Methods and apparatus for tracking and charging for communications resource reallocation

• US 7,616,746 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Neill, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US10/918,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20060034438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.06, 379/114.07, 379/114.08, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/114.28, 455405-408, 455/450, 455/452.3, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 370/329, 370/395.21, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/431, 370/458, 705/52, 705/53
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Utilization of resources used to provide a service, and/or costs associated with providing system resources for a service, are tracked in a system where the available resources vary depending on a variety of conditions including resource utilization by other users. The methods are well suited for systems such as mobile communications systems, where the amount of resources and/or costs to a system of providing a service are dynamic and can change on a relatively rapid time scale. Resource unitization is tracked on a per subscriber basis. Service charges can be determined as a function of both the amount of resources consumed and the amount of data delivered, with the amount of resources being used to deliver a fixed amount of data units varying as a function of environmental and/or other conditions. Service charges are sometimes determined as a function of the impact of providing the service to a first user on other system users.

Claims

1. A method operational on an access node in a communications system which includes a plurality of users and different sets of pre-allocated resources, a first user being assigned to use resources from a first one of said sets of pre-allocated resources, the method comprising:

determining, on the access node, when said first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user;

in response to determining that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user, the access node provides reallocated resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources;

crediting a second user for at least a portion of said reallocated resources; and

charging said first user for at least a portion of said reallocated resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of said reallocated resources are from a resource pool from which said second user is entitled to allocation of a preselected portion of said pool resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second user is entitled to allocation of a pre-selected portion of said second set of pre-allocated resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of said reallocated resources are from a resource pool to which said second user is entitled to dynamic allocation of pool resources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second user is entitled to dynamic allocation of resources from said second set of pre-allocated resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of said reallocated resources were pre-allocated to said second user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second user is credited an amount for said reallocated resources which is different from the amount charged to said first user for said reallocated resource.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said reallocated resources include a timeslot and said difference in the amount charged to the first user and credited to the second user is a function of at least one of:

a timeslot type, a time slot mode and a time slot direction.

9. The method of claim 1, where a first priority level is associated with said first user, said first priority level indicating a priority level assigned to said first user for determining the first user'"'"'s right to be provided reallocated resources from the second set of pre-allocated resources, relative to a reallocation priority level assigned to at least one other user that has exceeded its pre-allocated resources.

10. The method of claim 9, where said reallocated resources were pre-allocated to the second user;

wherein said second user is credited an amount for said reallocated resources which is different from the amount charged to said first user for said reallocated resource; and

wherein the difference between the amount charged to said first user and credited to said second user is determined as a function of at least a priority level associated with one of said first and second users.

11. The method of claim 10, where said difference between the charged and credited amounts is determined as a function of a priority level difference between the first priority level associated with said first user and a reallocation priority level associated with said second user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said second user is credited an amount for said reallocated resources which is different from the amount charged to said first user for said reallocated resource;

where said difference is determined as a function of a reallocation priority level of the first user, and a reallocation level of at least one other user that is competing to use said second user'"'"'s pre-allocated resource.

13. The method of claim 12, where said difference is determined as a function of the most important reallocation priority level assigned to at least one other user competing to use said second user'"'"'s pre-allocated resource, said most important other reallocation priority level being one of;

less than or as equal to the reallocation priority level of the first user.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein said pre-allocated resource that is reallocated to said first user would not have been used by said second user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said amount of credit given to the second user is less than the amount of credit that would have been given to the second user if said second user was going to use said reallocated resources.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said pre-allocated resource that is reallocated to said first user would have been used by said second user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said difference between the amount credited to the second user and charged to the first user is also a function of a first pre-emption priority level assigned to the first user and a second pre-emption priority level assigned to said second user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least some of said reallocated resources are a first portion of resources pre-allocated to said second user, the method further comprising:

charging said second user for a second portion of pre-allocated resources which go unused in said system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of said reallocated resources are a first portion of resources pre-allocated to said second user, the method further comprising:

charging said second user for the amount of resources pre-allocated to the second user in said system; and

providing said second user with at least a partial credit for at least some of said resources that were pre-allocated to said second user when said at least some resources are;

either reallocated to another user or go unused by any user.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein the pre-allocated resources to at least one of said first and second users is a portion of bandwidth on a wireless communications link, the bandwidth of said communications link varying as a function of physical conditions thereby resulting in varying amounts of pre-allocated bandwidth to said at least one of said first and second users.

21. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

operating an access node to determine the amount of pre-allocated resources assigned to at least one of said first and second users available at a particular point in time as a function of a determined physical condition which can vary over time affecting the amount of pre-al located resources which are available.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the amount of pre-allocated resource to another of said first and second users is fixed.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein the pre-allocated resources to at least one of said first and second users is a portion of bandwidth on a wireless communications link, the bandwidth of said communications link varying as a function of physical conditions thereby resulting in varying amounts of pre-allocated resources to said at least one of said first and second users, the method further comprising:

increasing a reallocation priority level to at least one of said first and second users when the amount of pre-allocated resource drops below a pre-determined level.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-allocated resources to said first user is a portion of bandwidth on a wireless communications link, the bandwidth of said communications link varying as a function of physical conditions, wherein said portion is zero when the bandwidth of said communications link is below a pre-determined level.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a credit to said first user for releasing a resource that is pre-allocated to said first user, so that it is available to be used by another user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first user releases said pre-allocated resource prior to a time at which said resource would have been scheduled for dynamic reallocation in said communications system.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of said first chargeable cost component attributable to said reallocated resources is different from a portion of said second chargeable cost component attributable to said reallocated resources.

27. An access node having different sets of pre-allocated resources wherein a first user being assigned to use resources from a first one of said sets of pre-allocated resources, the access node comprising:

means for determining, on the access node, when said first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user;

means for reallocating resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources in response to a determination that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to the first user;

means for crediting a second user for at least a portion of said reallocated resources; and

means for charging said first user for at least a portion of said reallocated resource.

28. The access node of claim 27, wherein said means for crediting a second user credits an amount for said reallocated resources which is different from the amount charged to said first user for said reallocated resource.

29. A method operational on an access node in a communications system which includes a plurality of users and different sets of pre-allocated resources, a first user being assigned to use resources from a first one of said sets of pre-allocated resources, the method comprising:

determining, on the access node, when said first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources available to said first user;

in response to determining that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources available to said first user, the access node provides reallocated resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources;

generating a first chargeable cost component for said first user as a function of at least a first portion of said reallocated resources; and

generating a second chargeable cost component for said second user as a function of at least a second portion of said reallocated resources.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating a charge for said first user as a function of said first chargeable cost component.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating a charge for said second user as a function of said second chargeable cost component.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating, for one of said first and second users a charge as a function of both of said first and second chargeable cost components.

34. A processor readable medium having one or more instructions operational on an access node for providing pre-allocated resources to a plurality of users;

which when executed by a processor causes the processor to;

determine, on the access node, when a first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user;

in response to determining that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user, the access node provides reallocated resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources;

credit a second user for at least a portion of said reallocated resources; and

charge said first user for at least a portion of said reallocated resource.

35. A processor operational in an access node, the processor comprising:

a processing circuit, operational in the access node, configured to

determine when a first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user;

in response to determining that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user, provide reallocated resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources;

credit a second user for at least a portion of said reallocated resources; and

charge said first user for at least a portion of said reallocated resource.

36. An access node, comprising:

a communication interface for communication with a communications device;

a processing circuit coupled to the communication interface, the processing circuit operational in the access node configured to;

determine when a first user requires resources for a communications service exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user;

in response to determining that said first user requires resources exceeding the pre-allocated resources assigned to said first user, provide reallocated resources to said first user from a second set of pre-allocated resources;

credit a second user for at least a portion of said reallocated resources; and

charge said first user for at least a portion of said reallocated resource.