METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIVERTING OPERATIONAL LOAD ON NETWORKS THROUGH ENTITLEMENT PROFILE INCENTIVES

• US 20150006731A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: CHEN, Ming, REN, Daihai
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time

Abstract

An approach is provided for determining a temporal window based on an operational load of a network; creating an entitlement profile corresponding to the temporal window for accessing content over the network; and specifying an access right to the content for the entitlement profile applicable during the temporal window, and a corresponding device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a temporal window based on an operational load of a network;

creating an entitlement profile corresponding to the temporal window for accessing content over the network; and

specifying an access right to the content for the entitlement profile applicable during the temporal window.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining temporal context associated with the operational load of the network satisfying at least one threshold; and

determining the temporal window based on the temporal context.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user associated with the entitlement profile for delivering the content over the network; and

delivering the content to the user over the network based on whether a context of the request, one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the temporal window.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof do not satisfy the temporal window; and

prompting the user for at least a temporary entitlement profile change corresponding to another temporal window,

wherein the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the other temporal window.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining current operational load of the network associated with the request; and

prompting the user for the temporary entitlement profile change based on the current operational load.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

creating another entitlement profile associated with another temporal window for accessing content over the network, wherein the other temporal window corresponds to less time during on-peak operational load of the network than the temporal window;

specifying another access right to the content for the other entitlement profile applicable during the other temporal window; and

incentivizing subscription of the user to the other entitlement profile.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

incentivizing subscription of the user to the other entitlement profile based on pricing of the entitlement profile and the other entitlement profile.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a public network independent of a service provider delivering the content, and the content is streamed content.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a temporal window based on an operational load of a network;

create an entitlement profile corresponding to the temporal window for accessing content over the network; and

specify an access right to the content for the entitlement profile applicable during the temporal window.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, the processor being further configured to:

determine temporal context associated with the operational load of the network satisfying at least one threshold; and

determine the temporal window based on the temporal context.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, the processor being further configured to:

receive a request from a user associated with the entitlement profile for delivering the content over the network; and

deliver the content to the user over the network based on whether a context of the request, one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the temporal window.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, the processor being further configured to:

determine that the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof do not satisfy the temporal window; and

prompt the user for at least a temporary entitlement profile change corresponding to another temporal window,

wherein the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the other temporal window.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, the processor being further configured to:

determine current operational load of the network associated with the request; and

prompt the user for the temporary entitlement profile change based on the current operational load.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, the processor being further configured to:

create another entitlement profile associated with another temporal window for accessing content over the network, wherein the other temporal window corresponds to less time during on-peak operational load of the network than the temporal window;

specify another access right to the content for the other entitlement profile applicable during the other temporal window; and

incentivize subscription of the user to the other entitlement profile.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, the processor being further configured to:

incentivize subscription of the user to the other entitlement profile based on pricing of the entitlement profile and the other entitlement profile.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the network is a public network independent of a service provider delivering the content, and the content is streamed content.

17. A system comprising:

a network; and

an entitlement platform configured to;

determine a temporal window based on an operational load of the network;

create an entitlement profile corresponding to the temporal window for accessing content by a user device over the network; and

specify an access right to the content for the entitlement profile applicable during the temporal window.

18. A system according to claim 17, the entitlement platform being further configured to:

determine temporal context associated with the operational load of the network satisfying at least one threshold; and

determine the temporal window based on the temporal context.

19. A system according to claim 18, further comprising:

the user device being configured to transmit a request from associated with the entitlement profile for delivering the content over the network to the user device; and

the entitlement platform being further configured to deliver the content to the user device over the network based on whether a context of the request, one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the temporal window.

20. A system according to claim 19, the entitlement platform being further configured to:

determine that the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof do not satisfy the temporal window; and

prompt the user for at least a temporary entitlement profile change corresponding to another temporal window,

wherein the context of the request, the one or more parameters of the content, or a combination thereof satisfy the other temporal window.