US6917622B2 — Allocating access across a shared communications …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 209 words

A Carrier Network for providing communication between multiple users and a Service Provider, comprising: (a) computer network equipment defining an Intermediate Network and a shared communications medium, said Intermediate Network and said shared communications medium extending between the users and the Service Provider for conveying data therebetween, said shared communications medium joining the users with said Intermediate Network such that data of each user is conveyed over said shared communications medium to and from the Intermediate Network whereby the users compete for network access; and (b) software for managing network access of the users across said shared communications medium, said software including computer-executable instructions that performs the steps of: (i) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (ii) based on the monitored network access usage, setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (iii) prioritizing users based on user data throughput during a time interval, with a user with lesser data throughput rate receiving priority over a user with a greater data throughput rate.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 209 words

A Carrier Network for providing communication between multiple users and a Service Provider, comprising: (a) computer network equipment defining an Intermediate Network and a shared communications medium, said Intermediate Network and said shared communications medium extending between the users and the Service Provider for conveying data therebetween, said shared communications medium joining the users with said Intermediate Network such that data of each user is conveyed over said shared communications medium to and from the Intermediate Network whereby the users compete for network access; and (b) software for managing network access of the users across said shared communications medium, said software including computer-executable instructions that performs the steps of: (i) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (ii) based on the monitored network access usage, setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (iii) prioritizing users based on user data throughput during a time interval, with a user with lesser data throughput rate receiving priority over a user with a greater data throughput rate.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein said network equipment further defines a Cable Network and said shared communications medium comprises a coaxial cable of said Cable Network.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

The Carrier Network of claim 2 , wherein said software comprises software modules distributed within computer readable media of said network equipment.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

The Carrier Network of claim 2 , wherein said software comprises software modules stored in a computer readable medium of a hardware component.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The Cagier Network of claim 4 , wherein said hardware component is physically located with said network equipment.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

The Carrier Network of claim 5 , wherein said Carrier Network comprises a Data-Over-Cable (DOC) Network and said hardware component is located within a regional data center of said DOC Network.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

The Carrier Network of claim 5 , wherein said Carrier Network comprises a Data-Over-Cable (DOC) Network and said hardware component is located within a headend of said DOC Network.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 19 words

The Carrier Network of claim 4 , wherein said hardware component is physically located remotely from said network equipment.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The Carrier Network of claim 8 , wherein said hardware component is directly connected with said network equipment for communication therebetween.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The Carrier Network of claim 8 , wherein said hardware component is indirectly connected with said network equipment through the Internet for communication therebetween.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 96 words

The Carrier Network of claim 2 , wherein said software modules include: (i) a first software component that manages a database for storage and retrieval of data; (ii) a second software component that collects data representative of network access usage from said network equipment, and that sends data representative of network access usage to said first component for storage thereof; and (iii) a third component that retrieves data representative of network access usage stored in said first component and sets, based at least partially thereon, network access allowances for the users for the future time interval.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 36 words

The Carrier Network of claim 11 , further includes a fourth component having a graphical user interface for sending data to said first component for storage and for retrieval of data stored by said first component.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 wherein network access comprises bandwidth across the shared communications medium for consumption by each user in conveying data of the user.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

The Carrier Network of claim 13 , wherein the Step of monitoring comprises monitoring bandwidth that is consumed by each user in an upstream direction across said shared communications medium in time intervals of one minute to fifteen minutes.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

The Carrier Network of claim 13 , wherein the step of monitoring comprises monitoring bandwidth that is consumed by each user in the downstream direction across said shared communications medium in time intervals of fifteen minutes to sixty minutes.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the time interval for which network access usage is monitored and the future time interval are equal in length.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the time interval for which network access usage is monitored and the future time interval each is approximately one minute to sixty minutes in length.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of logical data units transmitted from and to each user during a time interval.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 37 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of bytes and data packet transmitted from and to each user during a time interval.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the stop of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of logical data units of the user that are dropped during a time interval.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 37 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of bytes and data packets, of the user that are dropped during a time interval.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 48 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of logical data units of the User that are requested to be transmitted in an upstream direction across said shared communications medium during a time interval.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 43 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access equally to the users and setting the network access allowance for each user equal to that user's allocated network access.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 15 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the prioritizing is based on fairness considerations.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 54 words

The Carrier Network of claim 24 , wherein the users are prioritized based on network access usage for a particular time of day, with a user with lesser network access a usage for the particular time of day receiving priority over a user with greater network access usage for the particular time of day.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 20 words

The Carrier Network of claim 24 wherein users are prioritized based on an established minimum quality of service (QoS) standard.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 27 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein the users are prioritized based on both user throughput and data loss of the user during a time interval.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein prioritizing is based on service level agreements (SLAs) of the users regarding the provision of network access.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 64 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access for users, and prioritizing includes comparing each user's monitored network access usage with the specified respective minimum levels of network access, and awarding priority to a user when said respective monitored network access usage for such user falls below the user's specified respective minimum level of network access.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 79 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs specify respective time-of-day (TOD) minimum levels of network access For users, and prioritizing includes comparing the monitored network access usages for such users during the specified respective TOD with the specified respective TOD minimum levels of network access, and awarding priority to a user when the monitored network access usage during the specified respective TOD for such user falls below the user's specified respective TOD minimum level of network access.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 93 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access up to a maximum burstable levels with larger probability for users, and prioritizing includes comparing the monitored network access usage both with the respective minimum levels of network access for such users and with the respective maximum burstable levels of network access for such users, and comparing the instances the respective maximum levels of network access were obtained for such users out of all instances the respective maximum levels of network access were requested for such users.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 47 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs provide respective fees for network access usages and prioritizing comprises sorting such users based on each user's respective fee in decreasing order, with a user with a higher fee receiving priority over a user with a lesser free.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 54 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs provide respective credits for levels of network access below respective guaranteed levels for users, and prioritizing comprises sorting such users based on each user's respective credit in decreasing order, with a user with a higher credit receiving priority over a user with a lower credit.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 40 words

The Carrier Network of claim 28 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access for users, and allocating network access comprises allocating network access to such users equal to each user's specified respective minimum level of network access.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 42 words

The Carrier Network of claim 1 , wherein said software further includes computer-executable instructions that perform the step of forecasting network access usage by each user during the future rime interval based on the monitoring of network access usage by each user.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 29 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein forecasting comprises predicting future network access usage of each user based upon monitored past network access usage patterns of each user.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 33 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein forecasting comprises applying an adaptive-response-rate single exponential smoothing function and a Holt-Winters' seasonal exponential smoothing function to the monitored network access usages of the users.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 32 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access to users proportional each user's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 43 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access, and wherein said software further includes computer-executable instructions that perform the step of prioritizing the users for allocating network access.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 18 words

The Carrier Network of claim 39 , wherein prioritizing is based on each user's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 44 words

The Carrier Network of claim 39 , wherein said users are prioritized in increasing order of each user's forecasted network access usage, with a user with a lesser forecasted network access usage receiving priority over a user with a greater forecasted network access usage.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 45 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access to the users equal to each user's forecasted network access usage, and then allocating any remaining network access equally to the users.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 53 words

The Carrier Network of claim 35 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access to the users equal to each user's forecasted network access usage, and then allocating any remaining network access to the users proportionally based on each user's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 121 words

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that manage network access across a shared communications medium between competing users of a Carrier Network, said instructions performing the steps of: (a) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (b) setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (c) prioritizing users based on user data throughput during a time interval, with a user with lesser data throughput rate receiving priority over a user with a greater data throughput rate.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 121 words

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that manage network access across a shared communications medium between competing users of a Carrier Network, said instructions performing the steps of: (a) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (b) setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (c) prioritizing users based on user data throughput during a time interval, with a user with lesser data throughput rate receiving priority over a user with a greater data throughput rate.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein said step of setting a network access allowance for each user comprises allocating network access.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 14 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein the prioritizing is based fairness considerations.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 53 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein the users are prioritized based on network access usage for a particular time of day, with a user with lesser network access usage for the particular time of day receiving priority over a user with greater network access usage for the particular time of day.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein the users are prioritized based on both user throughput and date loss of the user during a time interval.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 21 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein users are prioritized based on an established minimum quality of service (QoS) standard.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 25 words

The Computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein prioritizing is based on service level agreements (SLAs) of the users regarding the provision of network access.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 65 words

