System and method for evaluating input based on dynamic grammars

1. A method for a service-oriented architecture (SOA) system which provides service offerings categorized according to service categories using a taxonomy, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, in a specification field, a formal definition of a service, the formal definition is for inclusion to define one of service offerings of the SOA system;

determining, by the processor, a current grammar which is currently in effect as a specification-requirement of acceptable definitions for a service category in which the service is categorized according to a taxonomy of the SOA system, the current grammar being a common grammar,

determining, by the processor, whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, by adhering to the current grammar determined to be currently in effect as the specification-requirement for the category of the service;

when the formal definition in the specification field is determined to be acceptable according to the current grammar:

accepting, by the processor, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, for inclusion to define the service in the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service;

modifying, by the processor, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, the current grammar for the taxonomy of the SOA system to provide an updated grammar for the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category; and

using, by the processor, in governance of the SOA, the updated grammar as the current grammar which defines service offerings of the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category;

and

when the formal definition is determined to be not acceptable according to the current grammar:

rejecting, by the processor, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is not acceptable, for the service offerings of the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the common grammar is expressed in Extended Backus-Naur Form (EBNF) notation, and

further comprising parsing, by the processor, the formal definition, according to the specification-requirement which expresses the common grammar in EBNF notation which determines acceptability of the formal definition.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

prompting, by the processor, a user to input an adaption of the current grammar to incorporate the formal definition which was received, to provide an adapted grammar for the service; and

storing, by the processor, in the SOA system, the adapted grammar to use as the current grammar for the service.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

modifying, by the processor, the current grammar to provide an updated grammar;

storing, by the processor, in the SOA system, the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

notifying, by the processor, partners of the service categories in the SOA of the current grammar which is now updated.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

modifying, by the processor, the current grammar to provide an updated grammar;

storing, by the processor, in the SOA system, the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

evaluating, by the processor, for the service, the formal definition, which was acceptable under a previous grammar, according to the current grammar which is now updated.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein there are provided a plurality of different common grammars for the services in the SOA system, further comprising

generating, by the processor, information about all of possible specification-requirements, which are service properties, which each of the services can provide, from the different common grammars of the services.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the processor, causing a display to visualize a user interface to input the formal definition, the user interface comprising

a specification field to receive text input of the formal definition; and

a “check specification” instruction configured to initiate the determining by the processor whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, which returns a message indicating a lexical analysis of the formal definition pursuant to the specification-requirements.

8. A computer for a service-oriented architecture (SOA) system which provides service offerings categorized according to service categories using a taxonomy, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor cooperatively operable with the memory, and configured to, based on instructions stored in the memory,

receive, in a specification field, a formal definition of a service, the formal definition is for inclusion to define one of service offerings of the SOA system;

determine a current grammar which is currently in effect as a specification-requirement of acceptable definitions for a service category in which the service is categorized according to a taxonomy of the SOA system, the current grammar being a common grammar,

determine whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, by adhering to the current grammar determined to be currently in effect as the specification-requirement for the category of the service;

when the formal definition in the specification field is determined to be acceptable according to the current grammar:

accept, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, for inclusion to define the service in the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service;

modify, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, the current grammar for the taxonomy of the SOA system to provide an updated grammar for the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category; and

use, in governance of the SOA, the updated grammar as the current grammar which defines service offerings of the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category;

and

when the formal definition is determined to be not acceptable according to the current grammar:

reject, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, for the service offerings of the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service.

9. The computer of claim 8 , wherein

the common grammar is expressed in Extended Backus-Naur Form (EBNF) notation, and

the processor is further configured to parse the formal definition according to the specification-requirement which expresses the common grammar in EBNF notation which determines acceptability of the formal definition.

10. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to

prompt a user to input an adaption of the current grammar to incorporate the formal definition which was received, to provide an adapted grammar for the service; and

store the adapted grammar to use as the current grammar for the service.

11. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to

modify the current grammar to provide an updated grammar,

store the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

notify partners of the service categories in the SOA of the current grammar which is now updated.

12. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to

modify the current grammar to provide an updated grammar,

store the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

evaluate, for the service, the formal definition, which was acceptable under a previous grammar, according to the current grammar which is now updated.

13. The computer of claim 8 , wherein there are provided a plurality of different common grammars for the services in the SOA system, wherein the processor is further configured to

generate information about all of possible specification-requirements, which are service properties, which each of the services can provide, from the different common grammars of the services.

14. The computer of claim 8 , further wherein the processor is further configured to cause a display which is cooperatively operable with the processor to visualize a user interface to input the formal definition, the user interface comprising

a specification field to receive text input of the formal definition; and

a “check specification” instruction configured to initiate the determining whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, which returns a message indicating a lexical analysis of the formal definition pursuant to the specification-requirements.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions for a method for a service-oriented architecture (SOA) system which provides service offerings categorized according to service categories using a taxonomy, the instructions being executed to perform:

receiving, in a specification field, a formal definition of a service, the formal definition is for inclusion to define one of service offerings of the SOA system;

determining a current grammar which is currently in effect as a specification-requirement of acceptable definitions for a service category in which the service is categorized according to a taxonomy of the SOA system, the current grammar being a common grammar;

determining whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, by adhering to the current grammar determined to be currently in effect as the specification-requirement for the category of the service;

when the formal definition is determined to be not acceptable according to the current grammar:

accepting, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, for inclusion to define the service in the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service, when the formal definition in the specification field is determined to be acceptable according to the current grammar;

modifying, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, the current grammar for the taxonomy of the SOA system to provide an updated grammar for the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category; and

using, in governance of the SOA, the updated grammar as the current grammar which defines service offerings of the SOA system in which the formal definition of the service that was received in the specification field is now categorized in the service category; and

when the formal definition is determined to be not acceptable according to the current grammar:

rejecting, automatically without manual intervention, in response to determining that the formal definition is acceptable, for the service offerings of the SOA system, the formal definition in the specification field for the service.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein

the common grammar is expressed in Extended Backus-Naur Form (EBNF) notation, and

the instructions are further execute to parse the formal definition according to the specification-requirement which expresses the common grammar in EBNF notation which determines acceptability of the formal definition.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions executed for

prompting a user to input an adaption of the current grammar to incorporate the formal definition which was received, to provide an adapted grammar for the service; and

storing the adapted grammar to use as the current grammar for the service.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions executed for

modifying the current grammar to provide an updated grammar;

storing the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

notifying partners of the service categories in the SOA of the current grammar which is now updated.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions executed for

modifying the current grammar to provide an updated grammar;

storing the updated grammar to use as the current grammar for the service; and

evaluating, for the service, the formal definition, which was acceptable under a previous grammar, according to the current grammar which is now updated.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions executed for providing a user interface to input the formal definition, the user interface comprising

a specification field to receive text input of the formal definition; and

a “check specification” instruction configured to initiate the determining whether the formal definition in the specification field is acceptable, which returns a message indicating a lexical analysis of the formal definition pursuant to the specification-requirements.