Dynamic Network Throttling for Roaming Device Headroom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication network capacity planning lacks sufficient headroom for roaming devices and fails to adapt to varying usage patterns, leading to issues during busy periods and site expansions, especially when used by first responders or experiencing channel failures.
Innovation Solution
A mobile communication device with a controller that dynamically throttles network usage based on received network data, adjusting application behavior to manage traffic according to current network conditions, including threshold profiles for high, normal, and low usage, and allowing manual overrides for priority and incident types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If network capacity is planned based on busy time period usage, then network capacity is optimized for peak demand, but headroom for roaming devices is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts network capacity allocation based on real-time conditions. During inactive periods, capacity is reduced to optimize for peak demand planning, while during busy periods, headroom is automatically available for roaming devices without requiring permanent capacity allocation. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between optimizing for peak demand and providing headroom for roaming devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes network capacity parameters based on time of day and network conditions. Capacity planning parameters are adjusted between inactive and busy periods, allowing the network to provide adequate headroom for roaming devices during peak times while maintaining optimized capacity utilization during off-peak times, thus resolving the contradiction.
2Reliability
If fixed capacity is allocated for roaming devices, then headroom is available during busy periods, but unused capacity is wasted during inactive periods
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of fixed capacity allocation, the system uses dynamic capacity allocation that adjusts based on actual network conditions and time of day. During inactive periods, capacity allocated for potential roaming devices is reduced or released, eliminating waste. During busy periods, capacity is automatically available when needed, ensuring reliability for roaming devices without permanent allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network system automatically manages capacity allocation for roaming devices based on real-time conditions without requiring manual intervention or permanent reservations. The system self-adjusts capacity allocation, providing it when needed and releasing it when not needed, thus avoiding waste while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If new channels are added during site expansion, then network capacity increases, but pace may not match device addition rate
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic capacity adjustment that responds in real-time to device addition rates. Rather than relying on periodic channel additions that may not match device growth pace, the network dynamically allocates capacity as devices are added, ensuring adaptability matches the actual rate of device proliferation during site expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares capacity allocation mechanisms in advance that can be quickly activated when devices are added during site expansion. By having the dynamic allocation framework pre-established, the network can immediately respond to new devices without waiting for physical channel additions, matching the pace of device addition regardless of infrastructure expansion speed.
4Reliability
If manual override is enabled for priority devices, then critical communication is ensured, but automatic throttling control is bypassed
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different control qualities to different devices based on their priority status. Critical first responder devices receive manual override capability with guaranteed capacity, while standard devices remain under automatic throttling control. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing manual intervention only where critical, maintaining automation for non-critical devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The device population is segmented into priority and non-priority categories with different control mechanisms. Priority devices have manual override enabled to ensure critical communication, while non-priority devices remain subject to automatic throttling. This segmentation allows both manual override for critical cases and automatic control for general cases to coexist without conflict.
Data Source
AI summary
A device, system and method for throttling network usage of a mobile communication device is provided. A mobile communication device comprises: a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate over a network; a memory storing one or more applications that use the communication unit to communicate via the network; and a controller communicatively coupled to the communication unit and the memory. The controller receives, via the communication unit, network data indicative of current network usage. The controller dynamically throttle usage of the communication unit by the one or more applications according to the network data.