Delicate metering of computer usage

• US 20060105739A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Frank, Alexander, Phillips, Thomas G., Reilly, George V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A pay-per-use or metered-use computer uses a balance manager to monitor usage and update a value balance according to a first usage schedule when the computer is in active use. When the activity level of the computer is reduced below a threshold, the balance manager may update the value balance according to a second usage schedule. Activity level of the computer is determined by monitoring the activity level of a one or more components of the computer including input devices, communication controllers, and the processing unit. Rules can be applied to determine when to switch between usage schedules and if credits to the value balance should be made.

Claims

1. A method of metering usage in a computer comprising:

measuring usage of the computer according to a first usage schedule;

monitoring an activity level of the computer; and

measuring usage of the computer according to a second usage schedule when the activity level of the computer reaches a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second usage schedule measures usage at a lower rate than the first usage schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring the activity level of the computer further comprises monitoring an activity level of multiple components of the computer, wherein the threshold corresponds to the activity level of at least one of the multiple components.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the usage of the computer according to one of the first and second usage schedules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity level of the computer reaches the threshold of activity level after the activity level of the computer at least maintains a predetermined level for a period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting a usage value corresponding to the period of time after the activity level of the computer at least maintains the pre-determined level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity level of the computer corresponds to an activity level of one of an input device, a printer, a web camera, a hard disk drive, a communications device, and a processing unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity level of the computer reaches the threshold corresponding to an application running on the computer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the activity level of the computer reaches the threshold corresponding to the application running on the computer except when the application is one of a screen saver, a virus checker, a utility, and an update.

10. A computer adapted for metering of usage comprising:

a memory for storing data and program code; and

a processor coupled to the memory wherein the processor executes a metering program for sensing an activity level of the computer and for metering usage responsive to the activity level of the computer.

11. The computer of claim 10, wherein the metering program determines the activity level of at least one of an input device, a printer, a web camera, a hard disk drive, a communications device, a display driver and a processor.

12. The computer of claim 10, wherein the metering program evaluates metering usage corresponding to the processor activity level being one of below an idle threshold and attributed to at least one of a utility, a screen saver, a virus checker, an update, and the metering program.

13. The computer of claim 10, wherein the metering program pauses metering computer usage corresponding to the activity level of the computer below a threshold.

14. The computer of claim 10, wherein the memory stores metering data associated with the computer usage and the program adjusts the usage data according to a profile of the activity data.

15. A computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions for use in a computer, the computer executable instructions for executing a method of metering, comprising:

assessing an activity level of a component of a computer;

determining when metering of computer usage is active in response to the activity level of the component of the computer.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the metering of computer usage measures time-of-use and is one of on and off in response to the activity level of the component of the computer.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the assessing the activity level of a component of the computer further comprises computer executable instructions for assessing the activity level of at least one of an input device, a printer, a web camera, a storage device, a communications device and a processor.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein assessing the activity level of the processor further comprises computer executable instructions assessing the execution of at least one of a screen saver, a virus checker, a utility, and an update.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the metering of computer usage is determined in response to the activity level of the component of the computer when the activity level at least maintains a threshold for a period of time.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the metering of computer usage is adjusted corresponding to the period of time.