Patent ID: 8458808

Claim:
A computer-based method for granting premium access to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open application programming interface (API) platform, said method comprising: providing at least one service application stored within the SP computer system having both general access and premium access, the at least one service application associated with a service owner (SO), wherein general access includes access to at least one of data, resources, and functionality provided by the at least one service application, and wherein premium access is enhanced general access, and wherein the SO assigns rules defining general access and premium access to the at least one service application; receiving a request for premium access to the at least one service application from a developer of a developer application, the request received at the open API platform, the developer application configured to communicate with the at least one service application including receiving an output from the at least one service application for processing by the developer application; assigning a production key to the developer application that includes general access to the at least one service application; sending an electronic message to the SO of the at least one requested service application, the electronic message requesting premium access to the at least one requested service application; granting premium access to the developer application for communicating with the at least one requested service application, said granting performed by the SO; updating the production key at the open API platform from having general access to having premium access to the at least one service application; notifying the developer of the granting of the premium access to the at least one service application for the developer application; and executing the developer application having premium access to the at least one service application, wherein the developer application communicates with the at least one service application based on the premium access rules assigned by the SO.