Closed-loop aircraft-level dynamic shaper with fairness

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamically metering network access in a vehicle network are disclosed. An exemplary method includes periodically receiving one or more performance metrics for one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, where the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; periodically determining a link quality indicator based on the one or more performance metrics; and periodically communicating the link quality indicator to a traffic shaper system such that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth between the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality indicator.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18 / 231167, filed August 7, 2023, entitled “Closed Loop Aircraft LevelDynamic Shaper With Fairness,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to network communications. In particular, this disclosure relates to dynamic network traffic shaping. Background Technology

[0003] Providing network access to computing devices on a moving aircraft can be challenging. The aircraft's communication links (such as cellular or satellite) provide limited bandwidth connections that must be shared among many onboard computing devices. Conventional techniques employ static traffic shaping schemes, which attempt to allocate bandwidth fairly among computing devices. Conventional static traffic shaping schemes provide a fixed bandwidth allocation that does not adjust over time. However, as the aircraft moves, the quality of the communication links and available bandwidth can vary significantly due to factors such as distance to the cell site, background interference, and the number of user equipment in the cell sector. If the quality of the communication link improves, the fixed bandwidth allocation does not fully utilize the current capacity of the communication link. On the other hand, if the quality of the communication link deteriorates, the fixed bandwidth allocation to each computing device may exceed the current capacity of the communication link; this can lead to uneven bandwidth distribution among computing devices. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This aspect may particularly relate to systems and methods for dynamic network shaping.

[0005] In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for dynamically measuring network access in a transportation network may be provided. For example, in one instance, the computer-implemented method may include: (1) periodically receiving one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; (2) periodically determining link quality indicators by the one or more processors based on the one or more performance metrics; and (3) periodically transmitting the link quality indicators to a traffic shaper system by the one or more processors, such that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality indicators.

[0006] On the other hand, a ground station system for dynamically measuring network access in a vehicle network can be provided. The ground station system may include one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memories. For example, the ground station system may include one or more processors configured to: (1) periodically receive one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; (2) periodically determine link quality indicators based on the one or more performance metrics; and (3) periodically transmit the link quality indicators to a traffic shaper system such that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality indicators.

[0007] The advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of preferred aspects, which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be appreciated, these aspects may be other and different, and their details may be modified in various respects. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting in nature. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A vehicle communication network environment is described according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 An exemplary link quality metric scale according to aspects of this disclosure is described.

[0010] Figure 3A Various flow shapers generated and applied by flow shapers according to aspects of this disclosure are described.

[0011] Figure 3B The present disclosure describes how to change the bandwidth allocation among computing devices.

[0012] Figures 4A-4D The present disclosure describes a vehicle traveling between cells in a vehicle communication network environment.

[0013] Figure 5 A flowchart is depicted for an example method used to perform dynamic traffic shaping.

[0014] The accompanying drawings depict embodiments of the present disclosure for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods shown herein can be employed without departing from the principles set forth herein. The drawings are not drawn to scale. Rather, they are drawn to illustrate aspects of the present disclosure. Connecting lines or connectors shown in the various drawings are intended to indicate exemplary functional relationships, physical couplings, or logical couplings between various elements. Generally, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings(s) and the accompanying written description to refer to the same or similar parts. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments and aspects of this disclosure illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same or similar reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar features. Certain terms used in the following description are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0016] Exemplary vehicle communication network environment Figure 1A and Figure 1B The communication network environment of vehicles according to various aspects of this disclosure is described. Although Figure 1A and Figure 1B Various components that can be included in a network environment are shown, but additional components can be added, and the shown components can be removed.

