BROKERING AND PAYMENT OPTIMIZATION FOR CLOUD COMPUTING

• US 20110264571A1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Danielson, Debra Jean, Hadar, Eitan
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A system includes a receiving module to receive a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from a consumer in a first currency. A pricing module is used to price-out the cloud computing service from a provider where the cloud computing service is provided in a second currency. A reconciliation module reconciles the purchase of the cloud computing service in the consumer'"'"'s geographical location and currency with the provider'"'"'s location and currency.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from a consumer, where the purchase inquiry specifies a first currency;

pricing-out the cloud computing service from a provider in accordance with the purchase inquiry, where the price for the cloud computing service is provided in a second currency; and

reconciling, using a data processor, the price of the cloud computing service in the second currency with the purchase inquiry specifying the first currency to pay the provider in the second currency and charge the consumer in the first currency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase inquiry specifies a first transaction vehicle and the payment requires a second transaction vehicle and wherein the reconciling includes mediating between the first transaction vehicle and the second transaction vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a purchase inquiry from each of one or more second consumers for the cloud computing service;

grouping the consumer and the one or more second consumers into a consumer block;

tabulating the actual use of the cloud computing service for each consumer in the consumer block using a usage interface; and

charging each consumer in the consumer block for the actual use of the cloud computing service.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the usage interface wraps the cloud computing service.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the charging includes dividing an overhead cost among the consumers in the consumer block based on each customer'"'"'s actual use of the cloud computing service, the overhead cost being a value of an unused portion of the cloud computing service purchased from the provider.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the charging includes a chargeback for underuse by a consumer in the consumer block.

7. A system comprising:

a data processor;

a receiving module for execution by the data processor to receive a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from a consumer, where the purchase inquiry specifies a first currency;

a pricing module for execution by the data processor to price-out the cloud computing service from a provider in accordance with the purchase inquiry, where the price of the cloud computing service is provided in a second currency; and

a reconciliation module for execution by the data processor to reconcile the price of the cloud computing service in the second currency with the purchase inquiry specifying the first currency to pay the provider in the second currency and charge the consumer in the first currency.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reconciliation module is configured to mediate between the purchase inquiry specifying a first transaction vehicle and the payment requiring a second transaction vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a usage interface;

and

wherein the receiving module is configured to receive a purchase inquiry from each of one or more second consumers for the cloud computing service and to group the consumer and the one or more second consumers into a consumer block;

wherein the usage interface is configured to tabulate actual use of the cloud computing service for each consumer in the consumer block; and

wherein the reconciliation module is configured to charge each consumer in the consumer block based on its actual use of the cloud computing service.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the usage interface wraps the cloud computing service.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the reconciliation module is further configured to divide an overhead cost among the consumers in the consumer block based on each customer'"'"'s actual use of the cloud computing service, the overhead cost being a value of an unused portion of the cloud computing service purchased from the provider.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the reconciliation module is further configured to charge back for underuse by a consumer in the consumer block.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from each of a first plurality of consumers;

grouping a second plurality of consumers from the first plurality of consumers into a consumer block;

tabulating, using a data processor, actual use of the cloud computing service for each consumer in the consumer block using a usage interface; and

charging each consumer in the consumer block based on its actual use of the cloud computing service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the usage interface wraps the cloud computing service.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the charging includes dividing an overhead cost among the consumers in the consumer block based on each customer'"'"'s actual use of the cloud computing service, the overhead cost being a value of an unused portion of the cloud computing service purchased from the provider.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the charging includes a chargeback for underuse by a consumer in the consumer block.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising reconciling between payment from a consumer in a first currency and payment to the provider in a second currency, where the consumer is in the consumer block.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the payment from the consumer uses a first transaction vehicle and the payment to the provider uses a second transaction vehicle, the second transaction vehicle being a transaction vehicle accepted by the provider and the first transaction vehicle being a transaction vehicle not accepted by the provider;

and

wherein the reconciling includes mediating between the first transaction vehicle and the second transaction vehicle.

19. A system comprising

a data processor;

a receiving module for execution by the data processor to receive a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from each of a first plurality of consumers and to group a second plurality of consumers from the first plurality of consumers into a consumer block;

a usage interface to tabulate the actual use of the cloud computing service for each consumer in the consumer block; and

a reconciliation module to charge each consumer in the consumer block for its actual use of the cloud computing service.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the usage interface wraps the cloud computing service.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the reconciliation module is configured to divide an overhead cost among the consumers in the consumer block based on each customer'"'"'s actual use of the cloud computing service, the overhead cost being a value of an unused portion of the cloud computing service purchased from the provider.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the reconciliation module is configured to chargeback for underuse by a consumer in the consumer block.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the reconciliation module is configured to reconcile between payment from a consumer in a first currency and payment to the provider in a second currency, where the consumer is in the consumer block.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the payment from the consumer uses a first transaction vehicle and the payment to the provider uses a second transaction vehicle, the second transaction vehicle being a transaction vehicle accepted by the provider and the first transaction vehicle being a transaction vehicle not accepted by the provider;

and

wherein the reconciliation module is further configured to mediate between the first transaction vehicle and the second transaction vehicle.

25. A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following actions:

receiving a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from each of a first plurality of consumers;

grouping a second plurality of consumers from the first plurality of consumers into a consumer block;

tabulating, using a data processor, the actual use of the cloud computing service for each consumer in the consumer block using the usage interface; and

charging each consumer in the consumer block for its actual use of the cloud computing service.