Method of outputting estimated QoEs on a terminal on an application basis

• US 9,413,848 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Oki, Eiji, Arakawa, Yutaka, Yamanaka, Naoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US14/540,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 709/233, 709/217, 709/219, 709/226, 709/228, 709/229, 709/232, 709/238, 455/405, 370/246, 1/1, 717/120
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

Implementations and techniques for outputting information about estimated QoEs on a terminal on which plural applications can be executed are generally disclosed. The estimated QoEs may be obtained by performing QoE estimation on an application basis.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations for outputting information about estimated Quality of Experiences (QoEs) on a terminal on which plural applications can be executed, comprising:

performing Quality of Experience (QoE) estimation on an application basis; and

outputting, based on the QoE estimation, the information about the estimated QoEs on the terminal;

wherein the QoE estimation is performed by issuing a request for test data to a cloud, receiving the test data from the cloud, measuring at least one quality factor based on the received test data, and estimating a QoE based on a relationship between the measured quality factor and a criterion, the criterion being set based on user data of the terminal.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the applications include an application for browsing a picture in the cloud, the test data is picture data and the quality factor associated with the application for browsing the picture includes a transfer time between the request and the reception of the picture data at the terminal.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the applications include an application for browsing video in the cloud, the test data is video data and the quality factor associated with the application for browsing the video includes two factors, the factors being a transfer time between the request and the reception of the video data at the terminal, and a packet loss rate during the transfer of the video data.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the applications include an application for an IP phone via the cloud, the test data is voice data and the quality factor associated with the application for the IP phone includes two factors, the factors being a transfer time between the request and the reception of the voice data at the terminal, and a packet loss rate during the transfer of the voice data.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the outputting the information about the estimated QoEs on the terminal includes changing colors of icons displayed on the terminal according to the QoE estimation, the respective icons being provided for initiating the corresponding applications.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting, based on statistical information, order in which applications are to be executed on the terminal, wherein the order of the QoE estimation for the respective applications is determined according to the predicted order.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the statistical information is information that indicates histories of usage of the applications.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting, based on information from sensors installed in the terminal, probabilities of the respective applications being executed on the terminal, wherein the application for which the QoE estimation is to be performed is determined according to the predicted probabilities.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the information from the sensors is information that indicates an environment in which the terminal is located.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the sensors include at least one of a GPS receiver, an accelerometer, a microphone sensor, an illuminance sensor, a power supply connection sensor, and an earphone connection sensor.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting, based on information currently displayed on the terminal, probabilities of the respective applications being executed on the terminal, wherein the application for which the QoE estimation is to be performed is determined according to the predicted probabilities.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the information currently displayed on the terminal includes at least one of a Web link, an attached picture file, an attached video file, an IP phone number and an e-mail address, and the QoE estimation is performed for the application which is associated with the information currently displayed on the terminal.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the outputting the information about the estimated QoEs on the terminal includes changing a status of at least one of the Web link, the attached picture file, the attached video file, the IP phone number, and the e-mail address, according to the QoE estimation for the corresponding application.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the information from the sensors is information that indicates whether the terminal is moving or is stationary.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the environment in which the terminal is located includes at least one of an outdoor environment, an indoor environment, or a dark environment.

16. A system to output information about estimated QoEs on a terminal on which plural applications can be executed, comprising:

a processor, and

a QoE estimating triggering part configured to;

perform QoE estimation on an application basis by;

issuing a request for test data to a cloud,

receiving the test data from the cloud,

measuring at least one quality factor based on the received test data, and

estimating a QoE based on a relationship between the measured quality factor and a criterion, the criterion being set based on user data of the terminal; and

output, based on the QoE estimation, the information about the estimated QoEs on the terminal.

17. A system comprising:

a cloud in communication with a terminal and configured to predict, based on statistical information, order or probabilities in which applications are to be executed on the terminal, wherein the statistical information includes action patterns of a user of the terminal, each of the action patterns being associated with time and location at the time of the action occurring, and

the terminal configured to;

perform QoE estimation on an application basis;

determine order or probabilities of the QoE estimation for the respective applications according to the predicted order or probabilities; and

output, based on the QoE estimation, information about estimated QoEs on a display of the terminal.

18. A terminal on which plural applications can be executed, wherein the terminal is configured to:

perform QoE estimation on an application basis; and

output, based on the QoE estimation, information about estimated QoEs on a display of the terminal;

wherein the QoE estimation is performed by issuing a request for test data to a cloud, receiving the test data from the cloud, measuring at least one quality factor based on the received test data, and estimating a QoE based on a relationship between the measured quality factor and a criterion, the criterion being set based on user data of the terminal.

19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the terminal is further configured to:

receive an application identifier from the cloud, wherein the application identifier is effective to identify a next application of the plurality of applications on the terminal;

identify, based on the application identifier, the next application of the plurality of applications; and

prioritize QoE estimation for the next application of the plurality of applications.

20. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the terminal is further configured to:

predict, based on statistical information, order in which applications are to be executed on the terminal, wherein the order of the QoE estimation for the respective applications is determined according to the predicted order, and wherein the statistical information includes action patterns of a user.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the action patterns are associated with time and locations at the time of the action occurring, and the terminal is further configured to predict action patterns of the user based on current time and locations and predict the order in which applications are to be executed on the terminal based on the predicted action patterns of the user.

22. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the terminal is further configured to:

predict, based on information from sensors installed in the terminal, probabilities of the respective applications being executed on the terminal, wherein the application for which the QoE estimation is to be performed is determined according to the predicted probabilities, and wherein the information includes date, time, or day of the week.