[0017] like Figure 1A As shown, network environment 100 may include network optimization server 102, network traffic control server 104, and / or monitoring server 106. Network environment 100 may also include network resource 108, such as the Internet. Network environment 100 may also include one or more vehicles, such as aircraft 110 and aircraft 120. Although examples of vehicles are described as aircraft or airplanes, it is contemplated that the vehicle can be any type of transportation, such as a bus, train, subway, helicopter, ship, balloon, etc. Aircraft 110 may include passengers communicating with network resource 108 using one or more computing devices 112. Similarly, aircraft 120 may include passengers communicating with network resource 108 using one or more computing devices 122. Computing devices 112 and 122 can be any type of computing device, such as mobile devices (e.g., cellular phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or devices such as iPads). TMTablet computers, laptop computers, internet-connected appliances, digital multifunction disc (DVD) players, compact disc (CD) players, Blu-ray players, digital video recorders, Blu-ray players, game consoles, personal video recorders, set-top boxes, headphones or other wearable devices, or any other type of computing device.

[0018] Aircraft 110 may be equipped with an onboard node 114, such as an auxiliary computer power unit (ACPU), which supports external communication. Similarly, aircraft 120 may be equipped with an onboard node 124, such as an ACPU, which supports external communication. Onboard nodes 114 and / or 124 may be coupled to one or more modems, which are communicatively connected to one or more external communication links. The one or more external communication links may correspond to a specific communication protocol (e.g., GSM, CDMA, UMTS, LTE, WiMAX, 5G, 6G, etc.) and / or a specific frequency band (e.g., Ka band, Ku band, L band, S band, cellular band, AWS band, PCS band, unlicensed band, etc.).

[0019] Network environment 100 may also include base stations 130 and 140 and satellite base station 150. Base stations 130 and 140 may include NodeBs, eNodeBs, and / or gNBs. For example, as shown, aircraft 110 may be communicatively coupled to base station 130 via external communication link 132. Aircraft 120 may be communicatively coupled to base station 140 via external communication link 142. Furthermore, for example, aircraft 120 may be communicatively coupled to satellite base station 150 via external communication link 152. External communication link 152 may include one or more satellites 154, which act as relays between satellite base station 150 and aircraft 120. Therefore, external communication link 152 may include a first communication link 152a between satellite base station 150 and satellite 154 and a second communication link 152b between satellite 154 and aircraft 120.

[0020] Base stations 130 and 140, as well as satellite base station 150, can communicate with network traffic control server 104 via backhaul communication links 170, 172, and 174. Backhaul communication links 170, 172, and 174 may include one or more of fiber optic, copper, microwave, and / or other suitable technologies. Network traffic control server 104 provides and regulates access to network resource 108.

[0021] In one aspect, airborne node 114 and airborne node 124 may generate or collect performance metrics 166 and 167 of one or more of the external communication links 132, 142 and 152 in near real-time. Performance metrics 166 and 167 may include uplink and / or downlink performance data of one or more external communication links 132, 142 and 152, such as (1) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); (2) received signal strength index (RSSI); (4) packet count, retransmission and error rate; (5) bit error rate; (6) estimated bandwidth; (7) cellular base station distance; (8) number of user equipment (UE) in a cellular sector; (9) adaptive coding scheme; (10) adaptive modulation scheme; and (11) estimated bandwidth. Performance metrics may also include vehicle-level attributes such as: (1) vehicle location, such as latitude, longitude, altitude, country or region; (2) vehicle modem IP address; (3) vehicle modem IMSI number; (4) vehicle identification number; (5) vehicle network-transferred IP address / subnet; (6) number of connected computing devices 112 or 122; (7) IP and / or MAC addresses of connected computing devices 112 or 122; (8) connected cellular site ID and / or sector ID; (9) connected satellite beam ID; and (10) vehicle distance to connected base station 130 or 140 or satellite 154.

[0022] Onboard nodes 114 and 124 can periodically send their performance metrics 166 and 167 to monitoring server 106 or network optimization server 102 via external communication links 132, 142, and 152. As shown, onboard node 114 sends its performance metric 166 to monitoring server 106 via path 164, or to network optimization server 102 via path 160. Onboard node 124 sends its performance metric 167 to the network optimization system via path 162. For example, onboard nodes 114 and 124 can send their performance metrics 166 and 167 every 5 to 20 seconds, but other intervals may be used.

