Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing bandwidth management services

• US 8,024,438 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A., Bedingfield, James Carlton Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US11/304,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20060251116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/223, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing bandwidth management services are provided. The method includes associating a service session of a connection with at least one of a device and a user of the device for an account. The method also includes evaluating the service session for an event. The evaluation factors in capabilities associated with the device and/or service session. The method further includes notifying the account upon an occurrence of the event.

Claims

1. A method for implementing bandwidth management services, comprising:

receiving, from a user of a device, information uniquely identifying each of a plurality of other devices assigned to an account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices, the account defined by the plurality of other devices collectively receiving network services via a residential gateway residing within a location of the plurality of other devices;

receiving notification preferences from the user of the device and storing the information and notification preferences in an account record for the account;

receiving service session measurements for active service sessions of the plurality of other devices within the account;

categorizing the service session measurements by each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions and users of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions;

evaluating the active service sessions for an event, the evaluating factoring in capabilities associated with each of the plurality of other devices and service session measurements categorized for each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions;

wherein the event includes a situation that is determined to impact unfavorably on experiences of the users with the active service sessions; and

notifying the user an occurrence of the event, comprising;

generating and transmitting an alert to the user in accordance with the notification preferences, the transmitting the alert to the user including determining availability of the plurality of other devices to receive the alert and transmitting the alert to at least one user associated with at least one of the plurality of other devices affected by the event via the information stored in the account record based upon the determining availability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, from the user of the device, information uniquely identifying each of the plurality of other devices assigned to the account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices includes assigning multiple users for at least one of the plurality of other devices for the account, and assigning multiple devices of the plurality of other devices to at least one of the users for the account;

wherein each of the users for a respective device of the plurality of other devices in the account is uniquely identified by a user identifier; and

wherein the notifying the user upon an occurrence of the event includes sending a notification to one of the plurality of other devices based upon an assigned user identifier and the notification preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification preferences include a manner of notification and a notification trigger.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by the notification trigger.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating and transmitting an alert includes determining an alert type and format based upon the capabilities.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by characteristics and capabilities of the plurality of other devices and the active service sessions resulting in a minimum acceptable service level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the active service sessions is occurring simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the active service sessions are communications sessions utilizing bandwidth including at least one of:

video content;

audio content;

generic data;

gaming interactions;

encrypted data;

graphical content;

pictorial content;

interactive media content; and

multi-media content; and

wherein the plurality of other devices include at least one of;

a television;

a gaming system;

a handheld device;

a computer device; and

a cell phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a request for periodic notification;

a request for random notification; and

a condition including at least one of;

an amount of bandwidth usage;

a quality of service level;

a threshold bandwidth value;

a usage bandwidth value by user;

a usage bandwidth value by device;

a usage bandwidth value by sub-account, the account broken down into sub-accounts; and

a usage bandwidth value by situation.

10. A system for implementing bandwidth management services, comprising:

a processor;

a bandwidth management application executing on the processor and receiving service session measurements from at least one monitoring device monitoring active service sessions, the bandwidth management application performing;

receiving, from a user of a device, information uniquely identifying each of a plurality of other devices assigned to an account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices, the account defined by the plurality of other devices collectively receiving network services via a residential gateway residing within a location of the plurality of other devices;

receiving notification preferences from the user of the device and storing the information and notification preferences in an account record for the account;

receiving service session measurements for active service sessions of the plurality of other devices within the account;

categorizing the service session measurements by each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions and users of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions;

evaluating the active service sessions for an event, the evaluating factoring in capabilities associated with each of the plurality of other devices and service session measurements categorized for each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions;

wherein the event includes a situation that is determined to impact unfavorably on experiences of the users with the active service sessions; and

notifying the user upon an occurrence of the event, comprising;

generating and transmitting an alert to the user in accordance with the notification preferences, the transmitting the alert to the user including determining availability of the plurality of other devices to receive the alert and transmitting the alert to at least one user associated with at least one of the plurality of other devices affected by the event via the information stored in the account record based upon the determining availability.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein receiving, from the user of the device, information uniquely identifying each of the plurality of other devices assigned to the account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices includes assigning multiple users for at least one of the plurality of other devices for the account, and assigning multiple devices of the plurality of other devices to at least one of the users for the account;

