Method and system for simultaneous service capacity calculation for multimedia services under aggregate traffic conditions

• US 5,864,541 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Kotamarti, Venkat, Abu-Amara, Hosame Hassan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US08/775,162
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/253, 370/465, 370/468, 370/235, 370/433, 370/437, 455/453, 455/454, 455/528, 455/426, 455/67.1
• US Class Current: 370/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5602 Bandwidth control in ATM Networks, e.g. leaky bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5632 Bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5638 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5684 Characteristics of traffic flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A method and system are provided for calculating the simultaneous service capacity for multimedia traffic under aggregate traffic conditions within a shared transmission medium, such as an ATM network. A total number of different traffic services as well as a specification of the peak rate, average idle sojourn time and an average burst sojourn time are determined, either based upon available standards or calculated based upon models of the traffic services. The total available system bandwidth is specified by a network operator/designer. The number and size of queues utilized for receiving packetized telecommunication traffic within the network are also specified. The length and time of a busy period specified by the network operator/designer, a maximum acceptable packet loss rate and the probability that a user will access the network during the busy period are also specified. Finally, the percentage of all subscribers who subscribe to each service and the average session duration for each service are also specified. Thereafter, utilizing these parameters, the simultaneous capacity for the network can be accurately determined, whether a single central queue or multiple distributed queues are utilized.

Claims

1. A method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services under aggregate traffic conditions within a network having a shared transmission medium, said method comprising the steps of:

modeling said aggregate traffic in order to determine a peak rate, an average idle sojourn time and an average burst sojourn time for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services;

specifying total available bandwidth within said shared transmission medium;

specifying a required quality of service for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services; and

calculating a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services based upon said total available bandwidth within said transmission medium, said determined peak rate, average idle sojourn times, average burst sojourn times and said specified required quality of service for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.

2. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 1 further including the step of specifying a number and size of each received packet queue within said network.

3. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 2 wherein said step of calculating a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services comprises the step of calculating said maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services based upon said total available bandwidth within said transmission medium, said determined peak rate, average idle sojourn times, average burst sojourn times, said specified required quality of services for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services and said number and size of each received packet queue within said network.

4. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 1 further including the step of specifying a specific busy period during which said maximum simultaneous service capacity is calculated.

5. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 4 further including the step of determining a probability that a user will access a particular one of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services during said specific busy period.

6. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 5 further including the step of determining a percentage of all users within said network who subscribe to each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.

7. The method for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 6 further including the step of determining an average session duration for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.

8. A system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services under aggregate traffic conditions within a network having a shared transmission medium, said system comprising:

means for modeling said aggregate traffic in order to determine a peak rate, an average idle sojourn time and an average burst sojourn time for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services;

means for specifying total available bandwidth within said shared transmission medium;

means for specifying a required quality of service for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services; and

means for calculating a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services based upon said total available bandwidth within said transmission medium, said determined peak rate, average idle sojourn times, average burst sojourn times and said specified required quality of service for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.

9. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 8 further including means for specifying a number and size of each received packet queue within said network.

10. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 9 wherein said means for calculating a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services comprises means for calculating said maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services based upon said total available bandwidth within said transmission medium, said determined peak rate, average idle sojourn times, average burst sojourn times, said specified required quality of services for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services and said number and size of each received packet queue within said network.

11. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 8 further including means for specifying a specific busy period during which said maximum simultaneous service capacity is calculated.

12. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 11 further including means for determining a probability that a user will access a particular one of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services during said specific busy period.

13. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 12 further including means for determining a percentage of all users within said network who subscribe to each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.

14. The system for determining a maximum simultaneous service capacity for each of a plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services according to claim 13 further including means for determining an average session duration for each of said plurality of heterogenous telecommunication services.