US Patent 10051082 Cost determination to provide software as a service

A method for use in a computer of generating a cost associated with performing a request for a service using computer software, the method comprising: generating metadata associated with the cost of a plurality of portions of the computer software, the metadata including an identifier associated with each of the plurality of portions of the computer software; embedding at least the identifier into each respective portion of the plurality of portions of the computer software; utilizing the embedded identifier to determine which of the plurality of portions of the computer software are used to perform the request; assigning, using the metadata, a cost to each of the one or more portions of the computer software determined to be used to perform the request; and calculating a total cost associated with usage of the computer software to perform the request.