Dynamic adaptive network

• US 10,389,601 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mo, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Phong
• Application Number:
  US15/059,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. In certain systems and methods, access to a network such as a wireless network, can be granted or denied based upon a threshold number of devices accessing the network. Moreover, access to a first service available over the network can be granted or denied based upon a threshold number of devices accessing the first service. Various network resource can be allocated to the first service based at least upon the number of device access the first service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a request for access to a network;

granting access to the network based upon a threshold quantity of devices accessing the network and in response to the request for access to the network;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request for access to a first service of a plurality of services provided via the network;

granting access to the first service based upon a threshold quantity of devices accessing the first service and in response to the request for access to the first service; and

allocating, based on a quantity of the plurality of services accessed via the network and a type of traffic associated with one or more of the quantity of the plurality of services, a network resource to the first service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a local area network, and wherein the plurality of services provided via the network comprise one or more managed services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of services provided via the network comprise one or more of a video service, a voice service, and a high-speed data service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocated network resource comprises bandwidth.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating the network resource to the first service comprises allocating bandwidth to the first service based upon a dynamic partition scheme.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating the network resource to the first service comprises allocating time-division multiplexing slots to the one or more services in a prioritized manner.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating the network resource to a second service of the plurality of services provided via the network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second service is distinct from the first service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first service is a video service and further comprising receiving a selection of a maximum bitrate for initial provision of the first service based at least on one of the allocated network resource and a link condition.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting, by one or more processors, a request for access to a network;

receiving a grant of access to the network based upon a threshold quantity of devices accessing the network and in response to the request for access to the network;

transmitting, by the one or more processors, a request for access to a first service of a plurality of services provided via the network; and

receiving a grant of access to the first service based upon a threshold quantity of devices accessing the first service and in response to the request for access to the first service, wherein at least a portion of a network resource is allocated to the first service based on a quantity of the plurality of services accessed via the network and a type of traffic associated with one or more of the quantity of the plurality of services.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network is a local area network and the one or more processors are comprised in one or more user devices.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of services provided via the network comprise one or more of a video service, a voice service, and a high-speed data service.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the allocated network resource comprises bandwidth.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first service is a video service and further comprising selecting a maximum bitrate for initial provision of the first service based at least on one of the allocated network resource and a link condition.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a request for access to a network;

determining a current quantity of devices accessing the network;

granting access to the network when the current quantity of devices accessing the network is below a threshold quantity of devices accessing the network and in response to the request for access to the network;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request for access to a first service of a plurality of services provided via the network;

determining a current quantity of devices accessing each of the plurality of services provided via the network;

granting access to the first service based on the current quantity of devices accessing each of the plurality of services provided via the network; and

allocating, based on a quantity of the plurality of services accessed via the network and a type of traffic associated with one or more of the quantity of the plurality of services, a network resource to the first service.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of services provided via the network comprise one or more of a video service, a voice service, and a high-speed data service.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising allocating a network resource to the first service of the plurality of services provided via the network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising allocating the network resource to a second service of the plurality of services provided via the network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second service is distinct from the first service, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the network resource allocated to the second service is below a total network resource allocation available to the plurality of services.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first service is a video service and further comprising receiving a selection of a maximum bitrate for initial provision of the first service based at least on one of the allocated network resource and a link condition.