851 results about "Bandwidth allocation" patented technology

A technique for allocating bandwidth in a digital broadband delivery system (DBDS) using a bandwidth allocation manager to dynamically assign a content delivery mode to a plurality of digital transmission channels based on an allocation criteria received from a subscriber is disclosed herein. The bandwidth allocation manager determines a bandwidth allocation schedule for a predetermined bandwidth based on allocation criteria comprising a criteria received from a subscriber. The allocation criteria received from the subscriber may comprise a subscriber reservation request which is processed by the bandwidth allocation manager to determine the bandwidth allocation schedule.

Methods for providing video on demand service from an Application Service Provider (“ASP”) to a user over a Regional/Access Network (“RAN”) are provided. A request for a video on demand application flow may be received from the user. In response to the request, information may be obtained from the RAN regarding the capabilities of the user's Customer Premises Equipment (“CPE”). A profile may then be forwarded from the ASP to the RAN that specifies at least one policy regarding the transmission of data associated with the video on demand application flow across the RAN. The data associated with the video on demand application flow may then be forwarded across the RAN in accordance with the profile. The RAN may also be provided a default profile that specifies default policies that apply with respect to video on demand application flows that are transmitted across the RAN prior to obtaining information from the RAN regarding the capabilities of the CPE of any specific user. The user specific profiles may then be used to alter one or more policies specified in the default profile.

A system capable of dynamically reserving bandwidth and adjusting bandwidth reservations for active sessions of data communication in a data communications device is provided. The system generally separates the operation of bandwidth allocation and adjustment from the operation of data transport through the device, thereby allowing bandwidth reservations and adjustments to be made without disturbing sessions of data communication that are actively being transported through the device. The system can accept requests to allocate or reserve bandwidth in a data communications device using bandwidth reservation protocols such as RSVP. The reservation requests create sender state data that can be used to compute resource allocation data. The resource allocation data can be used to label data storage locations in a data storage mechanism according to the required bandwidth reservations. A data scheduling apparatus, which is ignorant of particular sessions and specific amounts of reserved bandwidth, examines data and deposits data into data storage locations having a label corresponding to a session identification specified in the data, if any. If an unknown or no session identification is specified in the data, the data scheduler deposits data into a data storage location that is unlabeled or that has an unreserved label. Thus session bandwidth is determined by the percentage of labeled data storage locations for the session. Changes in bandwidth reservations are reflected in the separate operation of alterations made in the data storage labeling scheme, and do not affect the data scheduler, or data dequeuing mechanisms, thus allowing data sessions to continue without interruption during bandwidth adjustments.

Adaptive bandwidth allocation for Non-Reserved traffic over high speed transmission links of a digital network is operated through regulation of data packet transfers over network nodes/ports including input/output adapters connected through a switching device. A network node is assigned with a Control Point computing devise (CP) storing a Topology Data Base containing an image of the network. This Data Base is periodically and at call set up updated by Topology Data Base Update messages (TDUs) including an Explicit Rate parameter for link l indicating the current available bandwidth on link l, and a parameter NNRl indicating the number of Non-Reserved connections on link l. This information are used within each Adapter to periodically regulate the transmission bandwidth assigned to each Non-Reserved traffic connection within the network. To that end, each adapter is provided with an Access Control Function device for each attached connection (data source) and a Connection Agent (CA) getting, on request, required current link informations from the attached Topology Data Base.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to cost-aware bandwidth management schemes that are adaptive to monitored network or application performance attributes. In one embodiment, the present invention supports bandwidth management systems that adapt to network conditions, while managing tradeoffs between bandwidth costs and application performance. One implementation of the present invention tracks bandwidth usage over an applicable billing period and applies a statistical model to allow for bursting to address increased network loading conditions that degrade network or application performance. One implementation allows for bursting at selected time periods based on computations minimizing cost relative to an applicable billing model. One implementation of the present invention is also application-aware, monitoring network application performance and increasing bandwidth allocations in response to degradations in the performance of selected applications.

Methods and systems are provided for dynamically pricing viewing options in a digital broadband communication network by receiving bandwidth allocation information from a bandwidth allocation manager and dynamically assigning a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information. The group of viewing options may, for example, comprise a reservation option, a normal-play option, a random access option, an on-demand random access option, and an adjust preference option. In addition, the method may optionally comprise receiving a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options and transmitting a price criterion for the viewing option to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request. The subscriber request may comprise, for example, a request for a price criterion for a viewing option, a request for viewing a program according to a viewing option, and/or a request for a list of available viewing options. In addition, the price criterion may be based, in part, on subscriber profile data.

A bandwidth allocation method for an uplink data transmission between a mobile subscriber station and a base station in a broadband wireless access communication system. The method includes inserting type information of a service requested by the mobile subscriber station into the access channel signal and transmitting the access channel signal to the base station, receiving uplink scheduling information according to the type of the service requested by the mobile subscriber station from the base station, and transmitting data using a transmission bandwidth allocated according to the uplink scheduling information.

A system and methods are shown for traffic shaping and congestion avoidance in a computer network such as a data-over-cable network. A headend of the data-over-cable system includes a traffic shaper configured to calculate a packet arrival rate from a cable modem and a traffic conditioner configured to calculate an average queue size on an output interface to an external network. For example, the traffic shaper compares the packet arrival rate to three packet arrival thresholds including a committed rate threshold, a control rate threshold and a peak rate threshold. If the calculated packet arrival rate falls between the committed threshold and control rate threshold, the traffic shaper applies a link layer mechanism, such as a MAP bandwidth allocation mechanism, to lower the transmission rate from the cable modem.

A method of managing data transmission in a mesh-topology ad-hoc network. The method includes transmitting management information by a plurality of mobile stations of the network, selecting a mobile station to serve as a master, responsive to the transmitted management information, transmitting to the master requests for bandwidth, allocating bandwidth by the master, responsive to the requests and forwarding the bandwidth allocation to the mobile stations of the network.

Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to improving the efficiency of bandwidth allocation schemes by adapting to slow-start mechanisms associated with network communications protocols, such as the TCP/IP protocol suite. In one implementation, the present invention scales down the initial target rate assigned to a data flow to a fraction of an initial estimate of the effective rate capacity of the communications path between two hosts. As packets are received, the target rate is gradually increased, eventually up to the detected rate capacity of the communications path. Implementations of the present invention improve the efficiency of bandwidth allocation by reducing the over-allocation of bandwidth to data flows during the slow-start phase, leaving more bandwidth available to other data flows.

A new concept of soft quality-of-service (soft-QoS) is developed that bridges the gap between the efficient provision of network-level QoS and the requirements of multimedia applications. Soft-QoS is defined by a satisfaction index (a number that rates users' perceptual quality) and a softness profile (a function that captures the robustness of multimedia applications to network congestion). Another aspect of this invention is a bandwidth allocation scheme for multimedia applications with soft-QoS requirements is presented. The implementation of the bandwidth allocation scheme on a network element realizes a soft-QoS controller. The controller uses the connections' softness profiles to compute a bandwidth allocation that maximizes the minimum satisfaction index of active connections.

A path reroute mechanism for use in communication networks comprising multiple searches for a routing path to restore traffic following a failure that could not be protected by a previously established protection route (i.e. protection tunnel, bypass, etc.) or for routing or rerouting of traffic paths for optimization or any other purpose. Each node advertises TLVs that include bandwidth allocation information used to derive the actual amount of bandwidth available for protection purposes, protected paths and unprotected paths or a portion of this information such as in the case where unprotected paths are not supported. Searches are performed on larger and larger portions of the available bandwidth until a route for the path is found.

