Application programming interface for provisioning services
View Patent ↗An invention is provided for provisioning services to client devices. In one embodiment, discovery transactions are included that allow an adapter software component to retrieve information regarding services available to a client device from a provisioning application. A service comprises a plurality of content files capable of being installed on the client device. Also included are subscription transactions that allow an adapter software component to manage content in service directories. A service directory comprises a plurality of services. In addition, delivery transactions are included that allow an adapter to facilitate downloading of data related to services to the client device.
1. A method for provisioning services, comprising the operations of:
providing discovery transactions that allow an adapter software component to retrieve information regarding services available to a client device from a provisioning application, wherein the provisioning application includes client device information for each client device the provisioning application services, wherein each of said services comprises a plurality of content files capable of being installed on the client device;
affording subscription transactions that allow said adapter software component to manage content in service directories, wherein one said service directories comprises a plurality of said services; and
providing delivery transactions that allow said adapter to facilitate downloading of data related to said services to the client device, with the delivery transactions including an update transaction that allows said adapter to obtain a provisioning update comprising a list of said services that should be installed on the client device, and a notification transaction that allows the provisioning application to request said adapter to perform said update transaction.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the discovery transactions includes a service discovery transaction that allows said adapter to obtain information regarding a desired service.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the discovery transactions include a service directory discovery transaction that allows said adapter to obtain information regarding a desired service directory.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the subscription transactions include a service subscription transaction that allows a desired service to be added to a desired service directory.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the subscription transactions include an unsubscribe transaction that allows said desired service to be removed from said desired service directory.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the delivery transactions include a delivery transaction that allows said adapter to obtain a link to data, the link facilitating downloading of the data.
7. A system for provisioning services, comprising:
a provisioning server executing a provisioning application;
an adapter software component embodied within the provisioning server; and
a provisioning application programming interface (API), embodied within the provisioning server, in communication with the provisioning application and said adapter software component, the provisioning API comprising:
discovery transactions that allow said adapter software component to retrieve information regarding services available to a client device from a provisioning application, wherein the provisioning application includes client device information for each client device the provisioning application services, wherein a service comprises a plurality of content files capable of being installed on the client device;
subscription transactions that allow an adapter software component to manage content in service directories, wherein a service directory comprises a plurality of services; and
delivery transactions that allow an adapter to facilitate downloading of data related to services to the client device, with the delivery transactions including an update transaction that allows said adapter to obtain a provisioning update comprising a list of services that should be installed on the client device, the delivery transactions further including a notification transaction that allows the provisioning application to request an adapter to perform an update transaction, and wherein the delivery transactions further include a delivery transaction that allows said adapter to obtain a link to data, the link facilitating downloading of the data.
8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the discovery transactions allows an adapter to obtain information regarding a desired service, and wherein the discovery transactions further include a service directory discovery transaction that allows said adapter to obtain information regarding a desired service directory.
9. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the subscription transactions allows a desired service to be added to a desired service directory, and wherein the subscription transactions further include an unsubscribe transaction that allows said desired service to be removed from said desired service directory.