Dynamic Application Priority Adjustment for Bandwidth Allocation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current computer systems face challenges in managing network and application priority effectively, particularly when multiple users access bandwidth-intensive applications like streaming video, leading to interruptions due to limited bandwidth sharing among users in a local area network.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines the number of people proximate to a computer's peripheral device and automatically adjusts the application's priority by increasing network or provisioning priority, ensuring smoother performance by allocating more bandwidth when multiple users are present.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bandwidth is shared among multiple users in a LAN, then network resource utilization is improved, but video playback reliability deteriorates due to bandwidth contention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidvideo playback reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation by adjusting application priority based on the number of detected viewers. The system transitions from static bandwidth sharing to dynamic allocation where bandwidth is automatically increased when multiple people are detected near the display, ensuring reliable video playback while maintaining efficient network utilization during single-user scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the priority parameter of the video application based on the number of people detected. When multiple viewers are present, the application priority is increased, which directly affects bandwidth allocation. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adapting bandwidth usage to actual demand, maintaining playback reliability during multi-user viewing while preserving network efficiency during single-user operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If application priority is increased to ensure uninterrupted video playback, then video playback reliability is improved, but network bandwidth available for other users deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo playback reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic priority adjustment rather than maintaining permanently high priority. The video application's priority is elevated only when the sensor system detects multiple people near the display, and returns to normal priority when single-user conditions are detected. This dynamic approach ensures playback reliability during multi-user viewing while preserving network bandwidth for other users during single-user operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the viewing environment using sensors and periodically adjusts application priority based on detected conditions. This periodic detection and adjustment mechanism ensures that high bandwidth allocation occurs only during periods when multiple users are present, while allowing bandwidth to be reallocated to other network users during single-user periods, thus resolving the contradiction between playback reliability and network productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If manual bandwidth allocation is used to prioritize video applications, then video playback reliability is improved, but system complexity and user intervention requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo playback reliabilityVSAvoidbandwidth management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service bandwidth management where the system automatically detects viewing conditions using sensors and adjusts application priority without user intervention. The video application monitors the number of people near the display and autonomously requests appropriate bandwidth allocation. This eliminates the need for manual bandwidth configuration while ensuring reliable playback during multi-user viewing, resolving the contradiction between playback reliability and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensor feedback to automatically adjust bandwidth allocation. Sensors detect the number of people near the display and provide feedback to the application, which then automatically adjusts its priority level. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates manual intervention while ensuring reliable video playback during multi-user scenarios, resolving the contradiction between playback reliability and management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9251104B2Automatically changing application priority as a function of a number of people proximate to a peripheral device
Publication Date: 2016.02.02 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US9251104B2 patent drawing
  • US9251104B2 patent drawing
  • US9251104B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer program product is provided including computer readable program code for running an application on a computer having a display, wherein the application requires external network access. The computer program product further includes computer readable program code for determining a number of people gathered around the computer, and computer readable program code for automatically changing the network priority of the application as a function of the number of people determined to be gathered around the computer. The number of people gathered around the computer is preferably determined using a facial recognition module to analyze an image captured by a camera of the computer or using a speech recognition module to analyze sound captured by a microphone of the computer.