Server-Based Application Traffic Monitoring and Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
User devices often experience excessive data usage and network resource consumption due to applications communicating without user knowledge or authorization, leading to increased network capacity demands and potential congestion, which can violate user-service provider agreements.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allow a server device to monitor and control application traffic on user devices based on user-defined application policies and network policies, managing resource allocation and communication permissions to ensure compliance with user agreements and prevent network congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If applications are allowed to communicate freely with the network, then application functionality and user access to services is improved, but data usage and network resource consumption increases beyond authorized thresholds
Solution Approach 1:
A server acts as an intermediary between applications and the network, monitoring application behavior and controlling network access. The server receives traffic from applications, evaluates it against authorized data usage thresholds, and selectively permits or blocks network communication accordingly, preventing unauthorized data consumption while maintaining application functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of data usage by applications and provides feedback to the server. When an application approaches or exceeds its authorized data threshold, the server receives notifications and adjusts network access permissions in real-time, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents excessive data consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If applications are monitored and controlled to prevent excessive data usage, then data consumption is reduced to authorized levels, but network resource availability and service quality may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different levels of monitoring and control to different applications based on their specific authorized thresholds and behavior patterns. Rather than uniform restriction, each application receives tailored network access management that ensures its quality of service while preventing excessive data usage, allowing critical applications to maintain higher priority access.
Solution Approach 2:
The server dynamically adjusts network resource allocation and access permissions based on real-time conditions, including current data usage levels, network capacity, and application priorities. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain service quality for authorized applications while preventing any single application from consuming excessive network resources.
3Speed
If network capacity is increased to accommodate application traffic, then service quality and bandwidth availability is improved, but network infrastructure cost and resource expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of provisioning network capacity for maximum potential usage by all applications, the system implements partial control by monitoring and limiting each application to its authorized threshold. This allows the network infrastructure to be sized for efficient operation under normal controlled conditions, avoiding the excessive cost of provisioning for worst-case scenarios while maintaining service quality within authorized limits.
Data Source
AI summary
A system receives traffic information that identifies an application installed on a user device and resources being used to process traffic associated with the application; obtains, as a result of receiving the traffic information, a policy that identifies a particular amount of resources authorized for processing particular traffic associated with the application; determines that an amount of the resources being used to process the traffic exceeds the particular amount of resources authorized for processing the particular traffic; and transmits a notification to cause the traffic to be controlled by a base station to reduce the amount of the resources to a level less than the particular amount of resources.