System and method for providing a micro-services communication platform

• US 10,637,938 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2017
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Inventors: Lawson, Jeffrey, Wolthius, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/842,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20180109634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/38 Telephone uniform resource identifier [URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2589 over a relay server, e.g. traversal using relay for network address translation [TURN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 : for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 : based on trigger specification

Abstract

A multi-tenant media communication platform system and methods. The platform system includes media communication micro-services and micro-service configuration for a plurality of entities configured for use of the platform system. Enrolling an entity in the platform system includes setting entity configuration for use of the platform system by the entity. A micro-service request is processed according to the entity configuration. The micro-service request is a request for use of at least one micro-service of the platform system on behalf of the entity. Use of each micro-service is accounted for on behalf of the entity. Billing information for the entity is generated based on the accounting for the use of each micro-service on behalf of the entity. Entity configuration includes micro-service configuration, and micro-service configuration specifies at least one of: an endpoint mapping to at least one application logic URI, an event callback URI, and an event application logic URI.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing, for a first client account of a multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service request for use of the first micro-service in association with a first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the first micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first micro-service configuration, wherein processing the first micro-service request comprises;

accessing an identifier for a computing system providing the first micro-service;

using the identifier to transmit a communication to the computing system providing the first micro-service, the communication including state data associated with the first communication session of the first client account;

receiving application logic from the computing system, the computing system having generated the application logic based on the state data included in the communication; and

executing the application logic in relation to the first communication session; and

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a first billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first conferencing micro-service configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, for the first client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a second micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service request for use of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the second micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second micro-service configuration; and

accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, the second billing profile being different than the first billing profile.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session and the accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first micro-service is a conferencing micro-service and the second micro-service is a messaging micro-service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, for a second client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account, the conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account being different than the conditions for use of the micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with a second communication session of the second client account of the multitenant communication platform, the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session being based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, wherein the second billing profile is different that the first billing profile.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session; and

generating, for the second client account, second billing information for the second communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session.

8. A multitenant communication platform comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the multitenant communication platform to perform operations comprising;

establishing, for a first client account of a multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service request for use of the first micro-service in association with a first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the first micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first micro-service configuration, wherein processing the first micro-service request comprises;

accessing an identifier for a computing system providing the first micro-service;

using the identifier to transmit a communication to the computing system providing the first micro-service, the communication including state data associated with the first communication session of the first client account;

receiving application logic from the computing system, the computing system having generated the application logic based on the state data included in the communication; and

executing the application logic in relation to the first communication session; and

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a first billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first conferencing micro-service configuration.

9. The multitenant communication platform of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

establishing, for the first client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a second micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service request for use of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the second micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second micro-service configuration; and

accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, the second billing profile being different than the first billing profile.

10. The multitenant communication platform of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session and the accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session.

11. The multitenant communication platform of claim 9, wherein the first micro-service is a conferencing micro-service and the second micro-service is a messaging micro-service.

12. The multitenant communication platform of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

establishing, for a second client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account, the conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account being different than the conditions for use of the micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account.

13. The multitenant communication platform of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with a second communication session of the second client account of the multitenant communication platform, the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session being based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, wherein the second billing profile is different that the first billing profile.

14. The multitenant communication platform of claim 13, the operations further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session; and

generating, for the second client account, second billing information for the second communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of a multitenant communication platform, cause the multitenant communication platform to perform operations comprising:

establishing, for a first client account of a multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a first micro-service request for use of the first micro-service in association with a first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the first micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first micro-service configuration, wherein processing the first micro-service request comprises;

accessing an identifier for a computing system providing the first micro-service;

using the identifier to transmit a communication to the computing system providing the first micro-service, the communication including state data associated with the first communication session of the first client account;

receiving application logic from the computing system, the computing system having generated the application logic based on the state data included in the communication; and

executing the application logic in relation to the first communication session; and

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a first billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the first conferencing micro-service configuration.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

establishing, for the first client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of a second micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account;

receiving, by the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service request for use of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session of the first client account of the multitenant communication platform;

processing the second micro-service request according to the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second micro-service configuration; and

accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the second micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, the second billing profile being different than the first billing profile.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session and the accounting for usage of the second micro-service in association with the first communication session.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

establishing, for a second client account of the multitenant communication platform, a second micro-service configuration describing conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account, the conditions for use of the first micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the second client account being different than the conditions for use of the micro-service of the multitenant communication platform by the first client account.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with a second communication session of the second client account of the multitenant communication platform, the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session being based on a second billing profile dictated by the conditions for use of the first micro-service described by the second conferencing micro-service configuration, wherein the second billing profile is different that the first billing profile.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

generating, for the first client account, first billing information for the first communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the first communication session; and

generating, for the second client account, second billing information for the second communication session based on the accounting for usage of the first micro-service in association with the second communication session.