The computer-readable medium claim 50 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access for users, and prioritizing includes comparing the monitored network access usages for the users With the specified respective minimum levels of network access, and awarding priority to a user when the respective monitored network access usage for such user falls below the user's specified respective minimum level of network access.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 79 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , wherein SLAs specify respective time-of-day (TOD) minimum levels of network access for users, and prioritizing includes comparing the monitored network access usages for such users during the specified respective TOD with the specified respective TOD minimum levels of network access, and awarding priority to a user when the monitored network access usage during the specified respective TOD for such user falls below the user's specified respective TOP minimum level of network access.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 93 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access up to a maximum burstable levels with target probability for users, and prioritizing includes comparing the monitored network access usage both with the respective minimum levels of network access for such users and with the respective maximum burstable levels of network access for such users, and comparing the instances the respective maximum levels of network access were obtained for such users out of all instances the respective maximum levels of network access were requested for such users.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 48 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , wherein SLAs provide a respective fee for network access usage, and prioritizing comprises sorting such users based on each user's respective fee in decreasing order, with a user with a higher fee receiving priority over a user with a lesser fee.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 54 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , wherein SLAs provide respective credits for levels of network access below respective guaranteed levels for users, and prioritizing comprises sorting such users based on each user's respective credit in decreasing order, with a user with a higher credit receiving priority over a user with a lower credit.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 40 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , wherein SLAs specify respective minimum levels of network access for users, and allocating network access comprises allocating network access to such users equal to each user's specified respective minimum level of network access.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 50 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of forecasting network access usage by each user during the future time interval based the monitoring of network access usage by each user.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 29 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , wherein forecasting comprises predicting future network access usage of each user based upon monitored past network access usage patterns of each user.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 33 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , wherein forecasting comprises applying an adaptive-response-rate single exponential smoothing function and a Holt-Winters' seasonal exponential smoothing function to the monitored network access usages of the users.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , wherein allocating network access comprises allocating network access to users proportional to each user's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 22 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of prioritizing the users for allocating network access.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 61 , wherein prioritizing is based on each use's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 44 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 61 , wherein said users are prioritized in increasing order of each user's forecasted network access usage, with a user with a lesser forecasted network access usage receiving priority over a user with a greater forecasted network access usage.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , wherein allocating network access comprises allocating network access to the users equal to each user's forecasted network access usage, and then allocating any remaining network access equally to the users.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 45 words

The computer-readable medium of claim 57 , wherein allocating network access comprises allocating network access to the users equal to each user's forecasted network access usage, and then allocating any remaining network access to the users proportionally based on each user's forecasted network access usage.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 210 words

A Carrier Network for providing communication between multiple users and a Service Provider, comprising: (a) computer network equipment defining an Intermediate Network and a shared communications medium, said Intermediate Network arid said shared communications medium extending between the users and the Service Provider for conveying data therebetween, said shared communications medium joining the users with said Intermediate Network such that data of each user is conveyed over said shared communications medium to and from the Intermediate Network whereby the users compete for network access; and (b) software for managing network access of the users across said shared communications medium, said software including computer-executable instructions that performs the steps of: (i) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (ii) based on the monitored network access usage, setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (iii) prioritizing users based on data loss for each user during a time interval, with a user with greater data loss rate baying priority over a user with lesser data loss rate.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 210 words

A Carrier Network for providing communication between multiple users and a Service Provider, comprising: (a) computer network equipment defining an Intermediate Network and a shared communications medium, said Intermediate Network arid said shared communications medium extending between the users and the Service Provider for conveying data therebetween, said shared communications medium joining the users with said Intermediate Network such that data of each user is conveyed over said shared communications medium to and from the Intermediate Network whereby the users compete for network access; and (b) software for managing network access of the users across said shared communications medium, said software including computer-executable instructions that performs the steps of: (i) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (ii) based on the monitored network access usage, setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future time interval; and (iii) prioritizing users based on data loss for each user during a time interval, with a user with greater data loss rate baying priority over a user with lesser data loss rate.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 122 words

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that manage network access across a shared communications medium between competing users of a Carrier Network, said instructions performing the steps of: (a) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (b) setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future lime interval; and (c) prioritizing users based on data loss for each user during a time interval, with a user with greater data loss rate having priority over a user with lesser data loss rate.

Claim 71

Dependent Claim 122 words

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that manage network access across a shared communications medium between competing users of a Carrier Network, said instructions performing the steps of: (a) monitoring the network access usage by each user for a time interval; (b) setting a network access allowance for each user representing a level of network access made available for utilization by the user during a future time interval, but not necessarily representing the level of network access that will be utilized by such user during the future lime interval; and (c) prioritizing users based on data loss for each user during a time interval, with a user with greater data loss rate having priority over a user with lesser data loss rate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-07-11	2009-01-10	2009-07-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-07-11	2013-01-10	2013-07-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-07-11	2017-01-10	2017-07-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Allocating access across a shared communications medium in a carrier network

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag