System and method of managing digital data transmission

• US 8,154,995 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Thomas J J, Edmon, Eugene L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANTON, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US11/043,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20060165011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,631 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/347, 370/310, 370/321, 370/252, 370/235, 370/230
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/16 Arrangements for providing special services to substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling

Abstract

A method of managing data transmission is provided and includes measuring a first number of payload bits communicated over a bearer during a first time period. The first number of measured payload bits is divided by a length of the first time period to yield a short term average bit rate for the first time period. Also, a bit rate margin is added to the short term average bit rate for to yield a total bearer bit rate for the first time period. Further, a bearer bit rate can be selectively provisioned based on the total bearer bit rate for the first time period. The bearer bit rate can be provisioned based on whether the bearer is a fixed bearer or an adaptive bearer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

measuring, at a telecommunication modem, a first number of payload bits communicated over a first bearer of a plurality of bearers during a first time period;

dividing the first number of measured payload bits by a length of the first time period to yield a short term average bit rate for the first time period;

increasing the short term average bit rate by adding a bit rate margin to yield a total bearer bit rate for the first time period, wherein the bit rate margin is based on the short term average bit rate;

determining a bearer type of the first bearer, wherein the bearer type of the first bearer indicates whether the first bearer is one of a fixed bearer and an adaptive bearer;

provisioning the first bearer with a bearer bit rate based on the bearer type to produce a provisioned bearer bit rate, wherein producing the provisioned bearer bit rate comprises;

when the first bearer is the fixed bearer, provisioning the bearer bit rate to a predetermined fixed bearer bit rate that is independent of the short term average bit rate, wherein the predetermined fixed bearer bit rate is not altered by the provisioning; and

when the first bearer is the adaptive bearer, provisioning the bearer bit rate based on the total bearer bit rate for the first time period, wherein the bearer bit rate for the adaptive bearer is a bit rate to transmit data over the first bearer during a second time period;

determining whether a predetermined time period has expired, wherein the predetermined time period is less than one second;

in response to determining that the predetermined time period has expired, updating the provisioned bearer bit rate;

in response to determining that the predetermined time period has not expired, not updating the provisioned bearer bit rate;

summing a plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates associated with the plurality of bearers for a line to yield a measured line bit rate;

determining whether the measured line bit rate is greater than a maximum line bit rate;

in response to determining that the measured line bit rate is greater than the maximum line bit rate, reducing the measured line bit rate to the maximum line bit rate, wherein reducing the measured line bit rate comprises reducing at least one provisioned bearer bit rate of the plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates; and

in response to determining that the measured line bit rate is not greater than the maximum line bit rate, determining an amount of time since a last bit rate change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the first bearer is the adaptive bearer;

rounding the total bearer bit rate for the first time period up to a next quantum level for the first bearer to yield a rounded total bearer bit rate; and

provisioning the bearer bit rate to the rounded total bearer bit rate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the provisioned bearer bit rate is between a minimum bearer bit rate and a maximum bearer bit rate; and

in response to determining that the provisioned bearer bit rate is not between the minimum bearer bit rate and the maximum bearer bit rate, modifying the provisioned bearer bit rate to be between the minimum bearer bit rate and the maximum bearer bit rate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying a change from a first line bit rate to a second line bit rate in response to determining that the amount of time since the last bit rate change does not exceed a minimum amount of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing from a first line bit rate to a second line bit rate when the amount of time since the last bit rate change exceeds a minimum amount of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring, at the telecommunication modem, a second number of payload bits communicated over a second bearer of the plurality of bearers during the first time period;

dividing the second number of measured payload bits by the length of the first time period to yield a second short term average bit rate for the first time period;

increasing the second short term average bit rate by adding a second bit rate margin to yield a second total bearer bit rate for the second bearer during the first time period, wherein the second bit rate margin is based on the second short term average bit rate;

determining a bearer type of the second bearer, wherein the bearer type of the second bearer indicates that the second bearer is one of the fixed bearer and the adaptive bearer;

provisioning the second bearer with a second bearer bit rate based on the determined bearer type of the second bearer to produce a second provisioned bearer bit rate, wherein producing the second provisioned bearer bit rate comprises;

when the second bearer is the fixed bearer, provisioning the second bearer bit rate to a second predetermined fixed bearer bit rate; and

when the second bearer is the adaptive bearer, provisioning the second bearer bit rate based on the second total bearer bit rate for the first time period, wherein the second bearer bit rate for the adaptive bearer is a second bit rate to transmit data over the second bearer during the second time period;

determining whether a second predetermined time period has expired, wherein the second predetermined time period is less than one second;

in response to determining that the second predetermined time period has expired, updating the second bearer bit rate; and

in response to determining that the second predetermined time period has not expired, not updating the second bearer bit rate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing the bit rate margin in response to an increase in the short term average bit rate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bit rate margin is increased in proportion to the increase in the short term average bit rate.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the bit rate margin is increased by a set value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the bit rate margin in response to a decrease in the short term average bit rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the bit rate margin is decreased in proportion to the decrease in the short term average bit rate.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the bit rate margin is decreased by a set value.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication modem is installed at one of a customer premises, a business, a central office associated with an interne service provider, and a digital subscriber line access multiplexer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication modem is coupled to one of a digital subscriber line network, an asymmetric digital subscriber line network, an asymmetric digital subscriber 2+ line network, and a very high data rate digital subscriber line network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication modem is communicatively coupled to at least one personal computing device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of data transmitted over the first bearer for the first time period.

