Allocations of Access Across a Communications Medium
First Claim
1. A method of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users pursuant to service level agreements (SLAs) of the users, comprising the steps of:
- determining whether each user has been assigned a forecast function;
determining forecasted network access usage by each user during a future time interval;
comparing said forecasted network access usage by each user with a predetermined threshold value;
determining at least one candidate for modification of an service level agreement (SLA); and
soliciting at least one candidate to modify an SLA related to that candidate.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users pursuant to SLAs of the users includes the steps of: (a) monitoring network access usage by each user during a time interval; (b) comparing the monitored network access usage by each user with a predetermined threshold value; and (c) soliciting a user to modify the user'"'"'s SLA if the user'"'"'s monitored network access usage varies from the predetermined value by a predetermined tolerance. The solicitation is conducted via email, instant messaging, redirection of a web browser of the user to a solicitation web page, generation and mailing of literature, telephonic communication, or other communication avenue.
78 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users pursuant to service level agreements (SLAs) of the users, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether each user has been assigned a forecast function; determining forecasted network access usage by each user during a future time interval; comparing said forecasted network access usage by each user with a predetermined threshold value; determining at least one candidate for modification of an service level agreement (SLA); and soliciting at least one candidate to modify an SLA related to that candidate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users pursuant to service level agreements (SLAs) of the users, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether each user is assigned a forecast function; in response to determining that at least one user is not assigned a forecast function, assigning a forecast function to at least one user; determining forecasted network access usage by each user for respective predetermined future time intervals; identifying a period of high forecasted network access usage of a user; determining forecasted network access usage, at least one candidate for modification of an service level agreement (SLA); and soliciting at least one candidate to modify a SLA to guarantee a minimum level of network access during an anticipated future recurrent period of high network access usage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users pursuant to service level agreements (SLAs) of the users, comprising:
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a first determining component configured to determine whether each user has been assigned a forecast function; a second determining component configured to determine forecasted network access usage by each user during a future time interval; a comparing component configured to compare said forecasted network access usage by each user with a predetermined threshold value; a third determining component configured to determine at least one candidate for modification of an SLA; and a soliciting component configured to solicit at least one candidate to modify an SLA related to that candidate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification