Resource allocation
First Claim
1. A shared resource access or utilisation system comprising:
- a shared resource;
a plurality of devices operable to access or use an amount of the shared resource;
means for obtaining from one or more of the devices an indication of one or more desired amounts of the shared resource which the device wishes to use and of how much the device is prepared to pay for the or each desired amount of the shared resource;
means for accessing or determining a current cost for accessing or using a unit amount of the shared resource;
means for determining the amount of the shared resource which the or each device may access or use in accordance with its indication and the current cost; and
means for informing the or each device of the amount of the shared resource which it may access or use.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shared resource allocation system for allocating a shared resource amongst a plurality of devices operable to access or use the resource. The system includes controlling means for controlling access to or use of the resource by each of the devices and means for receiving bids from one or more of the devices. Each bid indicates a requested amount of the resource and a price offered for the requested amount. The system also includes allocation means for processing the received bids to determine an appropriate allocation of the resource, and instructing means for instructing the controlling means to control access to or use of the shared resource in accordance with the determined allocation.
307 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A shared resource access or utilisation system comprising:
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a shared resource;
a plurality of devices operable to access or use an amount of the shared resource;
means for obtaining from one or more of the devices an indication of one or more desired amounts of the shared resource which the device wishes to use and of how much the device is prepared to pay for the or each desired amount of the shared resource;
means for accessing or determining a current cost for accessing or using a unit amount of the shared resource;
means for determining the amount of the shared resource which the or each device may access or use in accordance with its indication and the current cost; and
means for informing the or each device of the amount of the shared resource which it may access or use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A resource allocation device for allocating access to or use of a shared resource amongst a number of devices which are operable to use the resource, said resource allocation device comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a plurality of bids from one or more devices adapted to access or use the shared resource, which bids indicate a requested amount of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested amount;
allocation means for determining an allocation of access to or use of the resource by the devices, which are operable to use the resource, in dependence on the bids received; and
instruction means for instructing a controlling device to control access to the shared resource in accordance with the determined allocation.
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31. A resource management agent for controlling the use, by a device connected to a data network, of a resource or sub-resources required by the device to transmit or receive data over the data network, the resource management agent comprising:
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means for interfacing with a set of preferences associated with the device, said set of preferences including at least one set of indications as to what amounts of the resource or sub-resources are desired by the device for given levels of quality of service associated with the resource or sub-resources and for given ceiling prices under a given set of properties of an associated flow of data to or from the device over the network;
means for interfacing with the network to determine properties of the resource or sub-resources including the associated level or levels of quality of service, and the associated cost or costs; and
processing means for determining an appropriate amount or amounts of the resource or sub-resources for the device to use for an associated flow of data in dependence upon said set of preferences and said properties of said resource or sub-resources. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A bid router device comprising:
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means for receiving bids from users of a shared resource which bids indicate a requested amount of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested amount;
data storage means for storing address data of one or more allocating devices operable to allocate portions of the shared resource to bidding users together with data indicating the nature of the shared resource which is able to be allocated by the or each allocation device;
means for processing each bid using said stored data to determine whether the bid should be forwarded to an allocation device and if so to which allocation device it should be forwarded; and
forwarding means for forwarding bids to allocation devices.
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34. A bidding device operable to communicate with a correspondent device over a communications network, said communications network including at least one shared resource, access to which is required by both the bidding device and the correspondent device in order for a communication between the bidding and correspondent devices to occur, said device including:
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detection means for detecting the initiation of a communication between the bidding device and the correspondent device; and
bid generation means for generating a bid indicating a requested allocation of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested allocation in response to detection by the detection means of the initiation of a communication. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A controlling device for controlling access to, or use of, a shared resource by one or more devices operable to access or use the shared resource, the controlling means including:
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instruction receiving means for receiving instructions about how much of the shared resource should be allocated to the or each device;
storage means for storing data indicating how much of the shared resource should be allocated to the or each device; and
controlling means for controlling access to or use of the shared resource by the or each device operable to access or use the shared resource in accordance with said stored data.
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39. A method of controlling access to or utilisation of a shared resource amongst a plurality of devices operable to access or use the shared resource, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining from one or more of the devices an indication of one or more desired amounts of the shared resource which the device wishes to use and of how much the device is prepared to pay for the or each desired amount of the shared resource;
obtaining or determining a current cost for accessing or using a unit amount of the shared resource;
determining the amount of the shared resource which the or each device may access or use in accordance with its indication and the current cost; and
informing the or each device of the amount of the shared resource which it may access or use. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 77, 78)
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68. A resource allocation method for allocating access to or use of a shared resource amongst a number of devices which are operable to use the resource, said resource allocation method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of bids from one or more of the devices adapted to access or use the shared resource, which bids indicate a requested amount of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested amount;
determining an allocation of access to or use of the resource by the devices in dependence on the bids received; and
instructing a controlling device to control access to the shared resource in accordance with the determined allocation.
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69. A resource management method for controlling the use, by a device connected to a data network, of a resource or sub-resources required by the device to transmit or receive data over the data network, the resource management method comprising:
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interfacing with a set of preferences associated with the device, said set of preferences including at least one set of indications as to what amounts of the resource or sub-resources are desired by the device for given levels of quality of service associated with the resource or sub-resources and for given ceiling prices under a given set of properties of an associated flow of data to or from the device over the network;
interfacing with the network to determine properties of the resource or sub-resources including the associated level or levels of quality of service, and the associated cost or costs; and
determining an appropriate amount or amounts of the resource or sub-resources for the device to use for an associated flow of data in dependence upon said set of preferences and said properties of said resource or sub-resources. - View Dependent Claims (70)
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71. A method of routing bids comprising:
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receiving bids from users of a shared resource which bids indicate a requested amount of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested amount;
storing address data of one or more allocating devices operable to allocate portions of the shared resource to bidding users together with data indicating the nature of the shared resource which is able to be allocated by the or each allocation device;
processing each bid using said stored data to determine whether the bid should be forwarded to an allocation device and if so to which allocation device it should be forwarded; and
forwarding bids to allocation devices.
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72. A bidding method for use by a bidding device operable to communicate with a correspondent device over a communications network, said communications network including at least one shared resource, access to which is required by both the bidding device and the correspondent device in order for a communication between the bidding and correspondent devices to occur, said method including:
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detecting the initiation of a communication between the bidding device and the correspondent device; and
generating a bid indicating a requested allocation of the shared resource and a price offered for the requested allocation in response to detection by the detection means of the initiation of a communication. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. A method of controlling access to, or use of, a shared resource by one or more devices operable to access or use the shared resource, the method including:
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receiving instructions about how much of the shared resource should be allocated to the or each device;
storing data indicating how much of the shared resource should be allocated to the or each device; and
controlling access to or use of the shared resource by the or each device operable to access or use the shared resource in accordance with said stored data.
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79. A method of generating a bid for use by a bidding device operable to communicate with a correspondent device over a communications network, said communications network including at least one shared resource, access to which is required by both the bidding device and the correspondent device in order for a communication between the bidding and the correspondent devices to occur, said method including:
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forming a plurality of bid options each of which indicates a desired amount of the resource together with a price offered for that amount of resource;
generating information identifying one or more properties of the flow for which the shared resource is required; and
bundling the bid option and flow information together to form a bid.
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80. A method of generating data for transmission by a sending device to a receiving device over a communications network, said communications network including at least one shared resource, access to which is required by both the sending device and the receiving device, said method including:
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receiving an indication as to how much of the shared resource may be used by the transmitting and receiving devices to enable transmission of the generated data;
generating data for transmission over the network which data includes address information of both the sending and receiving devices; and
transmitting the data onto the network at a rate such that the indicated amount of the shared resource is not exceeded.
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Specification