System and method for allocating multi-access edge computing services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11626989-B2
Application number	US-201916360312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods provide decentralized MEC compute services. A network device receives, from a user device associated with a user account, an access request for Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) services. The user account includes a MEC service token that indicates parameters for the MEC services. The network device validates a user of the user device to access MEC services for the user device; removes, after the validating, the MEC service token from the first user account; and grants, based on the removing, access to a MEC cluster by the user device, wherein granting access includes granting access according to the parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device in a core network and from a user device, an application programming interface (API) call including a request to transfer a Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) service token from a donor user account to a recipient user account,
wherein the MEC service token indicates a service unit of network resources that provide MEC services, and
wherein the transfer request includes a private key and an account identifier of the recipient user account for the MEC service token;
determining, by the network device, that the MEC service token is available for transfer;
sending, by the network device, a notification of the transfer request to a user associated with the account identifier;
verifying, by the network device, that access to the MEC services by the user can be granted; and
transferring, by the network device and after the verifying, the MEC service token to the recipient user account, wherein the transferring includes initiating an update to a block chain ledger, corresponding to the account identifier, to reflect the transferring of the MEC service token from the donor account to the recipient user account.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the network device and from a user device executing an instance of an application, an access request for the MEC services, wherein the request includes a unique block chain identifier for the application;
debiting, by the network device, the MEC service token from the recipient user account,
wherein the MEC service token indicates parameters limiting use of network resources that provide the MEC services;
extracting, by the network device, parameters from the MEC service token; and
forwarding, by the network device and to a MEC cluster that provides the MEC services to the instance of the application, the parameters indicated in the MEC service token.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEC service token indicates parameters limiting use of network resources that provide the MEC services to a preconfigured duration of time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifying includes conducting a payment transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEC service token includes parameters for a duration, a bandwidth, a number of compute cycles, or a memory limit for the MEC services.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring for usage activity of the MEC service token; and
logging an amount of unused resources, from the MEC service token, that is available for future use.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEC service token indicates a service including one or more of graphics processing, general processing, or storage.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
creating, by the network device, the recipient user account for storing the MEC service token.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the access transfer request includes:
receiving the API call over a radio access network (RAN).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the notification comprises requesting confirmation from the user.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating, after the logging, a new token for the recipient user's account to credit the unused resources back to the user.

12. A network device, comprising:
a first communications interface for exchanging data with a user device;
a second communications interface for exchanging data with a Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) cluster; and
one or more processors configured to:
receive, from a user device, an application programming interface (API) call including a request to transfer a Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) service token from a donor user account to a recipient user account,
wherein the MEC service token indicates a service unit of network resources that provide MEC services, and
wherein the transfer request includes a private key and an account identifier of the recipient user account for the MEC service token,
determine that the MEC service token is available for transfer,
send a notification of the transfer request to a user associated with the account identifier,
verify that access to the MEC services by the user can be granted, and
transfer, after the verifying, the MEC service token to the recipient user account, wherein the transferring includes initiating an update to a block chain ledger, corresponding to the account identifier, to reflect the transferring of the MEC service token from the donor account to the recipient user account.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein, when receiving the transfer request, the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive the API call over a radio access network (RAN).

14. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
credit, before receiving the transfer request, the MEC service token to the donor user account.

15. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the MEC service token includes parameters for a duration or memory limit of the MEC services that are available to the instance of the application.

16. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from a user device executing an instance of an application, an access request for the MEC services, wherein the request includes a private key and a unique block chain identifier for the application,
debit the MEC service token from the recipient user account, wherein the MEC service token indicates parameters limiting use of network resources that provide the MEC services,
extract parameters from MEC service token, and
forward, to the MEC cluster, the parameters indicated in the MEC service token.

17. The network device of claim 12 , wherein, when sending the notification, the one or more processors are further configured to:
request confirmation from the user.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:
receive, from a user device, an access application programming interface (API) call including a request to transfer a Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) service token from a donor user account to a recipient user account,
wherein the MEC service token indicates a service unit of network resources that provide MEC services, and
wherein the transfer request includes a private key and an account identifier of the recipient user account for the MEC service token,
determine that the MEC service token is available for transfer,
send a notification of the transfer request to a user associated with the account identifier,
verify that access to the MEC services by the user can be granted, and
transfer, after the verifying, the MEC service token to the recipient user account, wherein the transferring includes initiating an update to a block chain ledger, corresponding to the account identifier, to reflect the transferring of the MEC service token from the donor account to the recipient user account.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions to:
credit, before receiving the transfer request, the MEC service token to the donor user account.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 ,
wherein the MEC service token includes parameters for one or more of a duration or an amount of memory.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Polehn Donna L
• Christopherson Corey J
• Weisbrod Fred

Classifications

• H04L9/3213 Primary

  using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos (network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807) · CPC title

• G06Q20/38

  Payment protocols; Details thereof · CPC title

• H04L9/3239 Primary

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• H04L63/0807

  using tickets, e.g. Kerberos (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213) · CPC title

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title