METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR AUTHORIZING A SERVICE REQUEST BASED ON ACCOUNT-HOLDER-CONFIGURED AUTHORIZATION RULES

1 . A method for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the method comprising:

receiving a request for service at a service provider from a service requester, wherein the service requester is one of a plurality of users associated with an account;

communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester, wherein authorization rules for different users associated with the account can be different; and

authorizing the request for service based on the applied authorization rule.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester comprises:

subscribing to authorization information associated with the account holder; and receiving a notification message including authorization information for the service requester.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester comprises:

receiving at least one notification message including authorization information for the service requester and an identifier; and

correlating the at least one notification message to the request for service based on the identifier.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester comprises:

publishing information about the request for service to the authorization agent; and

receiving a notification message indicating whether the service requester is authorized.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization rule includes at least one of a maximum allowable balance, a maximum allowable expenditure for a transaction, an authorized service provider, and any combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester includes providing a certificate verifying an identity of the service provider to the authorization agent.

7 . A method for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the method comprising:

providing access for an account holder for defining account-holder-configured authorization rules to be applied for authorizing a request for service from a service requester using an account of the account holder;

receiving a request for authorization information from a service provider, wherein the request for authorization information is associated with a request for service; and

providing the authorization information to the service provider;

wherein the authorization information is based on application of at least one authorization rule and wherein authorization rules for different service requesters associated with the account can be different.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving a request for authorization information from a service provider and providing the authorization information to the service provider comprises:

receiving from the service provider a subscribe message for subscribing to authorization information for a service requester; and

sending a notify message with the authorization information to the service provider.

9 . The method of claim 8 , comprising:

sending a notify message to a service client associated with the service requester, the notify message indicating that the subscribe message has been received;

receiving a publish message from the service client, the publish message including additional authorization information; and

sending the notify message to the service provider with the authorization information and the additional authorization information.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving a request for authorization information from a service provider and providing the authorization information to the service provider comprises:

receiving a publish message from a service client requesting service for a service requester from a service provider, the publish message including an identifier for correlating a request for service to authorization information for the service requester; and

sending a notify message to the service provider including the identifier and authorization information for the service requester.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving a request for authorization information from a service provider and providing the authorization information to the service provider comprises:

receiving a publish message including information about the service request;

determining whether the service request is authorized based on the information about the service request and the authorization information; and

sending a notify message to the service provider with an authorization indication for indicating a results of the authorization determination.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the service request is authorized comprises:

sending a notify message to a service client associated with the service requester, the notify message indicating that the publish message has been received;

receiving a publish message from the service client, the publish message including additional authorization information;

determining whether the service request is authorized based on the information about the service request, the authorization information, and the additional authorization information.

13 . The method of claim 7 wherein the authorization rule includes at least one of a maximum allowable balance, a maximum allowable expenditure for a transaction, an authorized service provider, and any combination thereof.

14 . A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

receiving a request for service at a service provider from a service requester, wherein the service requester is one of a plurality of users associated with an account;

communicating with an authorization agent for applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester, wherein authorization rules for different users associated with the account can be different; and

authorizing the request for service based on the applied authorization rule.

15 . A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

providing access for an account holder for defining account-holder-configured authorization rules to be applied for authorizing a request for service from a service requester using an account of the account holder;

receiving a request for authorization information from a service provider, wherein the request for authorization information is associated with a request for service; and

providing the authorization information to the service provider;

wherein the authorization information is based on application of at least one authorization rule and wherein authorization rules for different service requesters associated with the account can be different.

16 . A system for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the system comprising:

means for communicating with a service client and with an authorization agent;

means for processing a request for service received from a service requester via the service client, the request including an identifier for identifying authorization information for the service requester, wherein the service requester is one of a plurality of users associated with an account; and

means for communicating with the authorization agent associated with the identified authorization information for authorizing the service request by applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester, wherein authorization rules for different users associated with the account can be different.

17 . A system for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the system comprising:

a network interface configured for communicating with a service client and with an authorization agent;

a service client interface component configured for processing a request for service received from a service requester via the service client, the request including an identifier for identifying authorization information for the service requester, wherein the service requester is one of a plurality of users associated with an account; and

an authorization component configured for communicating with the authorization agent associated with the identified authorization information for authorizing the service request by applying an account-holder-configured authorization rule specific to the service requester, wherein authorization rules for different users associated with the account can be different.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the authorization component is configured to communicate with the authorization agent for:

subscribing to authorization information associated with the account holder; and

receiving a notification message including authorization information for the service requester.

19 . The system of claim 17 wherein the authorization component is configured to communicate with the authorization agent for:

receiving at least one notification message including authorization information for the service requester and an identifier; and

correlating the at least one notification message to the request for service based on the identifier.

20 . The system of claim 17 wherein the authorization component is configured to communicate with the authorization agent for:

publishing information about the request for service to the authorization agent; and

receiving a notification message indicating whether the service requester is authorized.

21 . The system of claim 17 wherein the authorization rule includes at least one of a maximum allowable balance, a maximum allowable expenditure for a transaction, an authorized service provider, and any combination thereof.

22 . The system of claim 17 wherein the authorization component is configured to communicate with the authorization agent for providing a certificate verifying an identity of the service provider to the authorization agent.

23 . A system for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the system comprising:

means for communicating with a service client and with a service provider;

means for storing account-holder-configured authorization rules; and

means for:

providing access for an account holder for defining the account-holder-configured authorization rules,

processing a request for authorization information from a service provider, and

providing the authorization information to the service provider in response to the request;

wherein the request for authorization information is associated with a request for service, the authorization information is based on application of at least one authorization rule, and authorization rules for different service requesters associated with the account can be different.

24 . A system for authorizing a service request based on account-holder-configured authorization rules, the system comprising:

a network services component configured for communicating with a service client and with a service provider;

a rules data store configured for storing account-holder-configured authorization rules; and

an authorization component configured for:

providing access for an account holder for defining the account-holder-configured authorization rules,

processing a request for authorization information from a service provider, and

for providing the authorization information to the service provider in response to the request;

wherein the request for authorization information is associated with a request for service, the authorization information is based on application of at least one authorization rule, and authorization rules for different service requesters associated with the account can be different.

25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the authorization component is configured for:

receiving from the service provider a subscribe message for subscribing to authorization information for a service requester; and

sending a notify message with the authorization information to the service provider.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the authorization component is further configured for:

sending a notify message to a service client associated with the service requester, the notify message indicating that the subscribe message has been received;

receiving a publish message from the service client, the publish message including additional authorization information; and

sending the notify message to the service provider with the authorization information and the additional authorization information.

27 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the authorization component is configured for:

receiving a publish message from a service client requesting service for a service requester from a service provider, the publish message including an identifier for correlating a request for service to authorization information for the service requester; and

sending a notify message to the service provider including the identifier and authorization information for the service requester.

28 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the authorization component is configured for:

receiving a publish message including information about the service request;

determining whether the service request is authorized based on the information about the service request and the authorization information; and

sending a notify message to the service provider with an authorization indication for indicating a result of the authorization determination.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the authorization component is configured to determine whether the service request is authorized by:

sending a notify message to a service client associated with the service requester, the notify message indicating that the publish message has been received;

receiving a publish message from the service client, the publish message including additional authorization information;

determining whether the service request is authorized based on the information about the service request, the authorization information, and the additional authorization information.

30 . The system of claim 24 wherein the authorization rule includes at least one of a maximum allowable balance, a maximum allowable expenditure for a transaction, an authorized service provider, and any combination thereof.