SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALLOCATING ALTERNATIVE NETWORK ACCESS RESOURCES

• US 20150189580A1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Original Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Inventors: Seuken, Sven, Visuri, Pertti Juhani, Salo, Randy, Van Hamersveld, Christian, Visuri, Johanna Katariina, Zagursky, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 10,009,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of allocating access to alternative access networks may include: inputting, by one or more parties, needs for alternative network access and representative values for satisfying the needs; and allocating, by providers of alternative network access, alternative network access to the one or more parties based on the stated needs and values.

Claims

1. A method of allocating access to alternative access networks, the method comprising:

inputting, by one or more parties, needs for alternative network access and representative values for satisfying the needs; and

allocating, by providers of alternative network access, alternative network access to the one or more parties based on the stated needs and values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the alternative access networks is allocated to a plurality of mobile network operators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein network topologies of one or more primary cellular access networks are different.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein alternatives for network access by the mobile device depend at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein alternatives for network access by the mobile device are determined based at least in part on at least one of relative signal strength indication (RSSI), encoding method selected by the mobile device, and encoding method selected by the access point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the values are values for use of a gigabyte of capacity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the values for use of a gigabyte of capacity depend on at least one of time slots and location of an access point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the values are combinatorial needs for access where value is only created if all of the elements of a combination are provided.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating alternative network access comprises a mixed integer program solution configured to maximize value created by the allocation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mixed integer program solution is based at least in part on an offloading demand from a party needing alternative network access in a certain sector.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mixed integer program solution is based at least in part on values for each party needing alternative network access in in a case that the party be able to offload and the necessary data traffic capacity in all time slots during a particular day.

12. A market design for allocating access to alternative access networks, the market design comprising:

a long term market configured to permit reservations of allocations of data traffic capacity a sufficient period of time ahead of need;

a short term market configured to permit additional reservations of allocations of data traffic capacity at a shorter period of time ahead of need than the long term market; and

a spot market configured to permit direct allocation of data traffic capacity in real time.

13. The market design of claim 12, wherein each of the markets comprises:

a reservation/allocation mechanism configured to reserve allocations based on stated preferences of buyers of alternative network access and sellers of alternative network access;

a pricing mechanism configured to compute prices of the allocations;

a buyer user interface configured to permit buyers to specify preferences in terms of value and demand; and

a seller user interface configured to permit sellers to specify available supply.

14. A system for managing data traffic offload from a radio access network, the system comprising:

a mobile device configured with a software module;

a mobile network operator user interface configured input offload profiles; and

an alternative network provider user interface configured for a provider of alternative network access to enter information about ability to provide alternative network access and the terms and conditions associated with such access.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising specifying, by the one or more offload profiles, an amount of alternative network access used in each cellular sector or small cell at specified times.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile device is configured to provide parameters for managing the data traffic offload to the alternative access networks.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having embodied thereon computer readable instructions for executing a method of allocating access to alternative access networks, the instructions causing a computer to execute the operations of:

inputting, by one or more parties, needs for alternative network access and representative values for satisfying the needs; and

allocating, by providers of alternative network access, alternative network access to the one or more parties based on the stated needs and values.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the allocating alternative network access comprises a mixed integer program solution configured to maximize value created by the allocation.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the mixed integer program solution is based at least in part on an offloading demand from a party needing alternative network access in a certain sector.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the mixed integer program solution is based at least in part on values for each party needing alternative network access in in a case that the party be able to offload and the necessary data traffic capacity in all time slots during a particular day.