Bandwidth Reservation for Multi-Modal Communication QoS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ensuring reliable Quality of Service (QoS) for unified communication sessions over wireless networks, particularly in scenarios where bandwidth is limited, such as 3G or 4G connections, is challenging due to increased burden from real-time collaboration and data exchange, requiring efficient bandwidth management to maintain service quality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that reserves bandwidth during conference setup through synchronization of directory databases and using a multi-modal communication enabled node at the evolved packet core (EPC) to statically or dynamically allocate bandwidth based on user profiles, requested modalities, and location, ensuring a desired QoS and allowing for additional error correction mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bandwidth is allocated dynamically based on real-time network conditions, then network resource utilization is improved, but QoS reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidQoS reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary bandwidth allocation during conference setup by synchronizing directory databases and determining user profiles, requested modalities, and locations before the communication session begins. This advance preparation reserves necessary bandwidth margins to guarantee QoS reliability while still allowing dynamic adjustment during the session.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically modifies bandwidth allocation during the communication session in response to changes in user profiles, modalities, and location. This combines the reliability of pre-allocation with the flexibility of real-time adaptation to maintain both QoS guarantees and efficient resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If bandwidth is pre-reserved for all communication sessions, then QoS reliability is improved, but network resource utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork resource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different bandwidth allocation strategies to different communication sessions based on their specific requirements. By determining user profiles, requested modalities (voice, video, data), and locations, the system reserves bandwidth locally and specifically for each session rather than universally, improving resource utilization while maintaining QoS reliability where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If directory databases are synchronized across multiple deployment sites, then service consistency is improved, but system complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice consistencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a multi-modal communication application enabled node at the evolved packet core (EPC) as an intermediary that performs database synchronization and bandwidth allocation. This centralized mediator handles the complexity of synchronizing directory databases across multiple deployment sites, ensuring service consistency while relieving individual sites from managing complex synchronization protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2807806B1Multi-modal communication priority over wireless networks
Publication Date: 2020.04.29 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2807806B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2807806B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2807806B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Prior reservation of bandwidth is enabled during conference setup. Through synchronization of directory databases at one or more multi-modal communication application deployment sites and use of a multi-modal communication enabled node at an evolved packet core (EPC), bandwidth is statically or dynamically allocated for communication sessions based on requesting user profile, requested modality, location of the user, and similar factors such that a desired Quality of Service (QoS) is maintained during the communication session. Service Providers (SPs) provide differentiated QoS by pre-reserving bandwidth margin over and above what is required. The bandwidth margin is used by the SPs to include additional error correction mechanism. Dynamic bandwidth allocation factors in the location of the UC devices and roaming status.