Premium access to open application programming interface systems and methods

• US 8,458,808 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hill, Gregg Alan, Arrington, Tamara Lynn, Kitchen, Eric Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US12/986,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A method and system for granting premium access to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open API platform is provided. The method includes receiving a request for premium access to the service application from a developer of a developer application wherein the developer application is configured to request data from the service application, assigning a production key to the developer application, sending an electronic message to a service owner (SO) associated with the service application requesting premium access to the service application, granting premium access to the service application by the SO for the developer application, updating the production key at the open API platform to include premium access to the service application, and notifying the developer of the granting of the premium access to the service application for the developer application.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for granting premium access to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform, said method comprising:

providing at least one service application stored within the SP computer system having both general access and premium access, the at least one service application associated with a service owner (SO), wherein general access includes access to at least one of data, resources, and functionality provided by the at least one service application, and wherein premium access is enhanced general access, and wherein the SO assigns rules defining general access and premium access to the at least one service application;

receiving a request for premium access to the at least one service application from a developer of a developer application, the request received at the open API platform, the developer application configured to communicate with the at least one service application including receiving an output from the at least one service application for processing by the developer application;

assigning a production key to the developer application that includes general access to the at least one service application;

sending an electronic message to the SO of the at least one requested service application, the electronic message requesting premium access to the at least one requested service application;

granting premium access to the developer application for communicating with the at least one requested service application, said granting performed by the SO;

updating the production key at the open API platform from having general access to having premium access to the at least one service application;

notifying the developer of the granting of the premium access to the at least one service application for the developer application; and

executing the developer application having premium access to the at least one service application, wherein the developer application communicates with the at least one service application based on the premium access rules assigned by the SO.

2. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a request for premium access further comprises:

receiving a request for premium access to the at least one service application, wherein premium access includes at least one of;

access to additional data not included within general access to the at least one service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the at least one service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the at least one service application, additional services not included within general access to the at least one service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the at least one service application.

3. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an application request message at the open API platform, the application request message including the production key, the application request message received as a result of executing the developer application at a user computer device; and

validating the application request message at the API platform by verifying that the received production key matches the production key assigned to the developer application.

4. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 3, wherein receiving an application request message further comprises:

receiving the application request message at the open API platform after downloading the developer application to the user computer device, wherein the user computer device is associated with a user including at least one of a developer, a consumer, a merchant, an acquirer, a processor and an issuer.

5. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 3, wherein validating the application request message at the API platform further comprises:

identifying the application request message as having been granted premium access to the at least one service application;

retrieving the premium access rules assigned to the at least one service application by the SO; and

applying the premium access rules to the application request message, wherein the premium access rules define access to additional data not included within general access to the at least one service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the at least one service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the at least one service application, additional services not included within general access to the at least one service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the at least one service application.

6. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 3, wherein validating the application request message at the API platform further comprises:

checking a throttling limit assigned to the developer application; and

confirming that the application request message complies with the throttling limit.

7. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising:

forwarding the application request message using the API platform to a SO computer device, the SO computer device associated with the SO and configured to store the at least one service application;

applying premium access rules to the application request message; and

returning a response based on the applied premium access rules.

8. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 7, wherein returning a response further comprises:

receiving a service response from the SO computer device at the API platform, the service response including the returned response and a bill code;

storing at the API platform a message history of the service response with the bill code; and

sending the service response to the user computer device for use by the developer application.

9. A computer-based method in accordance with claim 1, wherein granting premium access further comprises:

entering into a customized billing program with the developer for providing premium access to the at least one requested service application for the developer application; and

billing the developer based at least in part on the customized billing program and a number of application request messages submitted to the at least one requested service application by the developer application during a predefined period of time.

10. A computer system for granting premium access to a service application stored within a service owner (SO) computer device, the SO computer device associated with a SO, the computer system comprising:

a memory device for storing data; and

a service provider (SP) computer system comprising a processor and an open application programming interface (API) platform, the SP computer system in communication with the memory device and the SO computer device, said SP computer system programmed to;

receive a request for premium access to the service application stored within the SO computer device from a developer of a developer application, wherein the developer application is configured to communicate with the service application, the service application having both general access and premium access, wherein general access includes access to at least one of data, resources, and functionality provided by the service application, and wherein premium access is enhanced general access, and wherein the SO assigns rules defining general access and premium access to the service application;

assign a production key to the developer application that includes general access to the service application, the production key stored within the memory device;

send an electronic message requesting premium access to the service application;

update the production key at the API platform from having general access to having premium access to the service application after the API platform receives notification from the SO computer device that premium access has been granted to the service application for the developer application; and

notify the developer of the granting of the premium access to the service application for the developer application, wherein the developer application having premium access is executed to communicate with the service application based on the premium access rules assigned by the SO.

11. A computer system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to receive a request for premium access to the service application, wherein premium access includes at least one of:

access to additional data not included within general access to the service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the service application, additional services not included within general access to the service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the service application.

