Data transmission between devices based on bandwidth availability

• US 8,671,185 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Shaheen Ashok, Reiss, David Scott, Garcia, David Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Yohannes, Tesfay
• Application Number:
  US13/099,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/201, 709/226, 370/329
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/783 Distributed allocation of resources, e.g. bandwidth brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load

Abstract

In one embodiment, in response to data to be transmitted to or from an electronic device, the electronic device determines whether the electronic device currently has a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth. If the electronic device currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then the electronic device estimates a future time when the electronic device is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, and schedules transmission of the data at the future time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring and collecting, by a computing device, activities of a user in connection with the computing device and information of the computing device, wherein each activity is associated with at least one location;

constructing a behavior profile for the user based at least in part on the activities of the user and the information of the computing device;

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the computing device, wherein the computing device is associated with a current location,

determining whether the computing device currently has a first network connection associated with the current location with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the computing device currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimating, based at least in part on the locations associated with the activities of the user as represented by the behavior profile, a first future time when the computing device is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

scheduling transmission of the data at the first future time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

scheduling the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmitting the data to or from the computing device if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a second future time when the computing device is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmitting the data to or from the computing device before the second future time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device supports a plurality of wireless network connections.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the bandwidth of the first network connection is at or above a predetermined threshold.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

monitor and collect, by the system, activities of a user in connection with the system and information of the system, wherein each activity is associated with at least one location;

construct a behavior profile for the user based at least in part on the activities of the user and the information of the system;

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the system, wherein the system is associated with a current location,

determine whether the system currently has a first network connection associated with the current location with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the system currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimate, based at least in part on the locations associated with the activities of the user as represented by the behavior profile, a first future time when the system is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

schedule transmission of the data at the first future time.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

determine whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

schedule the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmit the data to or from the system if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

estimate a second future time when the system is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmit the data to or from the system before the second future time.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the system supports a plurality of wireless network connections.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a wireless connection.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the bandwidth of the first network connection is at or above a predetermined threshold.

13. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed to:

monitor and collect, by a system, activities of a user in connection with the system and information of the system, wherein each activity is associated with at least one location;

construct a behavior profile for the user based at least in part on the activities of the user and the information of the system;

in response to data to be transmitted to or from the system, wherein the system is associated with a current location,

determine whether the system currently has a first network connection associated with the current location with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

if the system currently does not have a first network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth, then;

estimate, based at least in part on the locations associated with the activities of the user as represented by the behavior profile, a first future time when the system is likely to have a second network connection with a sufficiently high bandwidth; and

schedule transmission of the data at the first future time.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

determine whether the data have a sufficiently high priority;

schedule the transmission of the data at the first future time if the data do not have a sufficiently high priority; and

transmit the data to or from the system if the data have a sufficiently high priority.

15. The media of claim 13, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

estimate a second future time when the system is likely not to have any network connection; and

transmit the data to or from the system before the second future time.

16. The media of claim 13, wherein the system supports a plurality of wireless network connections.

17. The media of claim 13, wherein the first network connection has a sufficiently high bandwidth when the first network connection is a wireless connection.