Apparatus and method for managing a network

• US 8,756,639 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Sam, Bajpay, Paritosh, Chong, Shiu
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US12/204,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/289 Single service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to present bandwidth adjustments options for customer premises equipment comprising the set top box where the bandwidth adjustments options include a bandwidth limit for the customer premises equipment, receive a selection of the bandwidth adjustments options, and transmit the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options to a network device for adjusting the bandwidth limit for the customer premises equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving bandwidth usage data from each device of customer premises equipment that includes a set top box;

transmitting bandwidth usage associated with the customer premises equipment for presentation by the set top box, wherein the bandwidth usage is calculated from the bandwidth usage data;

transmitting bandwidth adjustments options to be presented by the set top box;

receiving a selection of the bandwidth adjustments options based on user input at the set top box;

selecting a single network device from among a group of network devices, wherein the selection of the single network device is based on monitored network load and based on the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options, wherein each of the group of network devices is individually capable of limiting bandwidth provided to the customer premises equipment, and wherein the group of network devices comprises an Ethernet switch at a central office, a digital subscriber line access multiplexer at the central office, and a router at an intermediate office that is remote from the central office, wherein the intermediate office receives video streams from a video-head end office and provides the video streams to the central office for distribution to the customer premises equipment; and

adjusting a bandwidth limit for the customer premises equipment at the single network device without performing bandwidth limit adjustments for the customer premises equipment at non-selected network devices of the group of network devices.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth limit is adjusted by the selected single network device using an Internet Group Management Protocol message from the customer premises equipment, and wherein the video streams received by the central office from the intermediate office is via multicasting by the intermediate office.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising presenting a notification of the bandwidth limit adjustment to a billing system for update to billing records.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth limit adjustment is for a pre-determined time period, and wherein the bandwidth adjustments options indicate peak information rate speed and cost of adjustment, and wherein at least a portion of the video streams distributed to the customer premises equipment is via a wireless connection.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising determining the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options based on a user profile associated with the customer premises equipment.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring user behavior associated with at least one of the bandwidth usage and a history of bandwidth adjustments; and

determining the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options based on the monitored user behavior.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a group of selectable bandwidth limits for the bandwidth adjustments options are determined based in part on the monitored network load.

8. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a system including a server, bandwidth usage associated with customer premises equipment;

transmitting, by the system, bandwidth adjustments options for presentation by the customer premises equipment;

receiving, at the system, a selection of the bandwidth adjustments options based on user input from the customer premises equipment; and

selecting, by the system, a network device from among a group of network devices of the system, wherein the selecting of the network device is based on monitored network load and based on the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options, wherein each of the group of network devices is individually capable of limiting bandwidth provided to the customer premises equipment, and wherein the group of network devices comprises an Ethernet switch at a central office, a digital subscriber line access multiplexer at the central office, and a router at an intermediate office that is remote from the central office, wherein the intermediate office receives video streams from a video-head end office and provides the video streams to the central office for distribution to the customer premises equipment; and

adjusting, by the system, a bandwidth limit for the customer premises equipment at the network device of the system without performing bandwidth limit adjustments for the customer premises equipment at non-selected network devices of the group of network devices.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising determining the bandwidth adjustment options based on at least one of a user profile associated with the customer premises equipment or a history of bandwidth adjustment limits associated with the customer premises equipment.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the bandwidth limit is adjusted for a pre-determined time period.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising adjusting the bandwidth limit based on an Internet Group Management Protocol message from the customer premises equipment.

12. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a system including a server, bandwidth usage associated with customer premises equipment;

monitoring, by the system, user media consumption behavior associated with the customer premises equipment; and

determining, by the system, bandwidth adjustments options based on the monitored user media consumption behavior;

transmitting, by the system, the bandwidth adjustments options for presentation by the customer premises equipment;

receiving, at the system, a selection of the bandwidth adjustments options based on user input from the customer premises equipment; and

selecting, by the system, a single network device from among a group of network devices of the system, wherein the selection of the single network device is based on monitored network load and based on the selection of the bandwidth adjustments options, wherein each of the group of network devices is individually capable of limiting bandwidth provided to the customer premises equipment, and wherein the group of network devices comprises an Ethernet switch at a central office, a digital subscriber line access multiplexer at the central office, and a router at an intermediate office that is remote from the central office, wherein the intermediate office receives video streams from a video-head end office and provides the video streams to the central office for distribution to the customer premises equipment; and

adjusting, by the system, a bandwidth limit for the customer premises equipment at the single network device of the system without performing bandwidth limit adjustments for the customer premises equipment at non-selected network devices of the group of network devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user media consumption behavior includes a type of media that is being presented.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user media consumption behavior includes a time of media consumption.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the bandwidth adjustment options based on at least one of a user profile associated with the customer premises equipment or a history of bandwidth adjustment limits associated with the customer premises equipment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the bandwidth limit is adjusted for a pre-determined time period.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising adjusting the bandwidth limit based on an Internet Group Management Protocol message from the customer premises equipment.

18. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the bandwidth adjustment options based on current activities at the customer premises equipment that are in progress.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the bandwidth adjustment options based on a user profile that defines acceptable price ranges.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the bandwidth adjustment options based on a user profile that defines acceptable bandwidth adjustments during current activities at the customer premises equipment that are in progress.