12. A computer system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

receive an application request message at the API platform, the application request message including the production key, the application request message received as a result of executing the developer application at a user computer device; and

validate the application request message at the API platform by verifying that the received production key matches the production key assigned to the developer application.

13. A computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

receive the application request message at the open API platform from the user computer device, wherein the user computer device is associated with a user including at least one of a developer, a consumer, a merchant, an acquirer, a processor and an issuer.

14. A computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

identify the application request message as having premium access to the service application;

retrieve, from the memory device, the premium access rules assigned to the at least one service application by the SO; and

apply the premium access rules to the application request message, wherein the premium access rules define access to additional data not included within general access to the at least one service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the at least one service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the at least one service application, additional services not included within general access to the at least one service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the at least one service application.

15. A computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

check a throttling limit assigned to the developer application; and

confirm that the application request message complies with the throttling limit.

16. A computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

forward the application request message using the API platform to the SO computer device;

receive a service response from the SO computer device, the service response including a returned response based on the premium access rules being applied to the application request message.

17. A computer system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

receive the service response from the SO computer device at the API platform, the service response including the returned response and a bill code;

store within the memory device a message history of the service response with the bill code; and

send the service response to the user computer device for use by the developer application.

18. A computer system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said SP computer system is programmed to:

store a customized billing program with the developer within the memory device, the customized billing program for providing premium access to the service application for the developer application; and

bill the developer based at least in part on the customized billing program and a number of application request messages submitted to the service application by the developer application during a predefined period of time.

19. A computer system for granting premium access to a service application, said computer system comprising:

a service owner (SO) computer device associated with a SO, the SO computer device configured to store the service application, and grant premium access to the service application;

a memory device for storing data; and

a service provider (SP) computer device comprising a processor and an open application programming interface (API) platform, said SP computer device in communication with the memory device and said SO computer device, said SP computer device configured to;

receive a request for premium access to the service application from a developer of a developer application, wherein the developer application is configured to communicate with the service application, the service application having both general access and premium access, wherein general access includes access to at least one of data, resources, and functionality provided by the service application, and wherein premium access is enhanced general access, and wherein the SO assigns rules defining general access and premium access to the service application;

receive a production key assigned to the developer application that includes general access to the service application, the production key stored within the memory device;

send an electronic message to said SO computer device requesting premium access to the service application;

update the production key at the API platform from having general access to having premium access to the service application after the SO grants premium access to the service application for the developer application; and

notify the developer of the granting of the premium access to the service application for the developer application, wherein the developer application having premium access is executed to communicate with the service application based on the premium access rules assigned by the SO.

20. A computer system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said SP computer device is configured to receive a request for premium access to the service application, wherein premium access includes at least one of:

access to additional data not included within general access to the service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the service application, additional services not included within general access to the service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the service application.

21. A computer system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said SP computer device is configured to:

receive an application request message at the API platform, the application request message including the production key, the application request message received as a result of executing the developer application at a user computer device; and

validate the application request message at the API platform by verifying that the received production key matches the production key assigned to the developer application.

22. A computer system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said SP computer device is configured to:

identify the application request message as having premium access to the service application

retrieve the premium access rules assigned to the service application; and

apply the premium access rules to the application request message, wherein the premium access rules define access to additional data not included within general access to the service application, improved data speed as compared to general access to the service application, improved data receiving priority as compared to general access to the service application, additional services not included within general access to the service application, and individualized billing programs not provided through general access to the service application.

23. A computer system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said SP computer device is configured to forward the application request message to said SO computer device, and said SO computer device is configured to:

apply premium access rules at the service application to the application request message; and

return a response based on the applied premium access rules.

24. A computer system in accordance with claim 23, wherein said SP computer device is configured to:

receive a service response from said SO computer device at the API platform, the service response including the returned response and a bill code;

store within said memory device a message history of the service response with the bill code; and

send the service response to the user computer device for use by the developer application.

25. A computer system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said SP computer device is configured to:

store a customized billing program with the developer within said memory device, the customized billing program for providing premium access to the service application for the developer application; and

bill the developer based at least in part on the customized billing program and a number of application request messages submitted to the service application by the developer application during a predefined period of time.

26. One or more computer-readable non-transitory media comprising a computer-executable program that instructs at least one processor to provide premium access to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform, said computer-executable program comprising at least one code segment that instructs the at least one processor to:

receive a request for premium access to the service application from a developer of a developer application, the request received using, the open API platform, wherein the developer application is configured to communicate with the service application, the service application having both general access and premium access, wherein general access includes access to at least one of data, resources, and functionality provided by the service application, and wherein premium access is enhanced general access, and wherein the SO assigns rules defining general access and premium access;

receive a production key assigned to the developer application that includes general access to the service application;

send an electronic message to a service owner (SO) associated with the service application, the electronic message requesting premium access to the service application;

grant premium access to the service application for the developer application;

update the production key at the open API platform from having general access to having premium access to the service application; and

notify the developer of the granting of the premium access to the service application for the developer application, wherein the developer application having premium access is executed to communicate with the service application based on the premium access rules assigned by the SO.