SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THROTTLING MASS NOTIFICATIONS

• US 20090086956A1
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Active Internet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: NTI Group Incorporated (Blackboard Incorporated)
• Inventors: ROTH, JOSHUA
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/221.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting broadcasting in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services

Abstract

A method for allocating a call batch that includes a plurality of calls, to one out of a possible “n” providers for near simultaneous transmission by the one provider to a plurality of recipients, wherein each of the “n” providers has an overall capacity and a current level of use. In particular, the method comprises computing the potential free capacity of each provider by subtracting the call batch size from the actual capacity, and dividing the potential free capacity by the overall capacity to determine the proportion potential free capacity; and allocating the call batch to the provider having the largest proportion potential free capacity.

Claims

1. A method for allocating a call batch that includes a plurality of calls, to one out of a possible “

n”

providers for near simultaneous transmission by the one provider to a plurality of recipients, wherein each of the “

n”

providers has an overall capacity and a current level of use, the method comprising;

preparing a call batch having a certain size, the call batch being configured for near simultaneous transmission to a plurality of recipients;

determining the overall capacity of each of the “

n”

providers;

determining the current level of use by each of the “

n”

providers;

for each of the “

n”

providers, subtracting the current level of use from the overall capacity to determine the actual capacity of each provider;

for each of the “

n”

providers, determining whether the actual capacity is less than the call batch size;

eliminating from consideration those providers that have an actual capacity less than the call batch size;

for each remaining provider that has not been eliminated from consideration, computing a proportion potential free capacity of each provider by subtracting the call batch size from the actual capacity, and dividing the result by the overall capacity; and

allocating the call batch to the provider having the largest proportion potential free capacity.

2. A method for allocating a call batch that includes a plurality of calls, to one out of a possible “

n”

providers for near simultaneous transmission by the one provider to a plurality of recipients, wherein each of the “

n”

providers has an overall capacity, a current level of use, and an actual price charged for each particular call batch, the method comprising;

preparing a call batch having a certain size, the call batch being configured for near simultaneous transmission to a plurality of recipients;

determining the overall capacity of each of the “

n”

providers;

determining the current level of use by each of the “

n”

providers;

for each of the “

n”

providers, subtracting the current level of use from the overall capacity to determine the actual capacity of each provider;

for each of the “

n”

providers, determining whether the actual capacity is less than the call batch size;

eliminating from consideration those providers that have an actual capacity less than the call batch size;

modifying the call batch size by a factor equal to the actual price charged by a particular provider divided by the highest price charged by any provider to produce a price modified call batch size;

for each remaining provider that has not been eliminated from consideration, computing a proportion modified potential free capacity of each provider by subtracting the price modified call batch size from the actual capacity, and dividing the result by the overall capacity; and

allocating the call batch to the provider having the largest proportion modified potential free capacity.

3. A method for allocating a call batch that includes a plurality of calls, to one out of a possible “

n”

providers for near simultaneous transmission by the one provider to a plurality of recipients, wherein each of the “

n”

providers has an overall capacity, a current level of use, and an actual remaining minimum commitment, the method comprising;

preparing a call batch having a certain size, the call batch being configured for near simultaneous transmission to a plurality of recipients;

determining the overall capacity of each of the “

n”

providers;

determining the current level of use by each of the “

n”

providers;

for each of the “

n”

providers, subtracting the current level of use from the overall capacity to determine the actual capacity of each provider;

for each of the “

n”

providers, determining whether the actual capacity is less than the call batch size;

eliminating from consideration those providers that have an actual capacity less than the call batch size;

modifying the call batch size by a factor equal to the smallest remaining minimum commitment owed to any provider divided by the actual minimum remaining commitment owed to a particular provider to produce a commitment modified call batch size;

for each remaining provider that has not been eliminated from consideration, computing a proportion modified potential free capacity of each provider by subtracting the commitment modified call batch size from the actual capacity, and dividing the result by the overall capacity; and

allocating the call batch to the provider having the largest proportion modified potential free capacity.