METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR ALLOCATING DIFFERENT QUALITY OF SERVICE/BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION TO SUBSCRIBERS HAVING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE FOR INTERACTIVE GAMING

• US 20110116461A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holt, Scott Crandall, Wright, Steven Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,638,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA

Abstract

Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation can be provided for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN). The RAN can provide end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG). Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation can be provided by determining different levels of subscription service for different subscribers to an interactive game between a plurality of participants. Different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations can be provided to different gaming traffic flows associated with the different subscribers to the interactive game based on the different levels of subscription service of the different subscribers.

Claims

1. A method of providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), the method comprising:

determining different levels of subscription service for different subscribers to an interactive game between a plurality of participants; and

providing different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations to different gaming traffic flows associated with the different subscribers to the interactive game based on the different levels of subscription service of the different subscribers.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations comprises:

receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, an inquiry for the QoS and/or bandwidth allocation available to a subscriber to the interactive game responsive to a level of the subscription service to the interactive game by the subscriber; and

providing a profile, for the GASP, including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein providing the profile comprises providing a first allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on a first type of information transmitted during the interactive game.

5. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

changing the allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber responsive to a change in the level of subscription service of the subscriber.

6. A method according claim 2 wherein providing a profile including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry comprises allocating at least one assured forwarding queue to the subscriber to the interactive game.

7. A method according claim 2 wherein providing a profile including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry comprises allocating at least one assured forwarding queue to the subscriber to the interactive game for processing of interactive game play information and allocating at least one best effort queue to the subscriber for processing of auxiliary information.

8. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

providing the profile to a routing gateway associated with subscriber.

9. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

providing game play information to/from the GASP limited by the allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation.

10. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

establishing a port through which the interactive game communicates with the subscriber, wherein the port is associated with the subscriber profile.

4. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

providing a second allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on a second type of information transmitted during the interactive game.

11. A method of providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), the method comprising:

receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, a session request to establish a session to which a QoS and/or bandwidth allocation is made to a subscriber to an interactive game between a plurality of participants;

providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a session response responsive to the session request authorizing the GASP to allocate RAN resources to the subscriber if the GASP is authorized to allocate RAN resources;

receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, a gaming flow query as to which resources are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow response responsive to the gaming flow query indicating the resources that are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, a gaming flow allocation request that indicates resources that the RAN is to allocate to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game; and

providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow allocation response responsive to the gaming flow allocation request indicating resources allocated to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game.

12. A system for providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), the system comprising:

means for determining different levels of subscription service for different subscribers to an interactive game between a plurality of participants; and

means for providing different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations to different gaming traffic flows associated with the different subscribers to the interactive game based on the different levels of subscription service of the different subscribers.

13. A system for providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), the system comprising:

means for receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, a session request to establish a session to which a QoS and/or bandwidth allocation is made to a subscriber to an interactive game between a plurality of participants;

means for providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a session response responsive to the session request authorizing the GASP to allocate RAN resources to the subscriber if the GASP is authorized to allocate RAN resources;

means for receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, an gaming flow query as to which resources are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

means for providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow response responsive to the gaming flow query indicating the resources that are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

means for receiving, at the RAN from the GASP, a gaming flow allocation request that indicates resources that the RAN is to allocate to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game; and

means for providing, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow allocation response responsive to the gaming flow allocation request indicating resources allocated to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game.

14. A computer program product for providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program product comprising:

computer readable program code configured to determine different levels of subscription service for different subscribers to an interactive game between a plurality of participants; and

computer readable program code configured to provide different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations to different gaming traffic flows associated with the different subscribers to the interactive game based on the different levels of subscription service of the different subscribers.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the computer readable program code configured to provide different QoS and/or bandwidth allocations comprises:

computer readable program code configured to receive, at the RAN from the GASP, an inquiry for the QoS and/or bandwidth allocation available to a subscriber to the interactive game responsive to a level of the subscription service to the interactive game by the subscriber; and

computer readable program code configured to provide a profile, for the GASP, including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry.

16. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the computer readable program code configured to provide the profile comprises computer readable program code configured to provide a first allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on a first type of information transmitted during the interactive game.

17. A computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to provide a second allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on a second type of information transmitted during the interactive game.

18. A computer program product according to claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to change the allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber responsive to a change in the level of subscription service of the subscriber.

19. A computer program product according claim 14 wherein the computer readable program code configured to provide a profile including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry comprises computer readable program code configured to allocate at least one assured forwarding queue to the subscriber to the interactive game.

20. A computer program product according claim 14 wherein the computer readable program code configured to provide a profile including an allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation for the subscriber based on the received inquiry comprises computer readable program code configured to allocate at least one assured forwarding queue to the subscriber to the interactive game for processing of interactive game play information and allocating at least one best effort queue to the subscriber for processing of auxillary information.

21. A computer program product according to claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to provide the profile to a routing gateway associated with subscriber.

22. A computer program product according to claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to provide game play information to/from the GASP limited by the allocated QoS and/or bandwidth allocation.

23. A computer program product according to claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to establish a port through which the interactive game communicates with the subscriber, wherein the port is associated with the subscriber profile.

24. A computer program product of providing Quality of Service (QoS) and/or bandwidth allocation for interactive gaming via a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that provides end-to-end transport between a Gaming Application Service Provider (GASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Routing Gateway (RG), the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code configured to receive, at the RAN from the GASP, a session request to establish a session to which a QoS and/or bandwidth allocation is made to a subscriber to an interactive game between a plurality of participants;

computer readable program code configured to provide, from the RAN to the GASP, a session response responsive to the session request authorizing the GASP to allocate RAN resources to the subscriber if the GASP is authorized to allocate RAN resources;

computer readable program code configured to receive, at the RAN from the GASP, an gaming flow query as to which resources are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

computer readable program code configured to provide, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow response responsive to the gaming flow query indicating the resources that are available to the GASP for allocation to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game;

computer readable program code configured to receive, at the RAN from the GASP, a gaming flow allocation request that indicates resources that the RAN is to allocate to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game; and

computer readable program code configured to provide, from the RAN to the GASP, a gaming flow allocation response responsive to the gaming flow allocation request indicating resources allocated to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game.

25. A computer program product according to claim 24 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to provide, from the RAN to the RG, a gaming flow allocation notice that indicates that resources have been allocated to the subscriber for the multiplayer interactive game; and

computer readable program code configured to receive, from the RG at the RAN, a gaming flow resource allocation responsive to the gaming flow allocation notice indicating the resources that have been allocated.