Distributed Network Gas Accounts for Stable Resource Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed networks face challenges in providing efficient, flexible, and secure charging mechanisms for users and applications to utilize network resources.
Innovation Solution
Implementing local user gas accounts at application units within the network, allowing users to pay for resource usage directly, and utilizing a complementary accounting unit called 'gas' to stabilize costs independent of currency fluctuations, with separate accounting for different types of resource usage to enhance security and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If centralized charging mechanisms are used in distributed networks, then billing and accounting can be managed centrally, but communication traffic increases and charging flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the charging system into distributed charging units at each node, where local charging decisions are made independently. Each node maintains its own charging state and executes charging logic locally, eliminating the need for centralized charging coordination and reducing communication overhead significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging function is extracted from the consensus protocol and implemented as a separate, independent mechanism. This allows charging to operate autonomously at each node without interfering with consensus operations, enabling local charging decisions to be made without requiring communication with central billing systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If currency-based charging is used, then users can pay for resources using familiar currency systems, but costs fluctuate with currency market changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a complementary accounting unit (CAU) as an intermediary between currency-based payments and resource pricing. The CAU acts as a stable intermediate layer that absorbs currency fluctuations, allowing resources to be priced in stable CAU terms while users can pay in various currencies that convert to CAU at prevailing rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pricing parameter from direct currency values to complementary accounting units. This parameter transformation stabilizes resource costs by decoupling them from volatile currency markets, while maintaining payment flexibility through multiple currency conversion options to CAU.
3Measurement precision
If detailed monitoring of resource usage is implemented, then accurate billing can be achieved, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each node in the distributed network implements self-service charging by autonomously monitoring its own resource usage and executing charging logic locally. Nodes independently track their charging states, measure resource consumption, and perform billing operations without requiring complex external monitoring systems, thereby achieving accurate billing with minimal added complexity.
4Reliability
If charging is integrated into the consensus protocol, then charging and consensus can be coordinated, but consensus performance and finality speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The charging mechanism is extracted from the consensus protocol into a separate, independent system. This separation allows consensus operations to proceed at full speed without being burdened by charging computations, while charging continues to function autonomously at each node, maintaining coordination through independent operation rather than integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for charging and paying for a use of resources of a distributed network. The distributed network comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is configured to run one or more computational units. The one or more computational units comprise one or more application units for providing application services to users of the distributed network. The embodied method comprises steps of running, by each user of the network, one or more local user gas accounts at one or more of the application units and processing, via the local user gas accounts, payments for the use of the resources of the distributed network.Further aspects relate to a distributed network, a node of a distributed network and a corresponding computer program product.