IP allocation pools

• US 10,142,285 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Szamonek, Zoltan, Duleba, Krzysztof, van Dijk, Luuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/670,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products involve identifying a first IP block having a first set of IP addresses and a second IP block having a second set of IP addresses, the first set of IP addresses different from the second set of IP addresses. A first expected number of IP reassignments for the first IP block can be determined. A first number of IP reassignments between the first IP block and the second IP block can be identified. The first number of IP reassignments can be compared against the first expected number of IP reassignments. The first IP block and the second IP block can be merged into an IP allocation pool based, at least in part, on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for providing services to user devices, the method comprising:

maintain a plurality of IP blocks that each define a group of IP addresses;

providing, to a plurality of client devices, a network-related service, wherein each client device is assigned to an IP block based on an IP address of the client device, wherein each IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service for client devices assigned to the IP block;

determining an expected number of IP reassignments of client devices between the IP blocks;

after a time period during which actual IP reassignments of the client devices occur, comparing the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments;

based on the comparison of the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments, altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks; and

for each client reassigned to a different IP block, adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices according to the settings of the different IP blocks to which the at least some client devices are assigned.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a first IP block is identified with a particular geographic location;

the first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service based on the particular geographic location; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular geographic location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service according to a particular network statistic, wherein the network statistic is one of a group consisting of bandwidth and latency; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular network statistic.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising determining that two client devices are within a same geolocation based on the two client devices being assigned to the same IP block.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks comprises merging two IP blocks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks comprises splitting an IP block.

7. A system for providing services to user devices, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

computer-readable media tangibly encoded with instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

maintain a plurality of IP blocks that each define a group of IP addresses;

providing, to a plurality of client devices, a network-related service, wherein each client device is assigned to an IP block based on an IP address of the client device, wherein each IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service for client devices assigned to the IP block;

determining an expected number of IP reassignments of client devices between the IP blocks;

after a time period during which actual IP reassignments of the client devices occur, comparing the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments;

based on the comparison of the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments, altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks; and

for each client reassigned to a different IP block, adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices according to the settings of the different IP blocks to which the at least some client devices are assigned.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a first IP block is identified with a particular geographic location;

the first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service based on the particular geographic location; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular geographic location.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service according to a particular network statistic, wherein the network statistic is one of a group consisting of bandwidth and latency; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular network statistic.

10. The system of claim 7, the operations further comprising determining that two client devices are within a same geolocation based on the two client devices being assigned to the same IP block.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks comprises merging two IP blocks.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks comprises splitting an IP block.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable media tangibly encoded with instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

maintain a plurality of IP blocks that each define a group of IP addresses;

providing, to a plurality of client devices, a network-related service, wherein each client device is assigned to an IP block based on an IP address of the client device, wherein each IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service for client devices assigned to the IP block;

determining an expected number of IP reassignments of client devices between the IP blocks;

after a time period during which actual IP reassignments of the client devices occur, comparing the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments;

based on the comparison of the actual IP reassignments that occurred during the time period to the expected number of IP reassignments, altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks; and

for each client reassigned to a different IP block, adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices according to the settings of the different IP blocks to which the at least some client devices are assigned.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein:

a first IP block is identified with a particular geographic location;

the first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service based on the particular geographic location; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular geographic location.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein:

a first IP block is associated with settings that adjust the network-related service according to a particular network statistic, wherein the network statistic is one of a group consisting of bandwidth and latency; and

adjusting the network-related service for the at least some client devices comprises adjusting the network-related service based on the particular network statistic.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, the operations further comprising determining that two client devices are within a same geolocation based on the two client devices being assigned to the same IP block.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein altering some of the IP blocks such that at least some of the client devices are reassigned to different IP blocks comprises merging two IP blocks.