Managing data delivery in a data communications network

• US 7,171,488 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Ting D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/189,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/207, 709/224, 709/225, 709238-244, 455/404, 455/405, 455/456, 705400-411, 705/417, 705/418, 701200-226
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method of managing network resources in a terminating node of an information delivery network can include receiving an inbound data container comprising a data item. The data container can specify a size of the data item and global positioning information for an originating node in the information delivery network. Global positioning information can be determined for the terminating node. Accordingly, the inbound data container can be analyzed by comparing the global positioning information for the originating node and the terminating node.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing network resources in a terminating node of an information delivery network, said method comprising:

receiving an inbound data container comprising a data item, said data container specifying a size of said data item and global positioning information for an originating node in said information delivery network;

determining global positioning information for said terminating node;

determining global positioning information for at least one intermediate node of said information delivery network if said data container is conveyed to the at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node, wherein said global positioning information is used to determine a time required for delivering said data container, distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network, and a number of intermediate nodes traversed by said data container if said data container traverses at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node;

correlating said global positioning information with geopolitical designations to determine at least one of a geopolitical area said data container originated from, a geopolitical area said data container traversed, and a geopolitical area said data container was received at by said terminating node, each geopolitical designation being associated with a cost-of-service;

analyzing said inbound data container by comparing said global positioning information for said originating node and said terminating node;

determining bandwidth usage according to said received inbound data container; and

identifying a user associated with said data container and billing said user a monetary amount based on at least one of said determined bandwidth, one or more geopolitical designations, the time required for delivering said data container, and the distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating a predetermined number of inbound data containers to accounts; and

tracking consumption of said allocated inbound data containers to determine bandwidth usage.

3. A computer implemented method of managing network resources in a terminating node of an information delivery network, said method comprising:

associating a data request with an outbound data container, said outbound data container specifying a size of said data request;

determining a set of global positioning information for said terminating node;

including said set of global positioning information within said outbound data container;

sending said outbound data container through said information delivery network;

determining global positioning information for at least one intermediate node of said information delivery network if said data container is conveyed to the at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node, wherein said global positioning information is used to determine a time required for delivering said data container, distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network, and a number of intermediate nodes traversed by said data container if said data container traverses at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node;

correlating said global positioning information with geopolitical designations to determine at least one of a geopolitical area said data container originated from, a geopolitical area said data container traversed, and a geopolitical area said data container was received at by said terminating node, each geopolitical designation being associated with a cost-of-service;

determining bandwidth usage according to said sent outbound data container; and

identifying a user associated with said data container and billing said user a monetary amount based on at least one of said determined bandwidth, one or more geopolitical designations, the time required for delivering said data container, and the distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

allocating a predetermined number of outbound data containers to accounts; and

tracking consumption of said allocated outbound data containers to determine bandwidth usage.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

allocating a predetermined number of data containers to accounts, said data containers to be used as said outbound data containers; and

tracking consumption of said allocated data containers to determine bandwidth usage.

6. A computer-implemented method of managing network resources in a terminating node of an information delivery network, said method comprising:

receiving an inbound data container comprising a data item, said inbound data container specifying a size of said data item and global positioning information for an originating node in said information delivery network;

determining global positioning information for said terminating node;

determining global positioning information for at least one intermediate node of said information delivery network if said data container is conveyed to the at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node, wherein said global positioning information is used to determine a time required for delivering said data container, distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network, and a number of intermediate nodes traversed by said data container if said data container traverses at least one intermediate node prior to reaching the terminating node;

correlating said global positioning information with geopolitical designations to determine at least one of a geopolitical area said data container originated from, a geopolitical area said data container traversed, and a geopolitical area said data container was received at by said terminating node, each geopolitical designation being associated with a cost-of-service;

analyzing said inbound data container by comparing said global positioning information for said originating node and said terminating node

associating a data request with an outbound data container, said outbound data container specifying a size of said data request;

determining a second set of global positioning information for said terminating node;

including said second set of global positioning information within said outbound data container;

sending said outbound data container through said information delivery network;

determining a bandwidth usage according to at least one of said inbound data container and said outbound data container; and

identifying a user associated with said data container and billing said user a monetary amount based on at least one of said determined bandwidth, one or more geopolitical designations, the time required for delivering said data container, and the distance traveled by said data container over the information delivery network.

7. The machine-readable storage of claim 6, further

comprising:

allocating a predetermined number of said inbound and outbound data containers to accounts; and

tracking consumption of said allocated inbound and outbound data containers to determine bandwidth usage.

8. The machine-readable storage of claim 6, further

comprising:

allocating a predetermined number of data containers to accounts, said data containers to be used as said inbound and said outbound data containers; and

tracking consumption of said allocated data containers to determine bandwidth usage.