Local provisioning of bandwidth and other network resources
First Claim
1. A method for allocating a network resource in a home network, the method comprising:
- accepting a signal from a user input device, wherein the signal defines a resource regulation for a particular device coupled to the home network;
using the processor to track data transferred with the particular device, wherein the processor is coupled to the home network, wherein the processor is resident within a home in which the home network is also resident;
determining that the particular device'"'"'s data transfers exceed the resource regulation; and
causing the particular device'"'"'s data transfers to conform with the resource regulation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for local allocation or provisioning of resources in a network. Allocation rules are defined based on one or more factors of user identity, device identity and device location. A communication is given a priority level based on the rules. A device in the network performs local provisioning according to the rule definitions. Rule definitions can be set or changed via a user interface. Automated ways to obtain factor values can be used such as automatic identification of users, devices, and location. Other possible factors to use to determine resource allocation can be time of day, date, identity of an originating or target device, identity of a caller or callee, etc. Resources that can be allocated include bandwidth, processing cycles, network storage and power.
60 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for allocating a network resource in a home network, the method comprising:
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accepting a signal from a user input device, wherein the signal defines a resource regulation for a particular device coupled to the home network;
using the processor to track data transferred with the particular device, wherein the processor is coupled to the home network, wherein the processor is resident within a home in which the home network is also resident;
determining that the particular device'"'"'s data transfers exceed the resource regulation; and
causing the particular device'"'"'s data transfers to conform with the resource regulation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for allocating a network resource in a home network, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor coupled to the home network;
a user input device for defining an allocation rule;
a machine-readable medium including instructions for accepting a signal from the user input device, wherein the signal defines a resource regulation for a particular device coupled to the home network;
using the processor to track data transferred with the particular device;
determining that the particular device'"'"'s data transfers exceed the resource regulation; and
causing the particular device'"'"'s data transfers to conform with the resource regulation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for allocating a network resource in a home network, the apparatus comprising:
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processing means coupled to the home network;
user input means for defining an allocation rule;
means for accepting a signal from the user input device, wherein the signal defines a resource regulation for a particular device coupled to the home network;
means for using the processor to track data transferred with the particular device;
means for determining that the particular device'"'"'s data transfers exceed the resource regulation; and
means for causing the particular device'"'"'s data transfers to conform with the resource regulation.
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Specification