Deferred Content Delivery via Network Congestion Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network congestion in mobile wireless environments leads to overloaded resources and a degraded user experience, posing challenges in managing communication resources effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for deferred delivery of content based on congestion, where congestion information is used to determine a re-try interval, and content delivery is deferred until the interval has expired, leveraging the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and other network elements to manage and monetize network capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If content delivery is performed immediately upon request, then user service responsiveness is improved, but network resource overload increases during congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice delivery reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of network congestion conditions before content delivery. When congestion is detected, the system proactively defers content delivery requests to prevent adding to the existing network load, thereby preventing service degradation before it occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes preliminary buffer storage for content items and pre-determines retry intervals based on congestion levels. This preliminary preparation allows the system to quickly respond to congestion conditions without real-time decision delays, maintaining reliable service delivery when conditions improve

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If content delivery is deferred during congestion, then network resource overload is reduced, but service delivery time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork overloadVSAvoidcontent delivery delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the retry interval based on real-time congestion information. When congestion is severe, longer deferment periods are applied; when congestion eases, the system transitions to normal delivery timing. This dynamic adaptation minimizes overall delivery delay while effectively managing network load

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic retry attempts at determined intervals after deferral. This structured periodic approach ensures that content delivery is systematically re-attempted after congestion periods, providing predictable service recovery without continuous network probing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If network congestion monitoring and deferred delivery mechanisms are implemented, then network resource management is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource management efficiencyVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a network element acting as an intermediary that receives congestion information and manages the deferral logic. This intermediary component centralizes the complexity of congestion monitoring and retry interval determination, isolating it from both the content source and the user equipment, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where congestion information is continuously monitored and fed back to adjust content delivery decisions. This closed-loop control automates the resource management process, reducing the need for complex manual configuration and intervention while improving network efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11234158B2System and method for deferred delivery of content based on congestion in a network environment

Publication Date: 2022.01.25 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving congestion information for an environment in which a user equipment (UE) is operating; receiving a first request to deliver content to the UE; determining that the environment in which the UE is operating is experiencing congestion based, at least in part, on the congestion information; determining a re-try interval based, at least in part, on the congestion information; and deferring delivery of the content to the UE until the re-try interval has expired. In one example embodiment, the method can include provisioning one or more policy rules for a service data flow associated with the content and communicating the indication indicating that delivery of the content has been deferred to a charging system to set charging information for at least one of a user associated with the UE or a provider of the content.