Method and apparatus to perform online credential reporting

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a process for displaying a graphical indicator on an Internet enabled device which conveys relationships between an entity associated with a website and third party entities with respect to the website entity. One example method may include obtaining the relationship data from a credential service provider, using a portion of a uniform resource identifier as a key to access the relationship data on the credential service provider, and rendering a representation of the relationship data, wherein the rendering of the relationship data is performed in a graphical user interface of a web browser, and wherein the web browser displays a rendering of the representation of the relationship data such that there is a relationship between an entity associated with the uniform resource identifier and a third party entity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 accessing, from a credential service provider, a credential made by an issuer entity about a holder entity, wherein the issuer entity provides the credential to the credential service provider, wherein the issuer entity, the holder entity, and the credential service provider are separate entities;   using a portion of a uniform resource identifier to access the credential on the credential service provider, wherein the credential is an issued credential between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier;   retrieving the issued credential by forwarding the issued credential from the credential service provider to a web interface; and   rendering a representation of the credential, in the web interface, between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the credential via a cache engine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider via a uniqueness identifier engine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling access and determining access to the credential service provider via a network dispersion engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising analyzing tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising controlling access and determining access to the credential service provider via a network dispersion engine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a query is necessary based on a user initiated access operation, and, if so, performing the query, and, if not, determining whether there is relationship data and modifying the web interface based on the relationship data. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to:   access, from a credential service provider, a credential made by an issuer entity about a holder entity, wherein the issuer entity provides the credential to the credential service provider, wherein the issuer entity, the holder entity, and the credential service provider are separate entities;   use a portion of a uniform resource identifier to access the credential on the credential service provider, wherein the credential is an issued credential between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier;   retrieve the issued credential when the issued credential is forwarded from the credential service provider to a web interface;   a display with a web interface configured to render a representation of the credential, in the web interface, between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a cached engine configured to store the credential. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a uniqueness identifier engine configured to analyze tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a network dispersion engine configured to control access and determine access to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a network dispersion engine configured to control access and to determine access to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a query is necessary based on a user initiated access operation, and, if so, perform the query, and, if not, determine whether there is relationship data and modify the web interface based on the relationship data. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions, that when executed causes a processor to perform:
 accessing, from a credential service provider, a credential made by an issuer entity about a holder entity, wherein the issuer entity provides the credential to the credential service provider, wherein the issuer entity, the holder entity, and the credential service provider are separate entities;   using a portion of a uniform resource identifier to access the credential on the credential service provider, wherein the credential is an issued credential between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier;   retrieving the issued credential by forwarding the issued credential from the credential service provider to a web interface; and   rendering a representation of the credential, in the web interface, between the issuer entity and the holder entity associated with the uniform resource identifier.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform storing the credential via a cache engine. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform analyzing tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider via a uniqueness identifier engine. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform controlling access and determining access to the credential service provider via a network dispersion engine. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform analyzing tokens to control query frequency to the credential service provider. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform determining whether a query is necessary based on a user initiated access operation, and, if so, performing the query, and, if not, determining whether there is relationship data and modifying the web interface based on the relationship data.