Network bandwidth allocation and access method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling bandwidth, comprising:
- identifying a first end client of a computer network;
identifying a second end client of said computer network;
determining a status of a parameter of said network;
in response to determining a first network parameter status, providing a first bandwidth to said first end client; and
in response to determining said first network parameter status, providing a second bandwidth to said second end client.
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Abstract
The present invention allows bandwidth available on a network to be dynamically controlled. In particular, the present invention allows the maximum bandwidth available to an end client to be limited when the network is congested, thereby preserving bandwidth for higher priority data. In addition, the present invention allows even low priority data to be sent with the benefit of the full bandwidth then available on the network when the network is not congested. In addition, the invention may be used to control access to a computer network by known and unknown users.
58 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for controlling bandwidth, comprising:
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identifying a first end client of a computer network;
identifying a second end client of said computer network;
determining a status of a parameter of said network;
in response to determining a first network parameter status, providing a first bandwidth to said first end client; and
in response to determining said first network parameter status, providing a second bandwidth to said second end client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling bandwidth on a computer network, comprising:
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receiving from a first end client a request for access to said network;
determining a priority rating of said first end client;
receiving from a second end client a request for access to said network;
determining a priority rating of said second end client;
determining a congestion status of said network; and
in response to determining a first congestion status, providing a first bandwidth to said first end client and providing a second bandwidth to said second end client, wherein said first end client has a first priority rating and said second end client has a second priority rating. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer readable storage medium carrying instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:
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identifying a first end client of a computer network;
identifying a second end client of said computer network;
determining a status of a parameter of said network;
in response to determining a first network parameter status, providing a first bandwidth to said first end client; and
in response to determining said first network parameter status, providing a second bandwidth to said second end client. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for controlling bandwidth in a computer network, comprising:
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at least a first computer data storage device, wherein program instructions related to an amount of bandwidth provided to an end client are stored on said storage device;
at least a first network access point, wherein an end client may interconnect to said network through said network access point; and
at least a first processor interconnected to said network, said processor capable of executing said program instructions related to an amount of bandwidth provided to an end client, wherein in connection with a congested network a first end client is presented with a first bandwidth and a second end client is provided with a second bandwidth, and wherein said second bandwidth is less than said first bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An apparatus for controlling bandwidth in a computer network, comprising:
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means for determining a priority rating of an end client;
means for determining a network parameter status;
means for allocating a first bandwidth to an end client having a first priority rating in response to detecting a first network parameter status or a second network parameter status; and
means for allocating said first bandwidth to an end client having a second priority rating in response to detecting said first network parameter status and for allocating a second bandwidth to said end client having a second priority rating in response to detecting said second network status, wherein said first bandwidth is greater than said second bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A computer network having dynamic bandwidth control, comprising:
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a network server, comprising;
a computer data storage device, having programming code for providing dynamic bandwidth control stored thereon;
a processor capable of executing said programming code;
a communication channel interconnected to said network server, said communication channel comprising at least first and second segments;
at least a first computer network access point interconnected to said network server by a first segment of said communication channel;
a first end client interconnected to said network access point by said second segment of said communication channel, wherein said second communication channel is capable of transmitting data packets, wherein said first end client is provided with a first bandwidth when said network is uncongested, and wherein said first end client is provided with a second bandwidth when said network is congested; and
a second end client interconnected to said network access point by at least one of said second segment of said communication channel and a third segment of said communication channel, wherein said second end client is provided with said first data bandwidth when said network is uncongested and when said network is congested. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification