9. End-to-End Commerce Flow
The following sequence illustrates a machine buying a metered physical service from another machine.
Step 1: Delegation#
The owner or fleet controller assigns the buyer machine a budget and policy. The machine receives permission to buy a defined service from approved counterparties within price and risk limits.
Step 2: Offer#
The seller machine publishes a signed offer containing service type, unit price, measurement method, payment options, session rules, and validity period.
Step 3: Evaluation#
The buyer verifies the seller’s identity and offer signature, then evaluates price, quality, operational need, and local policy.
Step 4: Session creation#
The buyer signs an acceptance. Both parties derive or agree on a session identifier that will link service events, payment authorizations, and proofs.
Step 5: Delivery and payment#
The seller delivers measurable service. The buyer signs value authorizations at agreed intervals. Either party may pause according to timeout, safety, delivery, or payment rules.
Step 6: Proof#
The application submits commitments for the offer, acceptance, delivery intervals, relevant machine state, and payment references. HashAnchor returns receipts after batching and anchoring.
Step 7: Settlement#
The seller or a settlement service submits the payment authorizations. Multiple small authorizations may be aggregated when the payment protocol permits it.
Step 8: Completion#
The final event links the delivered quantity, total authorized value, settlement result, and completion status. Both parties retain evidence suitable for reconciliation or dispute handling.