This invention is a method of allocating bandwidth for a television program delivery system. This method selects specific programs from a plurality of programs, allocates the selected programs to a segment of bandwidth, and continues to allocate the programs until all the programs are allocated or all of the available bandwidth is allocated. The programs may be selected based on a variety of different factors or combination of factors. The selected programs may also be prioritized so that higher priority programs are distributed before lower priority programs in case there is not enough bandwidth to transmit all of the programs. This invention allows a television program delivery system to prioritize a large number of television programs and distribute these programs based on their priority levels. The invention also permits a television program delivery system to dynamically allocate bandwidth over time or based on marketing information, such as consumer demand.

A communication system balances message traffic between return channel groups and within the groups, so that the user does not control the specific transmission frequency used. Uplink frequencies and bandwidths for the return channels are set by the system in a return channel control message in the broadcast signal so as to account for system and return channel group loading, and to account for user message backlogs. An initial transmission from a remote user may be made using an ALOHA-type burst signal that provides a message backlog to the control station, and is made on a frequency determined from a randomly weighted, load-based frequency selection process. The system, and not the individual users determine the frequency and channel allocations. For large backlogs or priority users, periodic bandwidth is provided. A method for balancing loads among and between groups of return channels in the communication system includes requesting return channel bandwidth in an uplink message from a remote user to a control station. The uplink message may include a both a backlog indicator and a bandwidth allocation request provided to a Network Operations Center (NOC) which can be used to set the return channel bandwidth and frequency for the remote uplink. A user message is transmitted on the designated return channel frequency using bandwidth allocated in accordance with the backlog indicator and a bandwidth allocation request so that traffic loads are maintained in balance between established return channel frequency groups, and within each return channel frequency group.

A technique for adapting receiver thresholds to improve rate-based flow control in a data communications network. With this invention, the flow control process becomes self-calibrating such that threshold values are dynamically adjusted to adapt to current network conditions, without requiring user intervention. Several different indicators of network conditions are monitored, and appropriate adjustments are made to the threshold(s) upon detecting these specific indicators. One monitor enables the threshold to increase when the network is uncongested, enabling the sender to increase its transmission rate. Conversely, the threshold is lowered if the network is congested, so that the transmission rate will be decreased. Another monitor balances bandwidth allocation among connections sharing a bottleneck resource, by lowering the threshold (and therefore decreasing the send rate) when a connection uses a high share of the resource. A third monitor detects the presence of traffic from protocols not using adaptive receiver thresholds, and adjusts the threshold (including an upper and lower threshold bound) in order to compete fairly for resources with these other protocols. The monitors may be implemented individually or in combination.

A multi-hop wireless communication network is disclosed, which includes a fixed communication unit, at least one mobile communication unit, and a relay communication unit. The relay communication unit is operable to relay a plurality of signals bi-directionally between the fixed communication unit and the at least one mobile communuication unit, by receiving a first signal on at least one of a dedicated sub-carrier and a dynamic sub-carrier in a first downlink channel segment from the fixed communication unit, and transmitting the received first signal to the at least one mobile communication unit on a dynamic sub-carrier in a second downlink channel segment. Also, the relay communication unit is operable to receive a second signal on a dynamic sub-carrier in a first uplink channel segment from the at least one mobile communication unit, and transmit the received second signal to the fixed communication unit on at least one of a dedicated sub-carrier and a dynamic sub-carrier in a second uplink channel segment. Also, the fixed communication unit can allocate bandwidth dynamically or in a fixed amount in the first downlink channel segment, the relay communication unit can allocate bandwidth dynamically in the second downlink channel segment based on at least one Quality of Service value received from the at least one mobile communication unit, the relay communication unit can allocate bandwidth dynamically for the at least one mobile communication unit in the first uplink channel segment, and the fixed communication unit can allocate bandwidth dynamically or in a fixed amount for the relay communication unit in the second uplink channel segment.

Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating load balancing and bandwidth allocation in wireless mesh networks. Generally, according to one implementation of the present invention, routing nodes implement a contention-based media access mechanism and self-allocate bandwidth within a wireless mesh network by dynamically modifying one or more contention-based transmission control parameters. The routing nodes determine a hop count and adjust one or more contention parameters based at least in part on the hop count.

