System and method to determine network usage

• US 8,214,487 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Savoor, Raghvendra, Blackburn, Stuart, Manthoulis, Orestis
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US12/482,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8027 based on network load situation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number

Abstract

Systems and methods to measure network usage are provided. A particular method includes collecting first usage data from a first network device of a network at a network usage tracking system. The first network device determines the first usage data based on an inband measurement of data passing through the first network device. The method includes collecting second usage data from a second network device of the network at the network usage tracking system. The first network device and the second network device are different network devices. The method includes matching the first usage data and the second usage data to user accounts. The network usage data is determined based on the first usage data, the second usage data, and the user accounts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a network tracking system, for a particular user account first network usage of a network during a first time interval based on first network usage data retrieved from a first network device of the network, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to usage of the network associated with a plurality of user accounts, wherein determining the first network usage comprises adjusting the first network usage data to compensate for network overhead bytes counted in the first network usage data, and wherein adjusting the first network usage data comprises applying at least one of an upload correction factor to a first uploaded bytes value determined from a first uploaded cell count of the first network usage data and a download correction factor to a first downloaded bytes value determined from a first downloaded cell count of the first network usage data;

determining for the particular user account second network usage of the network during the first time interval based on second network usage data retrieved from a second network device of the network, wherein the second network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the second network device is distinct from the first network device, and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices that direct network traffic in the network;

determining for the particular user account aggregate network usage of the network during the first time interval based on the first network usage and the second network usage, wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage and the second network usage when a difference exists between the first network usage and the second network usage, the difference not exceeding an accuracy threshold; and

sending the aggregate network usage associated with the particular user account to a billing system;

wherein the upload correction factor is determined based on the first uploaded bytes value and a second uploaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second uploaded bytes value satisfies an upload threshold determined based on an upper data upload rate limit available to the particular user account; and

wherein the download correction factor is determined based on the first downloaded bytes value and a second downloaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second downloaded bytes value satisfies a download threshold determined based on an upper data download rate limit available to the particular user account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network usage data is based on an inband measurement of data passing through the first network device, and wherein the second network usage data is based on usage of the network identified from user identification and network address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network usage data and the second network usage data corresponds to broadband usage data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the network comprises one of an Internet Protocol Television network, a digital subscriber line network, and a cable access network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network usage data and the second network usage data comprise at least one of network packet statistics, network cell statistics, network frame statistics, an uploaded cell count, and a downloaded cell count.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first network usage data is collected at a second time interval having a length such that a counter of the first network device does not roll over more than a single time during the second time interval based on at least one of the upper data download rate limit and the upper data upload rate limit for the particular user account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device comprises one of a digital subscriber line access multiplexer, a remote terminal, and a remote authentication dial in user service server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to at least one of broadband usage data, video transmission data, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device comprises a residential gateway.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network device comprises a deep packet inspection device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device and the second network device direct the network traffic in the network to a router.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time interval is one of a day, a week, and a month.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the accuracy threshold is one of one percent, five percent, and ten percent.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, at the network usage tracking system, cumulative network usage associated with the particular user account during a billing interval; and

generating an alert when the cumulative network usage associated with the particular user account exceeds a threshold.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device is a service access point that comprises a class of service queue that collects and stores the first network usage data.

16. A network usage tracking system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising;

a first agent executable by the at least one processor to determine for a particular user account first network usage of a network during a first time interval based on first network usage data retrieved from a first network device of the network, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to usage of the network associated with a plurality of user accounts, wherein determining the first network usage comprises adjusting the first network usage data to compensate for network overhead bytes counted in the first network usage data, and wherein adjusting the first network usage data comprises applying at least one of an upload correction factor to a first uploaded bytes value determined from a first uploaded cell count of the first network usage data and a download correction factor to a first downloaded bytes value determined from a first downloaded cell count of the first network usage data;

a second agent executable by the at least one processor to determine for the particular user account second network usage of the network during the first time interval based on second network usage data retrieved from a second network device of the network, wherein the second network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the second network device is distinct from the first network device, and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices that direct network traffic in the network; and

an aggregate usage module executable by the at least one processor to determine for the particular user account aggregate network usage of the network during the first time interval based on the first network usage and the second network usage, wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage and the second network usage when a difference exists between the first network usage and the second network usage, the difference not exceeding an accuracy threshold;

wherein the upload correction factor is determined based on the first uploaded bytes value and a second uploaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second uploaded bytes value satisfies an upload threshold determined based on an upper data upload rate limit available to the particular user account; and

wherein the download correction factor is determined based on the first downloaded bytes value and a second downloaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second downloaded bytes value satisfies a download threshold determined based on an upper data download rate limit available to the particular user account;

wherein the network usage tracking system is configured to send the aggregate network usage associated with the particular user account to a billing system.

