Network Usage Tracking System with Multi-Source Data Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network usage monitoring systems face challenges in accurately tracking broadband usage across multiple methods and locations, leading to reliability and accuracy issues in billing and management.
Innovation Solution
A network usage tracking system that collects and correlates data from multiple network devices and locations, using agents to retrieve usage data and user information, and adjusts for discrepancies to provide accurate usage metrics, which can be sent to a billing system for usage-based billing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If usage data is collected from multiple network devices and locations, then the reliability and accuracy of network usage monitoring is improved, but the device complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments usage data collection by implementing location-based tracking (tracking usage at specific network locations) and session-based tracking (tracking usage per user session). This segmentation allows the system to collect comprehensive usage data from multiple sources while organizing it in a structured manner that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a usage tracking system that acts as an intermediary between multiple network devices and the billing system. This intermediary consolidates usage data from various network locations and sessions, performing correlation and adjustment functions that simplify the overall system architecture while maintaining reliability.
2Measurement precision
If usage data is collected from multiple network devices, then the accuracy of network usage monitoring is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by correlating usage data across multiple network devices and comparing location-based tracking with session-based tracking. This feedback loop allows the system to identify discrepancies and adjust measurements, thereby improving accuracy while managing the complexity of multi-device data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary correlation and adjustment of usage data before final billing calculations. By pre-processing the data from multiple sources, identifying potential discrepancies, and adjusting for system overhead in advance, the system reduces the difficulty of detecting and measuring accurate usage when the actual billing occurs.
3Reliability
If multiple methods are used to provide network usage data, then the reliability of monitoring is improved, but the loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary correlation of usage data from multiple sources and locations before final processing. By pre-establishing the relationships between different usage measurements and performing initial adjustments, the system reduces the time required for final data processing while maintaining the reliability benefits of multi-method monitoring.
4Measurement precision
If usage data is aggregated from various sources, then the ability to detect anomalies such as fraudulent usage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a centralized usage tracking system that serves as an intermediary for aggregating and correlating usage data from multiple network devices and locations. This intermediary consolidates the complexity of data aggregation in one place while providing simplified interfaces for anomaly detection and billing operations, thereby improving anomaly detection capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining, at a network tracking system, a first usage value for a user account during a time interval by applying a first correction factor to a first data value determined from a first cell count of cell counter data retrieved from a network device of a network. The method also includes determining, at the network tracking system, a second usage value for the user account during the time interval based on session information from a plurality of network devices of the network. The method further includes generating a cumulative usage value based on the first usage value and the second usage value.