A method of transporting a packet oriented client signal which uses a buffer-to-buffer flow control mechanism over a synchronous transmission network by assigning an arbitrary synchronous payload, where the synchronous payload bandwidth may be significantly smaller than the full bandwidth of the client signal. Flow control over the synchronous network is provided by the buffer-to-buffer flow control mechanism of the client signal to automatically regulate the data throughput to ensure no data can be lost. The method is independent of the Client Signal Data Rate and the provisioned SDH/SONET bandwidth, and SDH/SONET payload which may be non-concatenated, contiguously concatenated, or virtually concatenated. In particular, the method may be used to support the transport of Fibre Channel (1G, 2G and 4G), and ESCON (200M) in a synchronous payload.

A communication network includes a plurality of communication nodes, each of which can transmit data at a variable bandwidth. Each communication node predicts its own bandwidth requirements, and communicates its predicted own bandwidth requirements to the network. The nodes acquire bandwidth requirement information of other communication nodes on the network, and each one determines its own bandwidth allocation according to a common bandwidth allocation scheme. The common bandwidth allocation scheme is available to the plurality of communication nodes.

A flexible, policy-based, mechanism for managing, monitoring, and prioritizing traffic within a network and allocating bandwidth to achieve true quality of service (QoS) is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for managing bandwidth allocation in a network that employs a non-deterministic access protocol, such as an Ethernet network. A packet forwarding device receives information indicative of a set of traffic groups, such as: a MAC address, or IEEE 802.1p priority indicator or 802.1Q frame tag, if the QoS policy is based upon individual station applications; or a physical port if the QoS policy is based purely upon topology. The packet forwarding device additionally receives bandwidth parameters corresponding to the traffic groups. After receiving a packet associated with one of the traffic groups on a first port, the packet forwarding device schedules the packet for transmission from a second port based upon bandwidth parameters corresponding to the traffic group with which the packet is associated. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for managing bandwidth allocation in a packet forwarding device. The packet forwarding device receives information indicative of a set of traffic groups. The packet forwarding device additionally receives information defining a QoS policy for the traffic groups. After a packet is received by the packet forwarding device, a traffic group with which the packet is associated is identified. Subsequently, rather than relying on an end-to-end signaling protocol for scheduling, the packet is scheduled for transmission based upon the QoS policy for the identified traffic group.

An improvement on dynamic skyscraper delivery of continuous media programs, such as video, divides the channels used for the delivery of the video into leading and trailing groups. A cluster defining on transmission of a program can then be broken into mini-clusters in the leading group which may be freely matched to full clusters in the lower group with loosened alignment requirements. This decoupling provides more efficient allocation of bandwidth to on-demand consumer requests and permits strategic opportunities to merge requests with concurrently allocated bandwidth for similar programs.

System for bandwidth assignment to manage congestion over a network bottleneck, comprises a regulation point being set up downstream of the bottleneck in the network to manage congestion in data packets arriving from various sources via the bottleneck. For each of the sources, a priority level assigner assigns priority levels to respective data packets. A token bucket assigns tokens at a limiting rate to the prioritized data packets, the tokens allowing passage of packets to which they are assigned. The token bucket is a multi-priority token bucket, meaning it has at least two thresholds corresponding to the priority levels assigned to the packets. The token bucket only assigns a token to an arriving packet having a respective priority level if there are sufficient tokens currently in the bucket to reach the threshold corresponding to the packet's priority level.

The present invention discloses a policy managing device embedded in a network communication, adapted to dynamically regulate bandwidth in the segment between a user and a service provider for temporary providing of content. The invention also discloses a method for managing bandwidth allocation comprising receiving a request from the user or the service provider to increase said bandwidth, deciding whether or not to allow bandwidth increasing, increasing said bandwidth for a predetermined period of time and decreasing said bandwidth to the former bandwidth.

