Bandwidth Scheduling via Virtual Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
The 'last mile' problem in internet connectivity, where installing new Ethernet or fiber optic cables to homes and businesses is prohibitively expensive, necessitates the use of existing cable television infrastructure for internet protocol communication, leading to challenges in efficiently managing bandwidth across shared communication mediums.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for scheduling bandwidth that involves receiving and processing bandwidth requests from communication devices and virtual bandwidth requests from a policy agent, using a scheduler to allocate communication resources on a shared medium, allowing proactive allocation of bandwidth based on anticipated needs, thereby reducing wait times for devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bandwidth is allocated only when devices request it, then device autonomy and simplicity are maintained, but network efficiency and resource utilization deteriorate due to wait times
Solution Approach 1:
The policy agent performs preliminary actions by monitoring network conditions and proactively generating virtual bandwidth requests before devices actually need bandwidth. This anticipatory approach allocates bandwidth in advance based on predicted needs, reducing wait times and improving network efficiency without requiring devices to constantly monitor and request bandwidth
2Loss of time
If virtual bandwidth requests from policy agent are processed, then bandwidth allocation efficiency improves, but system complexity increases due to additional request processing components
Solution Approach 1:
The policy agent acts as an intermediary between the network scheduler and communication devices. It monitors network conditions, predicts bandwidth needs, and generates virtual bandwidth requests that are processed by the scheduler alongside actual device requests. This intermediary layer centralizes the complexity of bandwidth prediction and management, reducing wait times while containing system complexity in a dedicated component
3Ease of manufacture
If existing cable infrastructure is used for IP communication, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but bandwidth management difficulty increases due to shared medium constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary bandwidth allocation by predicting future bandwidth needs and allocating resources in advance. The policy agent monitors network conditions and generates virtual bandwidth requests before actual traffic demands arise, allowing the shared cable infrastructure to be efficiently utilized without excessive contention or wait times
Solution Approach 2:
The policy agent continuously monitors network conditions and device bandwidth usage, using this feedback to adjust and refine bandwidth allocations. This closed-loop approach optimizes the utilization of the shared cable medium by dynamically adapting to changing network conditions while maintaining relatively simple infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of scheduling bandwidth, comprising, receiving a first bandwidth request associated with the first communication device. Receiving, from a policy agent, a second bandwidth request associated with a second communication device. The second bandwidth request does not originate from the second communication device. Bandwidth is granted to the first communication device based on the first bandwidth request. Bandwidth is granted to the second communication device based on the second bandwidth request.