Using mobile traffic history to minimize transmission time

• US 20060209842A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Fletcher, James C., Hrischuk, Curtis E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.210
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method of reducing the time needed for sending data over a communication network. The method can include analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over a communication network and receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network. The method further can include determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data will be received within a specified time period and selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the time needed for sending data over a communication network comprising:

analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over the communication network;

receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network;

determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data associated with the user will be received within a specified time period; and

selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability.

2. The method of claim 1, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising sending the data if the probability does not exceed a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising delaying the sending of the data if the probability exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability exceeds a threshold, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising storing the data temporarily in a transmission cache.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether additional data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network has been received within the specified time period;

if so, combining the additional data with the data stored in the transmission cache and sending the combined data; and

if not, sending the data in the transmission cache at the end of the specified time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability further indicates a likelihood that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability indicates the likelihood of receiving the additional data associated with the user within a different specified time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each said step of claim 1 is performed within a virtual private network.

9. A system for reducing the amount of time required to send data over a communication network comprising:

a transmit probability function indicating a probability that data associated with a user will be received within a specified time period;

a transmission cache for temporarily storing data; and

an agent configured to calculate the probability each time data, associated with the user and intended to be sent over the communication network, is received, wherein the agent selectively stores the data in the transmission cache based upon the probability such that if additional data is received within a specified time period, the additional data is combined with the data in the transmission cache and sent via the communication network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transmit probability function further indicates a probability that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data stored in the transmission cache, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said transmit probability function, said transmission cache, and said agent are disposed within a virtual private network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said agent analyzes bandwidth usage of the user and determines the transmit probability function.

13. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over a communication network;

receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network;

determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data associated with the user will be received within a specified time period; and

selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 13, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising sending the data if the probability does not exceed a threshold.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 13, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising delaying the sending of the data if the probability exceeds a threshold.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein the probability exceeds a threshold, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising storing the data temporarily in a transmission cache.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether additional data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network has been received within the specified time period;

if so, combining the additional data with the data stored in the transmission cache and sending the combined data; and

if not, sending the data in the transmission cache at the end of the specified time period.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein the probability further indicates a likelihood that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein the probability indicates the likelihood of receiving the additional data associated with the user within a different specified time period.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein each said step of claim 13 is performed within a virtual private network.