17. A method comprising:

determining, at a telecommunication modem, a new bearer bit rate for a first bearer of a plurality of bearers, wherein the new bearer bit rate is determined by;

measuring a first number of payload bits communicated over the first bearer during a time period;

dividing the first number of measured payload bits by a length of the time period to yield a short term average bit rate for the time period; and

increasing the short term average bit rate by adding a bit rate margin to yield a total bearer bit rate for the time period, wherein the bit rate margin is based on the short term average bit rate;

determining a bearer type of the first bearer, wherein the bearer type indicates whether the first bearer is one of a fixed bearer and an adaptive bearer;

provisioning a bearer bit rate the first bearer with the new bearer bit rate based on the bearer type to produce a provisioned bearer bit rate, wherein producing the provisioned bearer bit rate comprises;

when the first bearer is the fixed bearer, provisioning the new bearer bit rate to a predetermined fixed bearer bit rate that is independent of the short term average bit rate, wherein the predetermined fixed bearer bit rate is not altered by the provisioning;

when the first bearer is the adaptive bearer, selectively provisioning the new bearer bit rate based on the total bearer bit rate;

determining whether a predetermined time period has expired, wherein the predetermined time period is less than one second;

not updating the bearer bit rate to the new bearer bit rate when the predetermined time period has not expired;

updating the bearer bit rate to the new bearer bit rate when the predetermined time period has expired, wherein updating the bearer bit rate includes;

allocating a second number of payload bits in a frame to be transmitted over the first bearer;

sending a transmission configuration message that indicates the new bearer bit rate to a receiving device;

summing a plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates associated with the plurality of bearers for a line to yield a measured line bit rate;

determining whether the measured line bit rate is greater than a maximum line bit rate;

in response to determining that the measured line bit rate is greater than the maximum line bit rate, reducing the measured line bit rate to the maximum line bit rate, wherein reducing the measured line bit rate comprises reducing at least one provisioned bearer bit rate of the plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates; and

in response to determining that the measured line bit rate is not greater than the maximum line bit rate, determining an amount of time since a last bit rate change.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising in response to determining that the measured line bit rate is not greater than the maximum line bit rate, increasing a current line bit rate to the maximum line bit rate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the total bearer bit rate for the time period is rounded up to a next quantum level.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a communication modem configured to;

measure a first number of payload bits communicated over a first bearer of a plurality of bearers during a first time period;

divide the first number of measured payload bits by a length of the first time period to yield a short term average bit rate for the first time period;

increase the short term average bit rate by adding a bit rate margin to yield a total bearer bit rate, wherein the bit rate margin is based on the short term average bit rate;

determine a bearer type of the first bearer, wherein the bearer type of the first bearer indicates whether the first bearer is one of a fixed bearer and an adaptive bearer;

provision the first bearer with a bearer bit rate based on the bearer type to produce a provisioned bearer bit rate, wherein producing the provisioned bearer bit rate comprises;

when the first bearer is the fixed bearer, provisioning the bearer bit rate to a fixed bearer bit rate that is independent of the short term average bit rate, wherein the fixed bearer bit rate is not altered by the provisioning; and

when the first bearer is the adaptive bearer, provisioning the bearer bit rate based on the total bearer bit rate for the first time period, wherein the bearer bit rate for the adaptive bearer is a bit rate to transmit data over the first bearer during a second time period;

determine whether a time period has expired, wherein the time period is less than one second;

update the provisioned bearer bit rate when the time period has expired;

not update the provisioned bearer bit rate when the time period has not expired;

sum a plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates associated with the plurality of bearers for a line to yield a measured line bit rate;

determine whether the measured line bit rate is greater than a maximum line bit rate;

when the measured line bit rate is greater than the maximum line bit rate, reduce the measured line bit rate to the maximum line bit rate, wherein at least one provisioned bearer bit rate of the plurality of provisioned bearer bit rates is reduced; and

when the measured line bit rate is not greater than the maximum line bit rate, determine an amount of time since a last bit rate change.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is further configured to delay a change from a first line bit rate to a second line bit rate when the amount of time since the last bit rate change does not exceed a minimum amount of time.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is further configured to change from a first line bit rate to a second line bit rate when the amount of time since the last bit rate change exceeds a minimum amount of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is further configured to:

when the first bearer is the adaptive bearer;

round the total bearer bit rate for the first time period up to a next quantum level for the first bearer to yield a rounded total bearer bit rate; and

provision the bearer bit rate to the rounded total bearer bit rate.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a step size between a first quantum level and the next quantum level is 64 kilobits per second.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is further configured to:

determine whether the provisioned bearer bit rate is between a minimum bearer bit rate and a maximum bearer bit rate; and

when the provisioned bearer bit rate is not between the minimum bearer bit rate and the maximum bearer bit rate, modify the provisioned bearer bit rate to be between the minimum bearer bit rate and the maximum bearer bit rate.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is located at one of a customer premises, a business, a central office associated with an interne service provider, and a digital subscriber line access multiplexer.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is coupled to one of a digital subscriber line network, an asymmetric digital subscriber line network, an asymmetric digital subscriber 2+ line network, and a very high data rate digital subscriber line network.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication modem is communicatively coupled to at least one computing device.