Connection Manager Dynamic Network Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing devices face challenges in managing multiple network connections efficiently to optimize battery life, cost, and user experience, as existing technologies do not effectively prioritize network quality of service (QoS) based on application requirements and user preferences in dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A connection manager dynamically allocates network connections across applications, considering QoS requirements, user preferences, contextual data, and application behavior, seamlessly switching between network interfaces to ensure optimal resource utilization and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the computing device uses multiple network connections simultaneously, then network bandwidth and user experience are improved, but device battery life and operational costs deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connection manager dynamically adjusts network connection allocation based on real-time application requirements and user preferences. It continuously monitors application behavior, QoS needs, and contextual factors to selectively activate or deactivate network interfaces, thereby optimizing bandwidth utilization while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption from idle connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different connection management strategies to different applications and features based on their specific QoS requirements. High-priority applications receive optimized connection allocation with appropriate bandwidth guarantees, while lower-priority applications use remaining capacity, ensuring that each application gets the appropriate level of network resources without wasting overall system energy.
2Reliability
If the connection manager dynamically switches between network connections, then user experience and QoS are improved, but system complexity and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection manager serves as an intermediary layer between applications and network interfaces, abstracting the complexity of multi-network management from applications. It implements a standardized API that allows applications to declare their QoS requirements without needing to understand the underlying network switching logic, thereby maintaining simple application code while enabling sophisticated connection management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of application behavior, network QoS metrics, and user preferences, using this feedback to dynamically adjust connection allocation. The connection manager observes application performance metrics and user interactions, then adapts its switching strategy to maintain optimal user experience while avoiding unnecessary computational overhead from constant reconfiguration.
3Measurement precision
If the system monitors application behavior and user preferences in real-time, then network allocation accuracy is improved, but processing overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection manager implements selective monitoring that focuses computational resources on critical applications and features with high QoS requirements. Instead of continuously analyzing all applications equally, it prioritizes monitoring of bandwidth-consuming applications and user-interaction-critical features, thereby achieving sufficient allocation accuracy for important functions while reducing overall processing overhead and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device supports multiple different network interfaces providing respective connections to, for example WiFi, short-range and near field communication (NFC), and mobile data (e.g., cellular) networks, over which bandwidth-consuming applications may operate. An operating system (OS) instantiated on the computing device supports a connection manager configured to dynamically and concurrently optimize utilization of the available network connections across the executing applications to provide seamless user experiences on the device while meeting various user objectives. These objectives may include, for example, maximizing device battery life, minimizing costs associated with use of mobile data plans and other metered network connections, minimizing glitches, data buffering, and disruptions (e.g., when streaming multimedia, downloading files, and engaging in real-time communications like voice and video calls), and transparency of operation as the diverse network connections are utilized.