PRIORITIZATION OF THIRD PARTY ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COMMERCE SITE

• US 20120079114A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Leahy, Scott, Cohen, Alon
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Providing prioritization of user online access to an online commerce site. Third party applications using API function calls to access an online commerce site are restricted to specific services by an access rule. An access rule defines which API server on the online commerce site a specific third party application may access when using a specific API function call. In this way, the operator of the online commerce site may prioritize server access per service level agreements based on a specific third party application and API function call.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of servers to provide access to services of an online commerce site, the plurality of servers including interfaces responsive to particular access rules received in a service request;

receiving a service request from a requesting party at the online commerce site, the service request comprising a request for at least one of the services of the online commerce site and a certificate;

validating the service request using the certificate;

identifying, by use of a processor, a first service corresponding to the service request;

obtaining an access rule enabling processing of the service request by the first service, the generated access rule being based on an identity of the requesting party and the certificate; and

redirecting the service request with the access rule for processing of the service request by the first service.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the certificate is a session certificate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of servers includes servers that provide different levels of service.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of servers include API servers for servicing API function calls received from a system of the requesting party.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the identifying a first service corresponding to the service request further includes identifying a first server of the plurality of servers to which to direct based on the API function call.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the online commerce site is a network-based auction site.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying further includes searching a database table for a record containing an identifier to reply to the requesting party.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier for the first service is a URL.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having executable instructions to cause a machine to:

receive a service request from a requesting party at an online commerce site, the online commerce site providing a plurality of servers to provide access to services of the online commerce site, the plurality of servers including interfaces responsive to particular access rules received in the service request, the service request comprising a request for at least one of the services of the online commerce site and a certificate;

validate the service request using the certificate;

identify, by use of a processor, a first service corresponding to the service request;

obtain an access rule enabling processing of the service request by the first service, the generated access rule being based on an identity of the requesting party and the certificate; and

redirect the service request with the access rule for processing of the service request by the first service.

10. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the certificate is a session certificate.

11. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the plurality of servers include servers that provide different levels of service.

12. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the plurality of servers include API servers for servicing API function calls received from a system of the requesting party.

13. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 12 wherein the identifying a first service corresponding to the service request further includes identifying a first server of the plurality of servers to which to direct based on the API function call.

14. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the online commerce site is a network-based auction site.

15. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the identifying further includes searching a database table for a record containing an identifier to reply to the requesting party.

16. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the identifier for the first service is a URL.

17. A system comprising:

a plurality of servers to provide access to services of an online commerce site, the plurality of servers including interfaces responsive to particular access rules received in a service request; and

a service request processor to receive a service request from a requesting party at the online commerce site, the plurality of servers including interfaces responsive to particular access rules received in the service request, the service request comprising a request for at least one of the services of the online commerce site and a certificate;

to validate the service request using the certificate;

to identify a first service corresponding to the service request;

to obtain an access rule enabling processing of the service request by the first service, the generated access rule being based on an identity of the requesting party and the certificate; and

to redirect the service request with the access rule for processing of the service request by the first service.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the certificate is a session certificate.

19. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of services at an online commerce site, the plurality of services including interfaces responsive to particular access rules received in a service request;

receiving a service request from a requesting party, the service request comprising a request for at least one of the services of the online commerce site and a certificate;

validating the service request using the certificate;

identifying, by use of a processor, a first service corresponding to the service request;

obtaining an access rule enabling processing of the service request by the first service, the generated access rule being based on an identity of the requesting party and the certificate; and

redirecting the service request with the access rule for processing of the service request by the first service.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the certificate is a session certificate.