Patent ID: 6795860
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for selecting an electronic service from among a plurality of electronic services each having a corresponding address, comprising:receiving a request for an address for an electronic service; determining a first metric at a first priority level, the first metric determined subsequent to the request through communication with a first direct response protocol agent associated with a first electronic service, and a second metric at the first priority level, the second metric determined subsequent to the request through communication with a second direct response protocol agent associated with a second electronic service, the first metric being associated with the first electronic service and the second metric being associated with the second electronic service; comparing the first metric with the second metric; if the first metric and the second metric are not approximately equivalent based on the comparison at the first priority level, selecting either the first service or the second service based on the comparison of the first metric with the second metric at the first priority level; if the first metric and the second metric are approximately equivalent based on the comparison at the first priority level: comparing a third metric at a second priority level, the third metric determined subsequent to the request through communication with the first direct response protocol agent associated with the first electronic service, with a fourth metric at the second priority level, the fourth metric determined subsequent to the request through communication with the second direct response protocol agent associated with the second electronic service, the third metric being associated with the first electronic service and the fourth metric being associated with the second electronic service; and selecting either the first electronic service or the second electronic service based on the comparison of the third metric with the fourth metric at the second priority level; and communicating the address of the selected first or second electronic service in response to the request.