[0023] On the other hand, base stations 130 and 140 and satellite base station 150 can generate or collect performance metrics 166 and 167 from one or more of the external communication links 132, 142 and 152. Network optimization server 102 or monitoring server 106 can receive performance metrics 166 and 167 from base stations 130 and 140 and satellite base station 150.

[0024] Figure 1BOther aspects of the network environment 100 are illustrated. The network optimization server 102, network traffic control server 104, and monitoring server 106 may include one or more servers, cloud computing devices, and / or network devices, such as routers, switches, network appliances, etc.

[0025] Each of the network optimization server 102, network traffic control server 104, and monitoring server 106 may include one or more central processing units (CPUs) 180. The CPU 180 may include a CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other suitable processor.

[0026] Each of the network optimization server 102, network traffic control server 104, and monitoring server 106 may include one or more network interface cards (NICs) 184. NICs 184 may include Ethernet interfaces, WAN interfaces, or WiFi interfaces.

[0027] Each of the network optimization server 102, network traffic control server 104, and monitoring server 106 may include one or more memories 182. Memory 182 may include volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or cache) and non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drive, compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc, etc.). Memory 182 may store software, logic, data, and / or computer instructions. For example, the memory 182 of a network optimization system may include a Link Quality Indicator (LQI) module 190 and an Application Programming Interface (API) module 192. The memory 182 of network traffic control server 104 may include an API module 192, a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) module 194, and a traffic shaper module 196. The DPI module 194 may include commercially available software such as the SolarWinds NetFlow traffic analyzer, open-source software (e.g., nDPI), or a proprietary solution. The flow shaper module 196 may include commercially available software, such as SoftPerfect bandwidth manager, open-source software (such as MasterShaper), or proprietary solutions.

[0028] Monitoring server 106 can communicate with network optimization server 102 via link 176, and network optimization server 102 can communicate with network traffic control server 104 via link 178. Links 176 and 178 can be WAN, LAN, wired, and / or wireless links. Communication on links 176 and 178 can be encrypted and rely on standard protocols (such as HTTPS or SSH) or proprietary protocols.

[0029] In one aspect, monitoring server 106, network optimization server 102, and network traffic control server 104 may include API module 192. API module 192 can facilitate data transfer between monitoring server 106 and network optimization server 102, and between network optimization server 102 and network traffic control server 104. API module 192 can be implemented using a representational state transition (REST) ​​or simple object access protocol (SOAP) architecture.

[0030] In one respect, monitoring server 106 and / or network optimization server 102 may periodically receive performance metrics 166 from aircraft 110 via path 164 or path 160. Monitoring server 106 may forward performance metrics 166 to network optimization server 102.

[0031] In one aspect, LQI module 190 can periodically process performance metrics 166 to generate one or more LQI 168s. LQI 168 can be a score indicating the relative quality of a communication link. LQI 168 can be assigned to an individual communication link or an aggregation of communication links. LQI 168 can be individually assigned to the uplink and downlink channels of a communication link. LQI module 190 can process one or more sets of performance metrics 166 to generate LQI 168. LQI module 190 can use the average, median, maximum, or minimum values ​​of data from the set of performance metrics 166 to calculate LQI 168.

[0032] Network optimization server 102 can periodically send LQI 168 to network traffic control server 104. For example, network optimization server 102 can send LQI 168 to network traffic control server 104 every 60 seconds, but different intervals can be used.

[0033] Network traffic control server 104 can act as a gateway to manage network traffic transmitted between computing device 112 and network resource 108 via external communication link 132 and backhaul communication link 170. Traffic shaper module 196 can allocate and limit bandwidth for each of the computing devices 112. Traffic shaper module 196 can identify each of the computing devices 112 by IP address, token, or some other identifier. For example, traffic shaper module 196 can equally divide the total available bandwidth among the computing devices. As another example, traffic shaper module 196 can provide additional bandwidth to certain computing devices 112, such as those paying for advanced network services. Traffic shaper module 196 can buffer and delay traffic exceeding the allocated bandwidth for a given computing device 112. Traffic shaper module 196 can receive LQI 168 and dynamically reallocate bandwidth based on the current quality of external communication link 132.