A method comprises generating a bitrate template comprising a histogram of bitrate as a function of time for each of a plurality of previously-encoded multimedia programs, each bitrate template indicating actual bitrate requirements for every given point of time within the associated multimedia program, and, prior to transmitting one of the plurality of media programs to a multimedia node, identifying the previously-generated bitrate template for said multimedia program, and, during transmission of said multimedia program, changing a bandwidth allocation for the multimedia node in anticipation of an actual bitrate spike indicated in the bitrate template for said multimedia program.

A computer-implemented method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to stream media content to multiple users. A first stream of/for the media content is streamed from a first location in the media content to a first user. A request is received from the first user to seek to a seek location (e.g., forward or backward) in the media content. A second location in the media content compatible with the seek location is determined. The second location is based on a second stream being streamed to one or more second users. The second stream is then streamed to the first user and the second user.

A method and system for optimizing bandwidth allocation in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element, is provided. The switch element includes, a port control module having a receive and transmit segment, wherein the transmit segment is programmed to block frame transmission from a particular frame source port for a certain duration based on a programmable threshold value. The method includes, enabling a bandwidth limitation counter; and programming the threshold value for blocking frame transmission from a frame source port for a certain duration and during this duration, other source ports may be chosen for frame transmission. After a frame is transmitted from a source port, a tag valid blocking from the same source port is used to block frame transmission. A quality of service register is used to store the threshold value and the threshold value is programmable.

A system and method for providing controlled broadband access bandwidth allocation adjustment service are disclosed. A broadband bandwidth allocation service manager is established which is accessible via the broadband network. When a broadband bandwidth allocation adjustment request is received from a requestor, a broadband bandwidth allocation adjustment will be made if the requested bandwidth is available and the requester is willing to accept the pricing associated with the adjustment.

A method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system is disclosed. One embodiment uses a self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol. The self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol utilizes a combination of incremental and aggregate bandwidth requests. CPEs primarily transmit incremental bandwidth requests to their associated base stations, followed by periodic transmissions of aggregate bandwidth requests. The use of periodic aggregate bandwidth requests (that express the current state of their respective connection queues) allows the bandwidth allocation method and apparatus to be “self-correcting”. Another embodiment utilizes an abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol to allocate bandwidth. The abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol system utilizes padding packets to request a reduction in bandwidth allocation to a CPE. A base station modem alerts a base station CPU when the BS modem receives a padding packet from a CPE. After alerting the BS CPU the method can reduce the associated CPE's bandwidth allocation.

Bandwidth allocation configuration and fully decentralized adaptive medium access control (AMAC) systems and methods with support for time critical applications, spectrum efficiency, scalability enhancements, and fair allocation of bandwidth among nodes sharing a common channel. The methods fully integrate TDMA and CSMA/CA channel access approaches and incorporate adaptive congestion and collisions avoidance scheme to reduce bandwidth wastage and diminish adverse cross layers interactions. AMAC improves support for multi-media traffic while allowing higher transmission incidents from large number of transmitting devices sharing a common channel, with fair distribution of the available bandwidth, to enable improved multi-level-security connectivity over a common multi-hop wireless network, provide end-to-end performance enhancement for constant bit rate traffic, variable bit rate traffic, and distribute bandwidth fairly amongst competing TCP traffic flows that traverse varying length paths in multi-hop ad-hoc wireless networks.

A method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system. The inventive method and apparatus includes a combination of techniques that allow a plurality of CPEs to communicate their bandwidth request messages to respective base stations. One technique includes a “polling” method whereby a base station polls CPEs individually or in groups and allocates bandwidth specifically for the purpose of allowing the CPEs to respond with bandwidth requests. The polling of the CPEs by the base station may be in response to a CPE setting a “poll-me bit” or, alternatively, it may be periodic. Another technique comprises “piggybacking” bandwidth requests on bandwidth already allocated to a CPE. In accordance with this technique, currently active CPEs request bandwidth using previously unused portions of uplink bandwidth that is already allocated to the CPE. The CPE is responsible for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth in a manner that accommodates the services provided by the CPE. By using a combination of bandwidth allocation techniques, the present invention advantageously makes use of the efficiency benefits associated with each technique.