17. The network usage tracking system of claim 16, wherein the difference is determined based on at least one of a downloaded bytes value and an uploaded bytes value based on the first network usage data and the second network usage data, wherein the downloaded bytes value includes the first downloaded bytes value and the second downloaded bytes value, and wherein the uploaded bytes value includes the first uploaded bytes value and the second uploaded bytes value.

18. A network usage tracking system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising;

a first agent executable by the at least one processor to determine for a particular user account first network usage of a network during a first time interval based on first network usage data retrieved from a first network device of the network, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to usage of the network associated with a plurality of user accounts, wherein determining the first network usage comprises adjusting the first network usage data to compensate for network overhead bytes counted in the first network usage data, and wherein adjusting the first network usage data comprises applying at least one of an upload correction factor to a first uploaded bytes value determined from a first uploaded cell count of the first network usage data and a download correction factor to a first downloaded bytes value determined from a first downloaded cell count of the first network usage data;

a second agent executable by the at least one processor to determine for the particular user account second network usage of the network during the first time interval based on second network usage data retrieved from a second network device of the network, wherein the second network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the second network device is distinct from the first network device, and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices that direct network traffic in the network; and

an aggregate usage module executable by the at least one processor to determine for the particular user account aggregate network usage of the network during the first time interval based on the first network usage and the second network usage, wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage and the second network usage, and wherein prior to determining the aggregate network usage, the aggregate usage module adjusts the first network usage to the second network usage for the first time interval when a difference exists between the first network usage and the second network usage associated with the particular user account for the first time interval, the difference indicating that the first network usage does not correlate to the second network usage, the difference exceeding a correlation threshold;

wherein the upload correction factor is determined based on the first uploaded bytes value and a second uploaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second uploaded bytes value satisfies an upload threshold determined based on an upper data upload rate limit available to the particular user account; and

wherein the download correction factor is determined based on the first downloaded bytes value and a second downloaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second downloaded bytes value satisfies a download threshold determined based on an upper data download rate limit available to the particular user account;

wherein the network usage tracking system is configured to send the aggregate network usage associated with the particular user account to a billing system.

19. The network usage tracking system of claim 18, wherein the correlation threshold is one of one percent, five percent, and ten percent.

20. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining, at a network tracking system, for a particular user account first network usage of a network during a first time interval based on first network usage data retrieved from a first network device of the network, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to usage of the network associated with a plurality of user accounts, wherein determining the first network usage comprises adjusting the first network usage data to compensate for network overhead bytes counted in the first network usage data, and wherein adjusting the first network usage data comprises applying at least one of an upload correction factor to a first uploaded bytes value determined from a first uploaded cell count of the first network usage data and a download correction factor to a first downloaded bytes value determined from a first downloaded cell count of the first network usage data;

determining for the particular user account second network usage of the network during the first time interval based on second network usage data retrieved from a second network device of the network, wherein the second network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the second network device is distinct from the first network device, and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices that direct network traffic in the network;

determining for the particular user account aggregate network usage of the network during the first time interval based on the first network usage and the second network usage, wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage and the second network usage when a difference exists between the first network usage and the second network usage, the difference not exceeding an accuracy threshold; and

sending the aggregate network usage associated with the particular user account to a billing system;

wherein the upload correction factor is determined based on the first uploaded bytes value and a second uploaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second uploaded bytes value satisfies an upload threshold determined based on an upper data upload rate limit available to the particular user account; and

wherein the download correction factor is determined based on the first downloaded bytes value and a second downloaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second downloaded bytes value satisfies a download threshold determined based on an upper data download rate limit available to the particular user account.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the first network usage data is based on an inband measurement of data passing through the first network device, and wherein the second network usage data is based on usage of the network identified from a user identification and a network address.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises determining for the particular user account third network usage of the network during the first time interval based on third network usage data retrieved from a third network device of the network, wherein the third network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the third network device is distinct from the second network device and the first network device, and wherein the third network device directs the network traffic in the network;

and wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage, the second network usage, and the third network usage when a difference exists between the first network usage, the second network usage, and the third network usage, the difference not exceeding the accuracy threshold.