[0034] DPI module 194 can inspect network traffic to identify applications associated with the traffic. DPI module 194 can inspect OSI layers 3 to 7 of packet headers and / or packet payloads. Traffic shaper module 196 can apply different bandwidth limits to different application traffic. For example, traffic shaper module 196 can adjust the bandwidth of peer-to-peer file-sharing traffic while providing additional bandwidth to video streaming traffic to achieve Quality of Service (QoS).

[0035] Exemplary Link Quality Metric Scale Figure 2 The LQI scale 200 is depicted according to various aspects of this disclosure. Although Figure 2 An exemplary LQI scale is shown, but LQI 168 can be calculated using a variety of different algorithms that rely on one or more performance metrics 166 as input data. For example, LQI 168 can be based on cellular communication protocols such as 5G, LTE, EVDO, etc. LQI 168 can also be based on communication link quality, which can be determined by RSSI, SNR, the number of UEs in a cell sector, adaptive coding schemes, adaptive modulation schemes, etc. While the illustrated LQI scale 200 can be applied to cellular communication links, other LQI scales can also be applied to satellite communication links.

[0036] In one aspect, the LQI scale 200 ranges from 1 to 10, where 1 represents the lowest quality communication link and 10 represents the highest quality communication link. As shown in the figure, LQI 168 corresponds to 10 for 5G best, 9 for 5G good, 8 for 5G excellent, 6 for LTE only best, 5 for LTE only good, 4 for LTE only excellent, 3 for EVDO only best, 2 for EVDO only good, and 1 for EVDO only excellent.

[0037] Exemplary flow shaper application Figure 3A Various flow shapers generated and applied by the flow shaper module 196 according to various aspects of this disclosure are described. Although Figure 3A Four different flow shapers are shown, namely shaper one 302, shaper two 304, shaper three 306 and shaper four 308, but any number of flow shapers can be used.

[0038] In one respect, over time, the flow shaper module 196 can be equipped with different flow shapers. For example... Figure 3A As shown, the flow shaper module 196 can apply shaper one 302, then shaper two 304 twice, then shaper one 302, then shaper three 306, then shaper one 302, then shaper four 308 twice.

[0039] In one aspect, the flow shaper can correspond to one or more LQI 168. For example, when LQI 168 is 1 or 2, shaper one 302 can be applied; when LQI 168 is 3 to 5, shaper two 304 can be applied; when LQI 168 is 6 to 8, shaper three 306 can be applied; and when LQI 168 is 9 or 10, shaper four 308 can be applied.

[0040] In one respect, traffic shapers can have different maximum uplink and / or downlink bandwidths. For example, shaper 1 302 can implement a maximum downlink bandwidth of 3 Mbps and a maximum uplink bandwidth of 1.8 Mbps, shaper 2 304 can implement a maximum downlink bandwidth of 300 Mbps and a maximum uplink bandwidth of 75 Mbps, shaper 3 306 can implement a maximum downlink bandwidth of 1 Gbps and a maximum uplink bandwidth of 500 Mbps, and shaper 4 308 can implement a maximum downlink bandwidth of 5 Gbps and a maximum downlink bandwidth of 10 Gbps.

[0041] Exemplary allocation of bandwidth between computing devices over time Figure 3B The diagram illustrates how the traffic shaper module 196 alters the allocation of available bandwidth among computing devices according to various aspects of this disclosure. Communication link bandwidth is depicted on the Y-axis, while time is depicted on the X-axis.