wherein each of the users for a respective device of the plurality of other devices in the account is uniquely identified by a user identifier; and

wherein the notifying the user upon an occurrence of the event includes sending a notification to one of the plurality of other devices based upon an assigned user identifier and the notification preferences.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification preferences include a manner of notification and a notification trigger.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by the notification trigger.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the generating and transmitting an alert includes determining an alert type and format based upon the capabilities.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by characteristics and capabilities of the plurality of other devices and the active service sessions resulting in a minimum acceptable service level.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the active service session occurs simultaneously.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the active service sessions are communications sessions utilizing bandwidth including at least one of:

video content;

audio content;

generic data;

gaming interactions;

encrypted data;

graphical content;

pictorial content;

interactive media content; and

multi-media content; and

wherein the plurality of other devices include at least one of;

a television;

a gaming system;

a handheld device;

a computer device; and

a cell phone.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a request for periodic notification;

a request for random notification; and

a condition including at least one of;

an amount of bandwidth usage;

a quality of service level;

a threshold bandwidth value;

a usage bandwidth value by user;

a usage bandwidth value by device;

a usage bandwidth value by sub-account, the account broken down into sub-accounts; and

a usage bandwidth value by situation.

19. A computer program product for implementing bandwidth management services, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to implement a method, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a user of a device, information uniquely identifying each of a plurality of other devices assigned to an account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices, the account defined by the plurality of other devices collectively receiving network services via a residential gateway residing within a location the plurality of other devices;

receiving notification preferences from the user of the device and storing the information and notification preferences in an account record for the account;

receiving service session measurements for active service sessions of the plurality of other devices within the account;

categorizing the service session measurements by each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions and users of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions;

evaluating the active service sessions for an event, the evaluating factoring in capabilities associated with each of the plurality of other devices and service session measurements categorized for each of the plurality of other devices participating in the active service sessions, wherein the event includes a situation that is determined to impact unfavorably on experiences of the users with the active service sessions; and

notifying the user upon an occurrence of the event, comprising;

generating and transmitting an alert to the user in accordance with the notification preferences, the transmitting the alert to the user including determining availability of the plurality of other devices to receive the alert and transmitting the alert to at least one user associated with at least one of the plurality of other devices affected by the event via the information stored in the account record based upon the determining availability.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein receiving, from the user of the device, information uniquely identifying each of the plurality of other devices assigned to the account and information uniquely identifying users that are assigned to the plurality of other devices includes assigning multiple users for at least one of the plurality of other devices for the account, and assigning multiple devices of the plurality of other devices to at least one of the users for the account;

wherein each of the users for a respective device of the plurality of other devices in the account is uniquely identified by a user identifier; and

wherein the notifying the user upon an occurrence of the event includes sending a notification to one of the plurality of other devices based upon an assigned user identifier and the notification preferences.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the notification preferences include a manner of notification and a notification trigger.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by the notification trigger.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the generating and transmitting an alert includes determining an alert type and format based upon the capabilities.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the evaluating includes comparing gathered service session measurements to at least one threshold;

wherein the event occurs when the gathered service session measurements exceed the at least one threshold, the at least one threshold determined by characteristics and capabilities of the plurality of other devices and the active service sessions resulting in a minimum acceptable service level.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein each of the active service sessions occurs simultaneously.

26. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the active service sessions are communications sessions utilizing bandwidth including at least one of:

video content;

audio content;

generic data;

gaming interactions;

encrypted data;

graphical content;

pictorial content;

interactive media content; and

multi-media content; and

wherein the plurality of other devices include at least one of;

a television;

a gaming system;

a handheld device;

a computer device; and

a cell phone.

27. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a request for periodic notification;

a request for random notification; and

a condition including at least one of;

an amount of bandwidth usage;

a quality of service level;

a threshold bandwidth value;

a usage bandwidth value by user;

a usage bandwidth value by device;

a usage bandwidth value by sub-account, the account broken down into sub-accounts; and

a usage bandwidth value by situation.