Patent ID: 8019653

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing a composite service that is based on multiple other constituent services, the method comprising: receiving a request for a composite service from an executing program, the request being received by one of one or more configured computing systems using a specified one of multiple distinct alternative interfaces that are provided by the one or more configured computing systems for use in accessing the composite service, wherein the multiple interfaces are based at least in part on use of multiple distinct communication protocols; obtaining information for the composite service that indicates an order for performing multiple constituent services to provide the composite service, the order being based at least in part on identified dependencies between the multiple constituent services; and after determining that one or more use restrictions for the composite service are satisfied for the request for the composite service, automatically responding to the received request, the automatic responding being performed by the one or more configured computing systems and including, accessing capabilities of the multiple constituent services in the indicated order, the accessing including performing the multiple constituent services and obtaining output information from one or more of the multiple constituent services; and providing a response to the received request that is based at least in part on the output information received from the one or more constituent services.