[0042] For example, at time 310, traffic shaper module 196 can apply shaper one 302 and evenly distribute the available bandwidth among the four computing devices IP1, IP2, IP3, and IP4. At time 312, traffic shaper module 196 can apply shaper two 304, and thus the bandwidth share for each computing device IP1-IP4 can increase. At time 314, traffic shaper module 196 can apply shaper three 306, and thus the bandwidth share for each computing device IP1-IP4 can increase again. At time 316, additional computing device IP5 can join the vehicle network; therefore, traffic shaper module 196 can evenly redistribute bandwidth among the five computing devices IP1-IP5. At time 318, traffic shaper module 196 can apply shaper two 304, and computing device IP5 can leave the computing network; therefore, traffic shaper module 196 can evenly redistribute bandwidth among the four remaining computing devices IP1-IP4. At time 320, additional computing device IP6 can join the vehicle network and be given priority access; therefore, computing device IP6 is allocated a larger share of bandwidth compared to computing devices IP1-IP4. In one aspect, each time period 310-320 can have a duration of 60 seconds, but shorter or longer durations are also possible.

[0043] Vehicles traveling between cells in an exemplary vehicle communication network Figures 4A-4D The aircraft is depicted according to various aspects of this disclosure as it moves from one cell to another. Although Figures 4A-4D Two cells, 402 and 404, are depicted without satellites, but the vehicle communication network 100 can have any number of cells and satellites.

[0044] In one respect, the airborne node 124 can transmit performance metrics 167 to the monitoring server 106 via link 162. For example, the airborne node 124 can transmit performance metrics 167 every 5 to 20 seconds.

[0045] Figure 4A An aircraft 120 is depicted within the boundary of cell 402. An onboard node 124 can be connected to base station 140 via an external communication link 410. Base station 140 can be any type of cellular base station, such as an LTE or 5G base station.

[0046] As shown in the figure, the distance between aircraft 120 and base station 140 is relatively short. Therefore, the performance metric 167 of external communication link 410 is likely to be relatively good. Based on performance metric 167, network optimization server 102 can generate LQI 168 as 6, and network traffic control server 104 can apply shaper 306 to the network traffic of computing device 122.

[0047] Figure 4B An aircraft 120 is depicted near the boundary of cell 402. As shown, the distance between aircraft 120 and base station 140 has increased. Therefore, the performance metric 167 of external communication link 410 may have degraded. Based on the performance metric, network optimization server 102 can generate an LQI 168 of 5, and network traffic control server 104 can apply shaper 304 to the network traffic of computing device 122.

[0048] Figure 4C An aircraft 120 is depicted near the boundaries of cell 402 and cell 404. An onboard node 124 can be simultaneously connected to base station 140 via external communication link 410 and to base station 130 via external communication link 420. Base station 130 can be any type of cellular base station, such as a 5G base station. Onboard node 124 can aggregate the bandwidth provided by external communication links 410 and 420. Onboard node 124 can calculate and transmit performance metrics 167 of communication links 410 and 420 individually or as a single aggregated metric.

[0049] As shown in the figure, the distance between aircraft 120 and base stations 130 and 140 is relatively long. Therefore, the performance metrics 167 of the individual communication links 410 and 420 may be relatively poor. However, the aggregate performance metrics of both communication links 410 and 420 may be very good. Based on the aggregate performance metrics, network optimization server 102 can generate an LQI 168 of 10, and network traffic control server 104 can apply shaper 4 308 to the network traffic of computing device 122.

[0050] Figure 4D An aircraft 120 is depicted within the boundary of cell 404. An onboard node 124 can be connected to a base station 130 via an external communication link 420. As shown, the distance between aircraft 120 and base station 130 is relatively short. Therefore, the performance metric 167 of the external communication link 420 is likely to be relatively good. Based on the performance metric, network optimization server 102 can generate an LQI 168 of 9, and network traffic control server 104 can apply shaper 4 308 to the network traffic of computing device 122.

[0051] An exemplary method for dynamically measuring network bandwidth in a vehicle network. Figure 5 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary computer-implemented method 500 for dynamically measuring network bandwidth in a vehicle network. One or more steps of the computer-implemented method 500 can be implemented as a set of instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium and executable on one or more processors. Figure 5 The computer-implemented method 500 can be implemented via a system such as a network optimization server 102, a network traffic control server 104, and / or a monitoring server 106. The computer-implemented method 500 can operate in conjunction with the scenarios and / or environments shown in Figures 1-4, and / or in other environments where network access is provided by a vehicle.

[0052] In one aspect, the computer-implemented method 500 may include periodically receiving performance metrics of one or more communication links at block 502, said one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle. The performance metrics may be received by monitoring server 106 or by network optimization server 102. The performance metrics (e.g., performance metrics 166 and 167) may fluctuate over time. Performance metrics may be received at time intervals ranging from every 5 seconds to every 20 seconds. Performance metrics may be received from a modem onboard the vehicle, monitoring server 106, cellular base stations (e.g., base station 130 or 140), or satellite base stations (e.g., satellite base station 150). Communication links may include cellular (e.g., external communication links 132 and 142) or satellite (e.g., external communication link 152).

[0053] In one aspect, the computer-implemented method 500 may include periodically determining an LQI 168 based on one or more performance metrics at block 504. The LQI 168 may be determined by a network optimization server 102. The LQI 168 may be a numeric score (e.g., 1 to 10) or a string. The LQI 168 may include uplink quality metrics and downlink quality metrics. A separate LQI 168 may be determined for each communication link. An aggregated LQI 168 may be determined for multiple communication links.

[0054] In one aspect, the computer-implemented method 500 may include periodically transmitting LQI 168 to a traffic shaper system at block 506. This step may be omitted once or more if the LQI 168 has not changed since the previous transmission. The traffic shaper system may be a network traffic control server 104. Transmitting LQI 168 allows the traffic shaper system to dynamically allocate bandwidth among one or more networked computing devices (e.g., computing devices 112 or 122) by applying traffic shapers (e.g., shaper one 302, shaper two 304, shaper three 306, shaper four 308, etc.). The traffic shaper system may dynamically allocate upload bandwidth based on uplink quality metrics and download bandwidth based on downlink quality metrics. The traffic shaper system may include a deep packet inspection engine, such as DPI module 194. The traffic shaper system may dynamically allocate bandwidth based on priorities assigned to one or more traffic types identified by the deep packet inspection engine. When networked computing devices join or leave a transportation network, the traffic shaper system can dynamically reallocate bandwidth equally among the networked computing devices. Alternatively, the traffic shaper system can dynamically allocate bandwidth unequally based on the priority of one or more networked computing devices.

[0055] The computer-implemented method 500 may be repeated once or multiple times. It should be understood that it is not necessary to execute all boxes of the computer-implemented method 500. Furthermore, the computer-implemented methods 500 are not mutually exclusive (i.e., one or more boxes from the computer-implemented method 500 can be executed in any particular implementation).

[0056] Other considerations As used herein, the terms “receive,” “received,” and “positively received” can refer to collecting performance metrics transmitted by airborne nodes and / or base stations, or retrieving performance metrics from airborne nodes and / or base stations. It will be understood that the term “receive” is not limited to these examples and can have alternative, different, and / or other characteristics, and still falls within the scope of this disclosure.

[0057] As used herein, the terms “measuring,” “measuring,” and “positive measuring” can refer to allocating bandwidth limits or implementing bandwidth limits. It will be understood that the term “measuring” is not limited to these examples and can have alternative, different, and / or other characteristics, and still falls within the scope of this disclosure.

[0058] The use of the word "a" (or "an") is employed to describe elements and components in the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general meaning to the description. This specification and the following claims should be construed as including one or at least one, and the singular includes the plural, unless it clearly means otherwise. A device or structure "configured" in a certain manner is at least configured in that manner, but may also be configured in a manner not listed.

[0059] Furthermore, as used herein, expressions such as “communication,” “coupled,” “connected,” and “communicationally coupled,” etc., include variations thereof, covering direct and / or indirect communication via one or more intermediate components, and not requiring direct mechanical or physical (e.g., wired) communication and / or continuous communication, but additionally including selective communication at periodic intervals, predetermined intervals, non-periodic intervals, and / or one-off events. Embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0060] Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, “or” refers to an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. For example, “A, B, or C” refers to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as (1) A alone, (2) B alone, (3) C alone, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, and (7) A and B and C. As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to any combination or subset of A and B, such as (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, and (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, the phrase “at least one of A or B” is intended to refer to any combination or subset of A and B, such as (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, and (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0061] Furthermore, specific embodiments have been described in the foregoing specification. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes can be made in light of the aspects of this disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Therefore, the specification and drawings are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive, and all such modifications made in light of the aspects of this disclosure are intended to be included within the scope of this teaching.

