Using mobile traffic history to minimize transmission time

• US 7,957,271 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hrischuk, Curtis E., Creamer, Thomas Edward, Fletcher, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alia; Curtis A
• Application Number:
  US11/076,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-235, 370/237, 370/252, 370/254, 370328-329, 370/338, 370/412, 370428-429, 370/468, 370/477, 709/203, 709/208, 709/220, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 709232-235
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method of reducing the time needed for sending data over a communication network. The method can include analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over a communication network and receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network. The method further can include determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data will be received within a specified time period and selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the time needed for sending data over a communication network comprising:

analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over the communication network;

receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network;

determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data associated with the user will be received within a specified time period in the future; and

selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability comprising;

responsive to determining that the probability does not exceed a threshold, indicating a low likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, sending the data; and

responsive to determining that the probability does exceed the threshold, indicating a high likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, delaying the transmission of the data and subsequently sending the data in combination with the additional data received within the specified time period necessitating increased usage of bandwidth of the communication network on behalf of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability exceeds the threshold, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising storing the data temporarily in a transmission cache.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the additional data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network has been received within the specified time period;

if so, combining the additional data with the data stored in the transmission cache when the additional data is received, prior to the expiration of the specified time period, and sending the combined data using one channel initialization; and

if not, sending the data in the transmission cache at the end of the specified time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability further indicates a likelihood that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability indicates the likelihood of receiving the additional data associated with the user within a different specified time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability that the additional data will be received within the specified time period exceeds the threshold, the method further comprising:

storing the data while transmission of the data is delayed;

responsive to receiving the additional data within the specified time period, combining the data with the additional data and sending the data and the additional data in combination using one channel initialization; and

responsive to expiration of the specified time period without having received the additional data, sending the data.

7. A system for reducing the amount of time required to send data over a communication network comprising:

a computer executing computer-usable program code that causes the computer to;

analyze bandwidth usage of a user over the communication network;

receive data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network;

determine, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data associated with the user will be received within a specified time period in the future; and

selectively send the data via the communication network according to the probability comprising;

responsive to determining that the probability does not exceed a threshold, indicating a low likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, send the data; and

responsive to determining that the probability does exceed the threshold, indicating a high likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, delay the transmission of the data and subsequently send the data in combination with the additional data received within the specified time period necessitating increased usage of bandwidth of the communication network on behalf of the user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the probability further indicates a likelihood that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer sends the data and the additional data in combination using one channel initialization.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer analyzes the bandwidth usage of the user and determines the transmit probability function.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a computer that, when executed, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

analyzing bandwidth usage of a user over the communication network;

receiving data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network;

determining, from the bandwidth usage of the user, a probability that additional data associated with the user will be received within a specified time period in the future; and

selectively sending the data via the communication network according to the probability comprising;

responsive to determining that the probability does not exceed a threshold, indicating a low likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, sending the data; and

responsive to determining that the probability does exceed the threshold, indicating a high likelihood of receiving the additional data within the specified time period, delaying the transmission of the data and sending the data in combination with the additional data received within the specified time period necessitating greater bandwidth usage of the communication network on behalf of the user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the probability exceeds the threshold, said step of selectively sending the data further comprising storing the data temporarily in a transmission cache.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 11, further causing the computer to perform the steps of:

determining whether the additional data associated with the user to be sent over the communication network has been received within the specified time period;

if so, combining the additional data with the data stored in the transmission cache when the additional data is received, prior to the expiration of the specified time period, and sending the combined data using one channel initialization; and

if not, sending the data in the transmission cache at the end of the specified time period.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the probability further indicates a likelihood that an amount of the additional data will, when combined with the data, be sufficient to cause a next higher level of bandwidth to be allocated by the communication network for sending the data and the additional data.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the probability indicates the likelihood of receiving the additional data associated with the user within a different specified time period.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the probability that the additional data will be received within the specified time period exceeds the threshold, the computer-readable storage further causing the computer to perform the steps of:

storing the data while transmission of the data is delayed;

responsive to receiving the additional data within the specified time period, combining the data with the additional data and sending the data and the additional data in combination using one channel initialization; and

responsive to expiration of the specified time period without having received the additional data, sending the data.