Method of allocating resources in a telecommunications network
First Claim
1. A method of allocating shared resources in a telecommunications network, comprises the step of:
- allocating a share in a resource to a user that will utilise said resource in satisfying a request for resources, said share being allocated as a proportion of the resource equal to that user'"'"'s indicated willingness to pay (WtP) value divided by the sum of the demands by all users for the resources of the network that said user will utilise in satisfying said request for resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a resource allocation method which is based on the concept of proportional fairness. In this method, users express their willingnesses to pay for network resources. A controller determines how the users'"'"' willingnesses to pay are to be divided between the resources in order to determine the relative demands for the resources. Each resource is then divided between those users using it in proportion to how much they are willing to pay for the use of their share of it. The allocation takes into account the relative demands on all the resources in the network. A user may increase his share of the network resources allocated to him by increasing the value of his willingness to pay. The method may be applied either by a central controller (network manager), or it may be delegated to controllers (network element managers/customer premises equipment managers) distributed across the network.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of allocating shared resources in a telecommunications network, comprises the step of:
allocating a share in a resource to a user that will utilise said resource in satisfying a request for resources, said share being allocated as a proportion of the resource equal to that user'"'"'s indicated willingness to pay (WtP) value divided by the sum of the demands by all users for the resources of the network that said user will utilise in satisfying said request for resources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A telecommunications network comprising:
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a plurality of network resources;
a plurality of users;
a controller for receiving user requests for resources, wherein said controller allocates a share in a network resource to a user that will utilise said resource in satisfying a request for resources, said share being allocated as a proportion of the resource equal to that user'"'"'s indicated willingness to pay (WtP) value divided by the sum of the demands by all users for the resources of the network that said user will utilise in satisfying its request for resources. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 51)
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31. A method of allocating shared resources in a telecommunication network, comprising the steps of:
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allocating a share in a resource to an entity that requests use of resources, said share being allocated as a proportion equal to the entity'"'"'s indicated willingness to pay (WtP) value divided by the sum of the demands by all entities for resources of the network that said entity will utilise in satisfying said request for resources; and
said entity allocates its share of the resource between a plurality of users connected to the entity. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A telecommunication network comprising:
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a plurality of network resources;
a plurality of entities;
a network controller for controlling the allocation of resources between the entities; and
at least one local controller associated with one of said entities;
whereinsaid network controller controls the allocation of shares in a network resource to each of a set of entities that will utilise said resource, said shares being allocated in proportion to each entity'"'"'s indicated willingness to pay (WtP) value divided by the sum of the demands by all entities for all network resources that said entity will utilise, and the entity associated with the at least one local controller allocates its share of the network resource to a plurality of users connected to the network via said entity. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52)
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Specification