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Apparatus, methods and computer programs provided for metering and accounting in a commercial e-services infrastructure address the requirement for handling composite services in which higher-level services are built using simpler underlying services, each of which may be autonomously owned and oper

Apparatus, methods and computer programs provided for metering and accounting in a commercial e-services infrastructure address the requirement for handling composite services in which higher-level services are built using simpler underlying services, each of which may be autonomously owned and operated. Metering records for each service underlying a composite service are correlated by a process associated with the composite service, and then sent to an accounting service where they can be aggregated. The correlation is performed in a distributed manner with correlated usage data provided on a per-request basis. Accounting services can take account of the usage and charges associated with the underlying services to provide accounting and billing on a per-request basis or per customer-provider pair for a billing period.

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1. A method for determining charges for services, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, via a network, a first request for a composite service, the first composite service comprising (a) a transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the t

1. A method for determining charges for services, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, via a network, a first request for a composite service, the first composite service comprising (a) a transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the transactional service, and in response, determining, by one or more processors, a fixed fee for the transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the first composite service; andreceiving, via a network, a second request for a second composite service, the second composite service comprising the first and second metered services but not involving the transactional service or the application, and in response, determining, by one or more processors, third and fourth metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services for the second composite service; and whereinthe first and second metered usage fees are based on first and second usage charging rates, respectively, and the first and second usage charging rates are based in part on the transactional service; andthe third and fourth metered usage fees are based on third and fourth usage charging rates, respectively, and the third usage charging rate is different than the first usage charging rate or the fourth usage charging rate is different than the second usage charging rate. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first metered service and the second metered service are provided by first and second different service providers, respectively. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first usage charging rate is based in part on a person who made the request, and the second usage charging rate is based in part on the person who made the request. 4. A method for determining charges for services, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, via a network, a first request for a first composite , the first composite service comprising (a) a first transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the first transactional service, and in response, determining, by one or more processors, a fixed fee for the first transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on the respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the first composite service; andreceiving, via a network, a second request for a second composite service, the second composite service coprising (a) a second transactional service and (b) the first and second metered services, the first and second metered services enable the second transactional service, and in response, determining, by one or more processors, a fixed fee for the second transactional service and third and fourth metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the second composite service; and whereinthe third and fourth metered usage fees are based on third and fourth usage charging rates, respectively, and the third and fourth usage charging rates are based in part on the second transactional service. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second transactional service is different than the first transactional service, and the third usage charging rate is different than the first usage charging rate or the fourth usage charging rate is different than the second usage charging rate. 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first metered service and the second metered service are provided by first and second different service providers, respectively. 7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: generating a bill, payable by a person who made the first request, for the fixed fee, generating a bill, payable to the operator of the first metered service, for the first metered service based on the amount of usage of the first metered service to enable the first composite service, and generating a bill, payable to the operator of the second metered service, for the second metered service based on the amount of usage of the second metered service to enable the first composite service. 8. The method of claim 4 wherein the first metered service invokes the second metered service to enable the first composite service. 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the first request identifies the first transactional service. 10. The method of claim 4 wherein the first request identifies the first transactional service, and the first transactional service invokes the first metered service, and the first metered service invokes the second metered service. 11. The method of claim 4 wherein the first transactional service initiates access to the application for use by a person who made the first request. 12. A computer program product for determining charges for services, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising:program instructions to receive, via a network, a request for a composite service, the composite service comprising (a) a transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the transactional service, and in response, determine a fixed fee for the transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the composite service, and whereinthe first metered service and the second metered service are provided by first and second different service providers, respectively, and the first and second service providers are different than a vendor of the application. 13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the first and second metered usage fees are based on first and second usage charging rates, respectively, and the first and second usage charging rates are based in part on the transactional service. 14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the first usage charging rate is based in part on a person who made the request, and the second usage charging rate is based in part on the person who made the request. 15. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising: program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to generate a bill, payable by a person who made the request, for the fixed fee, generate a bill, payable to the operator of the first metered service, for the first metered service based on the amount of usage of the first metered service to enable the composite service, and generate a bill, payable to the operator of the second metered service, for the second metered service based on the amount of usage of the second metered service to enable the composite service. 16. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the first metered service invokes the second metered service to enable the composite service. 17. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the request identifies the transactional service. 18. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the request identifies the transactional service, and the transactional service invokes the first metered service, and the first metered service invokes the second metered service. 19. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the transactional service initiates access to the application for use by a person who made the request. 20. A computer program product for determining charges for services, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer-readable tangible storage services and program instructions stored on the one of more storage devices, the program instructions comprising:program instructions to receive, via a network, a first request for a first composite service, the first composite service comprising (a) a transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the transactional service, and in response, determine a fixed fee for the transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services to enable the first composite service;program instructions to receive, via a network, a second request for a second composite service, the second composite service comprising the first and second metered services but not involving the transactional service or the application, and in response, determine third and fourth metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services for the second composite service; and whereinthe first and second metered usage fees are based on first and second usage charging rates, respectively, and the first and second usage charging rates are based in part on the transactional service; andthe third and fourth metered usage fees are based on third and fourth usage charging rates, respectively, and the third usage charging rate is different than the first usage charging rate or the fourth usage charging rate is different than the second usage charging rate. 21. A computer program product for determining charges for services, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising:program instructions to receive, via a network, a first request for a first composite service, the first composite service comprising (a) a first transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the first transactional service, and in response, determine a fixed fee for the first transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on the respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the first composite service;program instructions to receive, via a network, a second request for a second composite service, the second composite service comprising (a) a second transactional service and (b) the first and second metered services, the first and second metered services enable the second transactional service, and in response, determine a fixed fee for the second transactional service and third and fourth metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the second composite service; and whereinthe third and fourth metered usage fees are based on third and fourth usage charging rates, respectively, and the third and fourth usage charging rates are based in part on the second transactional service. 22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the second transactional service is different than the first transactional service, and the third usage charging rate is different than the first usage charging rate or the fourth usage charging rate is different than the second usage charging rate. 23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the first metered service and the second metered service are provided by first and second different service providers, respectively. 24. A computer system for determining charges for services, the computer system comprising: one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising:program instructions to receive, via a network, a request for a composite service, the composite service comprising (a) a transactional service for an application, and (b) first and second metered services which enable the transactional service, and in response, determine a fixed fee for the transactional service and first and second metered usage fees for the first and second metered services, respectively, based on respective amounts of usage of the first and second metered services to enable the composite service, and whereinthe first metered service and the second metered service are provided by first and second different service providers, and first and second different service providers are different than a vendor of the application.