Scalable transaction system for a network environment

• US 8,966,010 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jordaan Consulting Ltd I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kley, Victor B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tammy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/201,290
• Time in Patent Office: 3,486 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Techniques for performing services in a secure and scalable manner in a network environment. Code modules and data used for performing a service and that contain proprietary, confidential, or trade secret information, are stored and executed by service provider systems that are not exposed to user systems used to configure the service requests. The techniques are scalable as the number of service provider systems performing the services can be scaled, either up or down, in proportion to the demand for the services.

Claims

1. A first data processing apparatus configured to perform services, comprising:

a processing device configured to;

receive, from a client computer, a first request for a first service to be performed by the first data processing apparatus;

communicate a service activation code to the client computer in response to receiving the first request from the client computer;

facilitate the first service in response to receiving the first request, wherein the first service requested is for use of an application program provided by the first data processing apparatus;

determine that performance of the first service by the first data processing apparatus requires performance of a second service that includes the use of confidential information unrelated to billing; and

send a second request for the second service to a second data processing apparatus configured to store code modules including the confidential information for the second service; and

wherein;

the second request includes the activation code; and

the second data processing apparatus comprises a server configured to perform the second service requested in the second request, wherein the second service further includes billing for the use of the application program and wherein billing information stored at the second data processing apparatus is secured from the client computer.

2. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the confidential information stored at the second data processing apparatus comprises trade secret information.

3. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second request is sent to the second data processing apparatus via a secure communication channel.

4. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second data processing apparatus is configured to produce a result in response to performing the second request, wherein the first data processing apparatus is further configured to receive the result and to send the result to the client computer.

5. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data processing apparatus is a web server.

6. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service activation code comprises at least one of a password, an authorization key, or an identification number allowing a user of the client computer to activate the service provided by the first or second data processing apparatus.

7. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the billing for the use of the application program includes billing for the use of the application program based upon a number of times that the first service can be invoked using a service activation code or a period of time during which the first service can be invoked using the service activation code.

8. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data processing apparatus is configured to store a data object and wherein the first service provided by the first data processing apparatus includes allowing a download or use of the data object.

9. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first service is provided by the first data processing apparatus and the second data processing apparatus in combination.

10. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data processing apparatus is configured to perform processing to determine if the activation code is a one-time use code.

11. The first data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application program is a word processing program.

12. A method for performing services, comprising:

receiving, from a client computer, at a first data processing apparatus, a first request for a first service, wherein the first service is for a use of an application program;

communicating, by the first data processing apparatus, a service activation code from the first data processing apparatus to the client computer in response to receiving the first request from the client computer;

facilitating, by the first data processing apparatus, a provision of the first service in response to receiving the first request;

determining, by the first data processing apparatus, that the application program utilizes a second service that includes confidential information unrelated to billing;

sending, from the first data processing apparatus, a second request for the second service to at least the second data processing apparatus, wherein the second request includes the activation code and the second service further includes generating a bill for the use of the application program by the client computer;

receiving, at the first data processing apparatus, a result produced by the second data processing apparatus in response to the second request; and

sending, from the first data processing apparatus, the result to the client computer;

wherein the second data processing apparatus comprises a server configured to perform the second service requested in the second request; and

wherein information stored at the second data processing apparatus includes code modules including the confidential information unrelated to billing and is secured from the client computer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving at the first data processing apparatus, along with the first request for the first service, a service request for input data particular to the client computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the confidential information unrelated to billing stored at the second data processing apparatus comprises trade secret information.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the second request to the second data processing apparatus includes sending the second request via a secure communication channel.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the second data processing apparatus responds to the second request without additional direct input from the client computer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the service activation code comprises at least one of a password, an authorization key, or an identification number, allowing a user of the client computer to activate the service provided by the first or second data processing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the service activation code encapsulates information about a number of times that the first service provided by the first or second data processing apparatus can be invoked and/or the period of time during which the first service provided by the first or second data processing apparatus can be invoked.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein in response to receiving the first request for the first service the first data processing apparatus is configured to determine whether the first service requires a use of trade secret information.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the bill for the use of the application program includes generating the bill for the use of the application program based upon a number of times that the first service can be invoked using a service activation code or a period of time during which the first service can be invoked using the service activation code.

21. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a first data processing apparatus, cause the first data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a client computer a first request for a first service to be performed by the first data processing apparatus, wherein the first service requested is for a use of an application program provided by the first data processing apparatus;

communicating a service activation code from the first data processing apparatus to the client computer in response to receiving the first request from the client computer;

facilitating the first request in response to receiving the first request;

determining that the application program utilizes a second service that includes confidential information unrelated to billing;

sending a second request for the second service to the second data processing apparatus, wherein the second service further includes billing for the use of the application program;

wherein;

the second request includes the activation code;

the second data processing apparatus is a server configured to perform the second service requested in the second request;

information stored at the second data processing apparatus is secured from the client computer and includes code modules including the confidential information unrelated to billing.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the second data processing apparatus produces a result in response to performing the second request, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the first data processing apparatus, cause the first data processing apparatus to perform the method that further comprises:

receiving the result produced by the second data processing apparatus; and

sending the result to the client computer.

23. The article of claim 21, wherein the second request is sent to at least one additional second data processing apparatus, wherein the second data processing apparatus and the at least one additional second data processing apparatus provide the second service included in the second request, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the first data processing apparatus, cause the first data processing apparatus to perform operations that further comprise:

selecting among a plurality of second data processing apparatuses that can perform the second request including performing load balancing among the plurality of second data processing apparatuses.