Runtime Engine Usage Measurement for Accurate Software Pricing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software licensing and pricing models, such as CPU-based models, do not accurately measure the amount of work performed by software platforms, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in pricing and licensing.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for measuring usage of a runtime engine by componentizing software applications into abstract units of work, incrementing counts for performed units of work, and assigning cost values to each unit, enabling accurate usage-based pricing and licensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If CPU-based licensing model is used, then licensing simplicity is improved, but measurement precision of actual work performed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the software platform's work into discrete abstract runtime units of work. Each unit represents a specific computational task performed by the runtime engine, allowing precise measurement and tracking of actual work performed rather than using coarse CPU-based metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the runtime engine) that sits between the hardware and the application software. This runtime engine abstracts the actual computational work into measurable units, serving as a mediator that translates physical CPU operations into business-relevant work metrics for licensing purposes.
2Measurement precision
If CPU time-based utility computing model is used, then measurement precision of usage is improved, but pricing accuracy reflects hardware characteristics rather than actual work performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for licensing from hardware-based metrics (CPU time, processor speed) to software-based metrics (abstract runtime units of work). This parameter change allows the licensing model to reflect actual business value delivered by the software platform independent of underlying hardware variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the measurement of actual work performed from the hardware layer and places it at the software layer. By taking out the work measurement from CPU time dependencies, the system achieves pricing accuracy that reflects true software platform usage rather than hardware characteristics.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional licensing models are used, then device existence or time spent running software is measured, but actual amount of work supported by software platform is not measured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous operation of software platforms into discrete abstract runtime units of work. Each unit represents a specific computational task, enabling precise quantification and measurement of actual work performed by the platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The runtime engine automatically tracks and measures its own work performance by incrementing counters for each abstract unit of work executed. This self-measuring capability provides accurate usage data without requiring external monitoring systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for measuring the usage of a runtime engine that supports the software platform of a software or integration application. The method comprises identifying a software or integration application that is componentized into a plurality of units of work, wherein the units of work are based on an abstract runtime unit of work processed by the runtime engine, receiving a request from the software or integration application for the runtime engine to perform a particular unit of work for the supported software or integration application, performing the particular unit of work in response to the request, incrementing a count for the particular unit of work performed in response to the request from the software or integration application to define a usage for the particular unit of work, and displaying the usage for the particular unit of work.