Systems, methods, and apparatus for utilizing forward market pricing to facilitate operational decisions

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for utilizing forward market pricing to facilitate operational decisions are disclosed. An example method may include interpreting a resource utilization requirement for a task system having at least one of a compute task, a network task, or a core task. The method may further include interpreting an automated agent behavioral data source to obtain behavioral data, and operating a machine to forecast a forward market value for a resource in response to the resource utilization requirement and the behavioral data. The method then includes, in response to the forecast of the forward market value for the resource, adjusting an operation of the task system or executing a transaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 interpreting a resource utilization requirement for a task system having at least one of a compute task, a network task, or a core task;   interpreting an automated agent behavioral data source to obtain behavioral data;   operating a machine to forecast a forward market value for a resource in response to the resource utilization requirement and the behavioral data; and   performing one of adjusting an operation of the task system or executing a transaction, in response to the forecast of the forward market value for the resource.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forward market value for the resource comprises a forward market for energy prices. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forward market value for the resource comprises a forward market for a spectrum resource. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forward market value for the resource comprises a forward market for a compute resource. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forward market value for the resource comprises a forward market for an energy credit resource. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource utilization requirement comprises a first resource, and wherein the resource of the forward market value comprises the first resource, or a second resource that can be substituted for the first resource. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising operating the machine to determine a substitution cost of the second resource, and performing the one of adjusting the operation of the task system or executing the transaction further in response to the substitution cost of the second resource. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining at least a portion of the substitution cost of the second resource as an operational change cost for the task system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the performing comprises executing the transaction, wherein the transaction comprises one of purchasing or selling one of the first resource or the second resource on a market for at least one of the first resource or the second resource. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource utilization requirement comprises at least one resource selected from the resources consisting of: a compute resource, a network bandwidth resource, a spectrum resource, a data storage resource, an energy resource, and an energy credit resource. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing comprises adjusting the operation of the task system, and wherein the adjusting further comprises at least one operation selected from the operations consisting of: adjusting operations of the task system to increase or reduce the resource utilization requirement; adjusting operations of the task system to time shift at least a portion of the resource utilization requirement; adjusting operations of the task system to substitute utilization of a first resource for utilization of a second resource; and accessing an external provider to provide at least a portion of at least one of the compute task, the network task, or the core task. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing comprises executing the transaction, wherein the transaction comprises one of purchasing or selling the resource on a market for the resource. 
     
     
         13 . A transaction-enabling apparatus comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
 interpret a resource utilization requirement for a task system having at least one of a compute task, a network task, or a core task;   interpret an automated agent behavioral data source to obtain behavioral data;   operate a machine to forecast a forward market value for a resource in response to the resource utilization requirement and the behavioral data; and   perform one of adjusting an operation of the task system or executing a transaction in response to the forecast of the forward market value for the resource.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the resource utilization requirement comprises a first resource, and wherein the resource of the forward market value comprises the first resource, or a second resource that can be substituted for the first resource. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the machine to determine a substitution cost of the second resource, and to perform the one of adjusting the operation of the task system or executing the transaction further in response to the substitution cost of the second resource. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the machine is further configured to determine at least a portion of the substitution cost of the second resource as an operational change cost for the task system. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the behavioral data comprises purchasing and sales data on the first resource of the second resource. 
     
     
         18 . A transaction-enabling system, comprising:
 a machine having at least one of a compute task, a network task, or a core task; and   a controller, comprising:   a resource requirement circuit structured to determine a resource utilization requirement for the machine to service the compute task, the network task, or the core task;   an automated agent behavioral data source structured to provide behavioral data;   a forward market forecast circuit structured to forecast a forward market value for a resource in response to the resource utilization requirement and the behavioral data; and   a response circuit structured to adjust an operation of the machine or executing a transaction in response to the forecast of the forward market value for the resource.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the behavioral data comprises resource consumption behavior of the machine. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the behavioral data comprises compute and processing behavior of the machine.