QoS Service Advisor for VoIP Network Path Optimization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Communication systems, particularly those involving VoIP and PSTN networks, often experience unpredictable performance due to complex network configurations, heavy traffic, server overload, and interference, which can lead to poor quality of service for real-time applications like VoIP, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing.

Innovation Solution

A Quality of Service (QOS) based service advisor system that measures and analyzes performance levels of communication paths, identifies network segments and devices, and adjusts communication parameters to improve service quality by rerouting traffic and optimizing algorithms such as forward error correction and de-jitter buffers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the network system handles multiple communication paths and heavy traffic, then the system capacity and connectivity are improved, but the performance predictability and quality of service deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidperformance predictability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication path into multiple network segments and measures performance metrics for each segment independently. This allows the system to handle complex multi-path communications while maintaining predictable performance by analyzing and managing each segment separately rather than treating the entire path as a single unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where performance metrics are continuously measured and reported back to identify under-provisioned segments. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment and optimization of network resources to maintain reliable performance even as system capacity increases and traffic patterns change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If network segments are added to increase system capability, then the connectivity and service coverage are improved, but the identification and troubleshooting of performance issues become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice coverageVSAvoidperformance issue identification
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the communication path into distinct network segments and measuring performance metrics for each segment separately, the patent makes it easier to identify which specific segment is under-provisioned or causing performance issues. This segmentation approach transforms a complex troubleshooting problem into manageable individual segment analyses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses visual indicators (color-coded performance metrics) to represent the performance status of different network segments. This allows operators to quickly identify under-provisioned segments through color changes rather than analyzing raw numerical data, significantly reducing the difficulty of detecting performance issues in complex networks with many segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Ease of operation

If real-time communication applications are supported, then the service quality and user experience are improved, but the sensitivity to network performance variations increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidnetwork performance sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary measurement and identification of under-provisioned network segments before real-time communications are affected. By proactively detecting performance issues in network segments, the system can take corrective actions in advance to ensure that real-time applications maintain high service quality without being adversely affected by network variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2494743B1QUALITY OF SERVICE (QoS) BASED SYSTEMS, NETWORKS, AND ADVISORS
Publication Date: 2017.08.16 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2494743B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2494743B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2494743B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques and technologies for routing communications based on Quality of Service (QOS) related information. More particularly, this document discloses techniques and technologies for selecting communications paths which partially overlap other communication paths for which QOS related information has been measured. The techniques and technologies include determining, performance levels for path segments within the communication paths from the measured QOS information.