Computer Network Service Providing System Including Self Adjusting Volume Enforcement Functionality

• US 20120198058A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: POGORELIK, Oleg, GIVONI, Doron, ZAMIR, Alon
• Granted Patent: US 10,404,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing

Abstract

A Computer Network Service Providing System including Self Adjusting Volume enforcement functionality and methods for diminishing or minimizing volume leakage.

Claims

1. A computerized system for computer network volume-quota enforcement based on dual-frequency volume-utilization monitoring and operative in conjunction with a service stopper operative for stopping service to a subscriber if his computer network volume-quota has been exceeded, the system comprising:

a) a utilization monitor operative to monitor at least one subscriber for volume utilization and to provide updates accordingly to the stopper; and

b) a dual-frequency monitoring controller operative to cause monitoring to occur at a first frequency when the subscriber is about to exceed his quota and at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the subscriber is far from exceeding his quota.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) a service stopper operative for stopping service to a subscriber if his computer network volume-quota has been exceeded.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the dual-frequency monitoring controller causes the monitor to monitor infrequently except when an indication has become available indicating that the subscriber is about to exceed his quota.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s quota is supplied to the subscriber by a quota manager in chunks and wherein the indication comprises an indication that a last chunk remaining in the subscriber'"'"'s quota, has been supplied to the subscriber.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein the indication comprises an estimate of whether or not the subscriber is likely to finish his quota before a next update is provided to the stopper, assuming the second lower frequency continues to be used.

6. The system according to claim 3 wherein the indication comprises an estimate of the period of time remaining until the subscriber finishes his quota.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the estimate is a worst case estimate which assumes that the subscriber'"'"'s rate of utilization is at least as large as the subscriber'"'"'s rate of utilization can actually be, thereby to prevent quota leakage while causing overcharging.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein the estimate is a best case estimate which assumes that the subscriber'"'"'s rate of utilization is no larger than a physical minimum that a subscriber'"'"'s rate of utilization can actually be, thereby to cause quota leakage while preventing overcharging.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein data pertaining to past volume utilization of the subscriber over a window of time is saved and is used for computing the estimate.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the estimate is computed assuming average throughput, over the window, and will be consumed by the subscriber.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the estimate is computed assuming peak throughput, over the window, and will be consumed by the subscriber.

12. The system according to claim 5 wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

13. The system according to claim 6 wherein the estimate is refined in view of at least one volume utilization update received after the estimate was generated.

14. The system according to claim 6 wherein the estimate is refined in view of each volume utilization update received after the estimate was generated.

15. A computerized method for computer network volume-quota enforcement based on dual-frequency volume-utilization monitoring operative in conjunction with a service stopper stopping service to a subscriber if his computer network volume-quota has been exceeded, the method comprising:

computerized monitoring of at least one subscriber for volume utilization and provision of updates accordingly to the stopper; and

using a processor to control the monitoring including causing monitoring to occur at a first frequency when the subscriber is about to exceed his quota and at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the subscriber is far from exceeding his quota.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a) a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement any of the methods shown and described herein.

17. A computer network service providing system including a computerized volume enforcement module having a self adjusting functionality, the module including apparatus for using a processor to identify at least one of quota leakage and overcharge management.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein resource consumption is continuously evaluated in order to determine possible exceeding of a quota limit.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein a quota “

close”

to the limit activates a high rate quota pinging mechanism operative to reduce at least one of probability and size of a possible quota leak.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein, when a quota utilization criterion is true, at least one ongoing session is stopped automatically.

21. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a Learning System having a prediction rules manager.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the prediction rules manager comprises a low rate process running periodically above session history and performing exhaustive evaluation of at least one core model.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the manager performs at least one of:

finding that a first graph matches better than a second graph for an individual service and specifying an update in formula factors.

24. The system according to claim 17 further including apparatus for predicting a predetermined disconnect time.

25. The system according to claim 20 wherein the quota utilization criterion comprises quota utilization being at a level of 100%+/−

a pre-configured delta parameter.

26. The system according to claim 23 wherein the individual service comprises a Games on Demand service.

27. A computer network service providing system including a volume enforcement module having a self adjusting functionality, the module including apparatus for using a processor to predict a disconnect time.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein the apparatus for predicting is operative to utilize at least one Prediction Rule operative to predict quota utilization by volume, tuned per at least one of subscriber and service type.

29. A computerized system for computer network volume-quota enforcement comprising:

a) predictor apparatus for predicting a quota-exhausted time at which a volume-quota will be exceeded by a subscriber, based on at least one volume quota utilization update indicating that the volume-quota has not yet been exceeded; and

b) apparatus for diminishing quota leakage, based on the quota-exhausted time generated by the predictor apparatus, relative to a system in which computer network service to the subscriber is discontinued only upon arrival of a periodic volume quota utilization update indicating that a volume-quota has been exceeded.

30. The system to claim 29 wherein the apparatus for diminishing quota leakage includes apparatus for discontinuing service to the subscriber prior to the periodic volume quota utilization updated indicating that a volume-quota has been exceeded, at a time related to the quota-exhausted time generated by the predictor apparatus.

31. The system according to claim 29 wherein the apparatus for diminishing quota leakage includes apparatus for monitoring for volume utilization more frequently, relative to previous periodic volume utilization updates.