[0062] Furthermore, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any (one or more) elements that may bring about or make more significant any benefit, advantage, or solution shall not be construed as key, essential, or necessary features or elements of any or all claims.

[0063] Finally, any references cited in this article (including, but not limited to, publications, patent applications and patents) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, to the same extent that each reference is individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and to be presented in its entirety in this article.

[0064] Unless conventional component-plus-function language, such as “component for…” or “step for…” as expressly stated in one or more claims, is used, the patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intended to be interpreted under 35 USC § 112(f). The communication systems and methods described herein relate to improvements in the functionality and performance of computer and communication systems.

[0065] Although certain example methods, apparatuses, and articles have been disclosed herein, the scope of this patent is not limited thereto. Rather, this patent covers all methods, apparatuses, and articles that fall entirely within the scope of the claims of this patent.

[0066] This detailed description is to be interpreted as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment, as it would be impractical, if not impossible, to describe every possible embodiment. Numerous alternative embodiments can be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this application.

[0067] As an example and not a limitation, the disclosures herein contemplate at least the following: 1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically measuring network bandwidth in a transportation network, comprising: periodically receiving one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links by one or more processors, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a transportation vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; periodically determining link quality indicators by the one or more processors based on the one or more performance metrics; and periodically transmitting the link quality indicators to a traffic shaper system by the one or more processors, such that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality indicators.

[0068] 2. The method according to aspect 1, wherein the periodic receiving of the one or more performance metrics further includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a modem onboard the vehicle.

[0069] 3. The method according to any combination of aspect 1 or 2, wherein the periodic receipt of the one or more performance metrics further includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a monitoring server.

[0070] 4. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-3, wherein the periodic reception of the one or more performance metrics further includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a base station.

[0071] 5. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-4, wherein at least one of the one or more communication links includes a cellular communication link or a satellite communication link.

[0072] 6. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-5, wherein at least one of the one or more communication links includes a cellular communication link.

[0073] 7. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-6, wherein at least one of the one or more communication links includes a satellite communication link.

[0074] 8. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-7, wherein the link quality indicators include uplink quality indicators and downlink quality indicators, and dynamic bandwidth allocation includes dynamically allocating upload bandwidth based on the uplink quality indicators and dynamically allocating download bandwidth based on the downlink quality indicators.

[0075] 9. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-8, wherein the traffic shaping system includes a deep packet inspection engine and dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on priorities assigned to one or more traffic types identified by the deep packet inspection engine.

[0076] 10. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-9 further includes dynamically reallocating bandwidth equally among the one or more networked computing devices when a networked computing device joins or leaves the vehicle network.

[0077] 11. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-10, wherein dynamically allocating bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices includes equally dividing the bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices.

[0078] 12. The method according to any combination of aspects 1-10, wherein dynamically allocating bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices includes dividing the bandwidth unequally based on the priority of the one or more networked computing devices.

[0079] 13. A ground station system for dynamically measuring network access in a vehicle network, the ground station system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory memories storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the ground station system to: periodically receive one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; periodically determine link quality indicators based on the one or more performance metrics; and periodically transmit the link quality indicators to a traffic shaper system such that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality indicators.

[0080] 14. The ground station system according to aspect 13, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics from a modem onboard the vehicle.

[0081] 15. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13 or 14, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics from a monitoring server.

[0082] 16. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-15, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics from a base station.

[0083] 17. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-16, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics of the one or more communication links, including cellular communication links or satellite communication links.

[0084] 18. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-17, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics of the one or more communication links including cellular communication links.

[0085] 19. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-17, wherein the ground station system is configured to periodically receive the one or more performance metrics of the one or more communication links, including satellite communication links.

