Data Transmission Between Devices Based on Bandwidth Availability

• US 20120284393A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Shaheen Ashok, Garcia, David Harry, Reiss, David Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/783 Distributed allocation of resources, e.g. bandwidth brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load

Abstract

In one embodiment, in response to data to be transmitted to or from an electronic device, the electronic device determines whether the electronic device currently has a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth. If the electronic device currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then the electronic device estimates a future time when the electronic device is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, and schedules transmission of the data at the future time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a computing device,

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the computing device, determining whether the computing device currently has a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the computing device currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimating a first future time when the computing device is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

scheduling transmission of the data at the first future time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

scheduling the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmitting the data to or from the computing device if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a second future time when the computing device is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmitting the data to or from the computing device before the second future time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring and collecting activities of a user in connection with the computing device and information of the computing device; and

constructing a behavior profile for the user based on the activities of the user and the information of the computing device;

wherein the first future time is estimated based on the behavior profile of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device supports a plurality types of wireless network connections.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a Wi-Fi connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the bandwidth of the first network connection satisfies a predetermined threshold.

8. A system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and

the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the system, determine whether the system currently has a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the system currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimate a first future time when the system is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

schedule transmission of the data at the first future time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

determine whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

schedule the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmit the data to or from the system if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

estimate a second future time when the system is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmit the data to or from the system before the second future time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

monitor and collect activities of a user in connection with the system and information of the system; and

construct a behavior profile for the user based on the activities of the user and the information of the system;

wherein the first future time is estimated based on the behavior profile of the user.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the system supports a plurality types of wireless network connections.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a Wi-Fi connection.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the bandwidth of the first network connection satisfies a predetermined threshold.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by a computer system to:

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the computer system,

determine whether the computer system currently has a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the computer system currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimate a first future time when the computer system is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

schedule transmission of the data at the first future time.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the computer system to:

determine whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

schedule the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmit the data to or from the computer system if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the computer system to:

estimate a second future time when the computer system is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmit the data to or from the computer system before the second future time.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the computer system to:

monitor and collect activities of a user in connection with the computer system and information of the computer system; and

construct a behavior profile for the user based on the activities of the user and the information of the computer system;

wherein the first future time is estimated based on the behavior profile of the user.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein the computer system supports a plurality types of wireless network connections.

20. The media of claim 15, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a Wi-Fi connection.