Network Resource Usage Proofs for Dynamic Billing Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems lack reliable monitoring of resource delegation and usage, particularly in satellite and mobile networks, and static billing methods are inadequate for emerging usage cases.
Innovation Solution
A method involving network devices that send usage proofs to terminals and monitoring entities, dynamically tracking resource usage and enabling flexible billing based on actual resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If static billing contracts are used, then billing simplicity is maintained, but flexibility and traceability of resource usage are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A monitoring entity is introduced as an intermediary between network devices and billing systems. This entity receives usage proofs from network devices, validates them, and generates billing information. The intermediary handles the complexity of dynamic monitoring while keeping the billing interface simple, resolving the contradiction between billing flexibility and monitoring complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where usage proofs are continuously generated by network devices, validated by the monitoring entity, and used to update billing information in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic billing that adapts to actual resource consumption while maintaining systematic control over the monitoring process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If resource delegation is implemented between communication systems, then resource sharing is enabled, but reliable monitoring of usage rights and conditions becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Delegation terms are established in advance with specific usage rights and conditions defined before resource sharing begins. The monitoring entity is pre-configured with these terms to validate usage proofs against the agreed conditions, ensuring reliable monitoring from the start of resource delegation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or static monitoring mechanisms with automated cryptographic verification. Usage proofs are cryptographically signed by network devices and verified by the monitoring entity using digital signatures, substituting mechanical verification processes with automated cryptographic validation for more reliable and scalable monitoring.
3Loss of information
If dynamic resource tracking is implemented, then traceability of resource usage is improved, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function is extracted from individual network devices and centralized in a dedicated monitoring entity. Each network device only needs to generate and send usage proofs, while the complex validation, aggregation, and billing information generation are performed by the monitoring entity. This extraction reduces overhead at the network device level while maintaining comprehensive traceability.
Solution Approach 2:
Usage proofs are created as cryptographic copies of resource usage information that can be verified without accessing the original complex system state. These proofs serve as lightweight representations of resource consumption that can be transmitted and validated efficiently, reducing the overhead of dynamic tracking while preserving complete traceability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by a network device for monitoring a resource usage to communicate with at least one terminal. The method includes: sending data to the at least one terminal; and sending, to a monitoring entity and/or to the at least one terminal, one or more usage proofs indicating resources used by the network device to communicate the data to the at least one terminal.