[0086] 20. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-19, wherein the link quality indicators include uplink quality indicators and downlink quality indicators, and dynamic bandwidth allocation includes dynamically allocating upload bandwidth based on the uplink quality indicators and dynamically allocating download bandwidth based on the downlink quality indicators.

[0087] 21. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-20, wherein the traffic shaper system includes a deep packet inspection engine, and the traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on priorities assigned to one or more traffic types identified by the deep packet inspection engine.

[0088] 22. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-21, wherein the traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically reallocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices when a networked computing device joins or leaves the transportation network.

[0089] 23. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-22, wherein the flow shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices by equally dividing the bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices.

[0090] 24. The ground station system according to any combination of aspects 13-22, wherein the traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices by dividing the bandwidth unequally based on the priority of the one or more networked computing devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically measuring network bandwidth in a vehicle network, comprising: One or more processors periodically receive one or more performance metrics from one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; The link quality metrics are periodically determined by the one or more processors based on the one or more performance metrics. as well as The one or more processors periodically transmit the link quality metrics to the traffic shaper system, so that the traffic shaper system dynamically allocates bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality metrics.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The periodic reception of the one or more performance metrics also includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a modem onboard the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The periodic receipt of the one or more performance metrics also includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a monitoring server.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The periodic reception of the one or more performance metrics also includes periodically receiving the one or more performance metrics from a base station.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, At least one of the one or more communication links includes a cellular communication link or a satellite communication link.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The link quality metrics include uplink quality metrics and downlink quality metrics, and Dynamic bandwidth allocation includes dynamically allocating upload bandwidth based on the uplink quality metrics and dynamically allocating download bandwidth based on the downlink quality metrics.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The flow shaping system includes a deep grouping inspection engine, and Bandwidth is dynamically allocated among the one or more networked computing devices based on the priority assigned to one or more traffic types identified by the deep packet inspection engine.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, further comprising dynamically reallocating bandwidth equally among the one or more networked computing devices when a networked computing device joins or leaves the transportation network.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, Dynamically allocating bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices includes equally dividing the bandwidth among the one or more computing devices.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, Dynamically allocating bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices includes dividing the bandwidth based on unequal priorities of the one or more networked computing devices.

11. A ground station system for network access in a dynamic metering vehicle network, the ground station system comprising: One or more processors; as well as One or more non-transitory memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the ground station system to: Periodically receive one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links, the one or more communication links supporting wireless communication of one or more networked computing devices onboard a vehicle, wherein the one or more performance metrics fluctuate over time; Link quality metrics are determined periodically based on one or more of the aforementioned performance metrics. as well as The link quality metrics are periodically transmitted to the traffic shaper system, enabling the traffic shaper system to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on the link quality metrics.

12. The ground station system according to claim 11, wherein, The ground station system is configured to periodically receive one or more performance metrics from a modem onboard the vehicle.

13. The ground station system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein, The ground station system is configured to periodically receive one or more performance metrics from the monitoring server.

14. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-13, wherein, The ground station system is configured to periodically receive one or more performance metrics from the base station.

15. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-14, wherein, The ground station system is configured to periodically receive one or more performance metrics of one or more communication links, including cellular or satellite communication links.

16. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-15, wherein, The link quality metrics include uplink quality metrics and downlink quality metrics, and Dynamic bandwidth allocation includes dynamically allocating upload bandwidth based on the uplink quality metrics and dynamically allocating download bandwidth based on the downlink quality metrics.

17. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-16, wherein, The flow shaping system includes a deep grouping inspection engine, and The traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices based on priorities assigned to one or more traffic types identified by the deep packet inspection engine.

18. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-17, wherein the traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically reallocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices when a networked computing device joins or leaves the transportation network.

19. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-18, wherein, The traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices by equally dividing the bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices.

20. The ground station system according to any one of claims 11-19, wherein, The traffic shaper system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among the one or more networked computing devices by dividing the bandwidth unequally based on the priority of the one or more networked computing devices.

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