Network Control of Application States for Traffic Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication networks face challenges in managing network traffic and congestion due to increased application usage, lack of information about applications, and applications' unawareness of network conditions, leading to inefficient measures that can cause network instability.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an application agent that communicates application states and related information to an application management component, using a mapping function to control application states based on network conditions, radio states, and performance indicators, facilitating efficient traffic management and congestion relief.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If applications continue to increase usage without network awareness, then application functionality and user demand are satisfied, but network congestion and traffic management become increasingly difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidnetwork traffic management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the network provides applications with information about network conditions (congestion levels, available resources) and applications report their own state to the network. This enables the network to adjust traffic routing and resource allocation based on real-time conditions, resolving the contradiction by making the network adaptive without increasing application complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer (network management component) that mediates between applications and the network infrastructure. This intermediary handles the complexity of traffic management, congestion control, and resource allocation, allowing applications to maintain simplicity while the network manages the increasing complexity of traffic flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If network traffic management measures are implemented to handle congestion, then network efficiency improves, but network instability can occur due to reactive measures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having applications proactively notify the network of their needs and state before congestion occurs. The network can pre-establish traffic routing paths and resource allocations based on predicted demand patterns, avoiding reactive measures that cause instability while maintaining efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic traffic management where routing decisions and resource allocations are continuously adjusted based on real-time network conditions and application states. This dynamic approach allows the network to adapt to changing conditions smoothly, improving efficiency without causing the instability associated with rigid reactive measures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If applications are made aware of network conditions, then traffic management effectiveness improves, but information exchange overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraffic management effectivenessVSAvoidinformation exchange overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing applications with only the specific network information they need for their current operations, rather than flooding them with all available network data. The network selectively shares congestion information, routing capabilities, and resource availability relevant to each application's current state, reducing information overhead while maintaining effective traffic management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service mechanisms where applications autonomously manage their own traffic based on the information they receive from the network. Applications independently make routing decisions and adjust their own resource usage without requiring constant network intervention or information, reducing the information exchange overhead while maintaining effective self-managed traffic control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10129719B2Network control of applications using application states

Publication Date: 2018.11.13 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Application states of applications associated with a communication device can be network controlled. An application agent, associated with an application used by the communication device, controls transitioning the application between application states based on network indicators received or network events detected from a communication network. The application states include active state or doze state. An application management component associated with the communication network at least partially controls transitioning the application between application states to facilitate controlling network traffic or reducing network congestion. The application agent or application management component can map application states to various factors, including radio states, congestion level, application performance indicators, network policies, or user policies, to facilitate determining which application state to apply to an application at a given time. The application agent can be in a centralized location, or at a same or different location as the application source.