-specific request is based at least in part on the first API-specific response; and

receiving a second API-specific response from the second remotely hosted service.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the respective API-specific response for a respective remotely hosted service includes one or more respective API-specific return parameters; and

the one or more programs further comprise instructions for translating the one or more respective API-specific return parameters into generic return parameters.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for processing multiple respective API-specific responses without modifying the content of the multiple respective API-specific responses, and the final response includes the unmodified content of the multiple respective API-specific responses.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the final response is in a customized response format specified by a user of the client.