Network KPI API Gateway for External Client Access Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

External clients, such as application developers and IoT device manufacturers, lack access to the rich data set of network performance metrics collected by ISPs, leading to inaccurate network performance measurements.

Innovation Solution

ISPs expose network key performance indicators (KPIs) to external clients via application programming interfaces (APIs), allowing conversion of client-measured metrics into standardized KPIs using machine learning and providing customized data access through an API gateway.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If ISPs collect and monitor network performance metrics internally, then network performance monitoring accuracy is improved, but access to this data for external clients deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performance measurement accuracyVSAvoiddata accessibility to external clients

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements an API gateway that serves as an intermediary between the network performance monitoring system and external clients. This gateway receives requests from external clients, retrieves relevant network performance data from internal sources, and returns the data in appropriate formats. This resolves the contradiction by enabling external access without compromising internal data collection and monitoring capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If ISPs share network performance data with external clients, then external client application optimization is improved, but data security and control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication optimization efficiencyVSAvoiddata security and control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The API gateway implements local quality control by providing different levels of data access to different external clients based on their specific needs and authorization. Rather than providing universal access to all internal data, the system tailors the data exposure to each client's requirements, enabling application optimization while maintaining security and control over sensitive information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If ISPs implement comprehensive network monitoring, then network performance visibility is improved, but system complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performance information availabilityVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the data sharing functionality from the core network monitoring system by implementing a separate API gateway. This extraction allows the monitoring system to maintain comprehensive data collection capabilities while delegating the complexity of external data access, authentication, and formatting to the specialized gateway component. This reduces the complexity burden on the core monitoring system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20260019326A1Exposing network key performance indicators to external clients via application programming interfaces

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

A method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes calculating a first set of key performance indicators for a communications network based on data acquired from at least one source that is accessible to an operator of the communications network and publishing at least the first set of key performance indicators via an application programming interface that enables the operator of the communications network to share data with an external client of the communications network.