QoS MAC Bandwidth Allocation for Bursty Cable and Optical Traffic

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional MAC layer implementations in cable and optical data networks face inefficiencies in bandwidth allocation, leading to packet discarding, queuing delays, and failure to meet quality-of-service (QoS) requirements, especially during short-time bandwidth fluctuations and bursts, with static scheduling and token bucket policing mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A QoS-based dynamic bandwidth allocation MAC layer controller that categorizes service flows as conforming or non-conforming based on token bucket violations, using different filtering intervals and a QoS scheduler to dynamically allocate bandwidth, ensuring compliance with contracted rates while accommodating bursty traffic and optimizing network capacity utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional token bucket policing mechanism is used to enforce contracted rates, then compliance with service level agreements is improved, but packet discarding occurs when bandwidth temporarily increases during short-time bursts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance with contracted ratesVSAvoidbandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation that adapts to changing network conditions. The system transitions from static contracted rate enforcement to dynamic adjustment based on real-time network capacity and traffic patterns, allowing the bandwidth allocation to be flexible and responsive to actual needs while maintaining QoS requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of bandwidth allocation from fixed contracted rates to dynamically adjusted rates based on network conditions. By monitoring network capacity and traffic patterns, the system adjusts bandwidth parameters in real-time, allowing temporary increases during bursts while maintaining overall compliance with service agreements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If static bandwidth allocation according to contracted rate is implemented, then service level agreements are maintained, but QoS requirements cannot be met and packet queuing delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice level agreement complianceVSAvoidpacket queuing delays

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation that adapts to changing network conditions. The system transitions from static contracted rate enforcement to dynamic adjustment based on real-time network capacity and traffic patterns, allowing the bandwidth allocation to be flexible and responsive to actual needs while maintaining QoS requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of bandwidth allocation from fixed contracted rates to dynamically adjusted rates based on network conditions. By monitoring network capacity and traffic patterns, the system adjusts bandwidth parameters in real-time, allowing temporary increases during bursts while maintaining overall compliance with service agreements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If conventional MAC layer implementation queues packets during bandwidth fluctuations, then packet loss is reduced, but network efficiency decreases due to unnecessary queuing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket deliveryVSAvoidnetwork efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of bandwidth allocation from fixed contracted rates to dynamically adjusted rates based on network conditions. By monitoring network capacity and traffic patterns, the system adjusts bandwidth parameters in real-time, allowing temporary increases during bursts while maintaining overall compliance with service agreements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors network capacity, traffic patterns, and QoS requirements. This feedback loop enables the system to make real-time adjustments to bandwidth allocation, distinguishing between actual congestion requiring queuing and temporary capacity availability that can accommodate bursts without queuing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12537778B2Quality-of-service (QoS)-based dynamic bandwidth allocation methods and systems for cable and optical data networks

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 BEEGOL CORP

AI summary

A novel dynamic bandwidth allocation system and a method of its operation incorporate a quality-of-service (QoS)-based media access control (MAC) layer controller, which is able to dynamically allocate data transmission capacity (i.e. bandwidth) to multiple incoming service flows of data packets for multiple subscribers more efficiently with less network congestions and service inconsistencies than conventional MAC layer management methods. The QoS-based MAC layer controller is able to determine and place incoming service flows into two separate states of token buckets (i.e. conforming or non-conforming), wherein the conforming token bucket utilizes a longer filtering interval (e.g. 1 second) and the non-conforming token bucket utilizes a shorter filtering interval (e.g. 1 ms) for detecting token bucket violations. The QoS-based MAC layer controller is able to utilize either conforming or non-conforming states flexibly and intelligently to minimize unnecessary packet droppages, network congestions, or speed degradations during bursty and oscillating network traffic.