Application Usage Analysis via GUI State for Accurate Cloud Billing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud service providers charge users for cloud service usage based on the duration of service activation, regardless of actual usage, leading to unreasonable billing for inactive services.
Innovation Solution
A method to analyze application usage by collecting data from user devices based on graphical user interface (GUI) states, generating statistical data, and presenting it to a designated device to accurately determine actual usage patterns and habits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cloud service usage fees are charged based on service activation duration, then billing simplicity is improved, but billing accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simple time-based billing mechanism with a sophisticated usage-detection mechanism that monitors application execution states through GUI detection. Instead of relying solely on activation duration, the system detects actual usage by monitoring whether application windows are visible and active, thereby resolving the contradiction between billing simplicity and usage measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring application usage states and using this information to adjust billing calculations. The usage analysis application collects real-time data on application execution and visibility, feeds this information back to the billing system, and uses it to calculate accurate usage-based fees, thus resolving the measurement accuracy issue while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Quantity of substance
If usage data collection is performed for all applications, then usage analysis completeness is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the data collection approach based on application characteristics. Instead of uniformly monitoring all applications, the system selectively monitors applications that meet specific criteria (such as those with visible GUIs), thereby maintaining comprehensive usage analysis for relevant applications while reducing the complexity of data collection for all applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial action by collecting usage data only for applications that are actually executed and have visible interfaces, rather than attempting to monitor all possible applications. This selective approach ensures sufficient data completeness for billing purposes while significantly reducing the complexity of the data collection system.
3Ease of operation
If application usage is monitored based on execution state only, then monitoring simplicity is improved, but usage accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the GUI visibility criterion before usage determination. The system pre-defines that an application is considered actively used only when its GUI is visible, and this criterion is applied consistently throughout the monitoring period. This preliminary establishment of the usage criterion simplifies the monitoring process while improving accuracy by filtering out inactive executions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the monitoring parameter from simple execution state to a composite parameter that includes both execution and GUI visibility. By adding the visibility parameter to the usage determination criteria, the system maintains monitoring simplicity while significantly improving usage measurement accuracy, as it now distinguishes between executed but inactive applications and actively used applications.
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the embodiments according to the present invention is to enable reasonable pricing by accurately calculating a user's actual usage of applications, including cloud infrastructure. A method for analyzing and presenting data on usage of an application, comprising steps of: receiving usage analysis data on usage of an analysis target application executed on each of a plurality of user devices affiliated with an institution, from each of the plurality of user devices, wherein the usage analysis data is collected by a usage analysis application executed on each of the plurality of user devices based on a display state of a graphical user interface (GUI) corresponding to an application executed on the user device; generating statistical data on usage of the analysis target application based on the usage analysis data collected from each of the plurality of user devices; and presenting the statistical data to a designated device,