System and method for aggressive downstream bandwidth conservation based on user inactivity

• US 9,467,653 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Bentley, Jon L., Krishnan, Parameshwaran, Manor, Moni, Tarle, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGA, SORI A
• Application Number:
  US13/538,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20140003450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

System and method to manage bandwidth used by an endpoint of a communication session, the method including: detecting, by a sensor coupled to a communication system transporting the communication session, an indicia of a user; inferring, by a processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a first involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring is based upon the detected indicia of the user; and modifying, by the communication system transporting the communication session, a bandwidth of the communication session based upon the first inferred involvement by the user.

Claims

1. A method to manage bandwidth used by a telecom endpoint of a communication session, the method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor coupled to a communication system transporting the communication session, a first indicia of a user;

receiving, by a processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a second indicia of the user that is detected by the telecom endpoint independently of the sensor;

inferring, by the processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a first involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring is based upon the detected first indicia of the user;

inferring, by the processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a second involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring the second involvement comprises using the detected second indicia of the user;

determining a verification of the first involvement using the second involvement;

determining a relative level of involvement by the user relative to other users; and

modifying, by a conference bridge within the communication system and apart from both the telecom endpoint of the communication session and a provider server transporting the communication session, a bandwidth of the communication session based upon the first inferred involvement by the user, the verification, and the determined relative level of involvement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying a bandwidth of the communication session comprises modifying the bandwidth based upon a parameterizable policy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a first indicia of a user comprises detecting, by the sensor, an act of the user speaking.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a first indicia of a user comprises detecting, by the sensor, an act of the user muting the telecom endpoint.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a first indicia of a user comprises detecting, by the sensor, an act of the user leaving the telecom endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a first indicia of a user comprises detecting, by the sensor, an act of the user performing side activities on the telecom endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring a first involvement further comprises inferring a detection of inactivity of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring a first involvement further comprises inferring a detection of inattention of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the bandwidth of the communication session comprises selecting a lower-bandwidth video link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying a bandwidth of the communication session comprises selecting a lower-bandwidth audio link.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a bandwidth policy from a memory coupled to the communication system, wherein the step of modifying the bandwidth of the communication session is based upon the retrieved bandwidth policy.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a bandwidth cost model from a memory coupled to the communication system, wherein the step of modifying the bandwidth of the communication session is based upon the retrieved cost model.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprises providing a notification to the user of the modified bandwidth of the communication session.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying a bandwidth of the communication session further comprises modifying the bandwidth based upon a control sent to the telecom endpoint.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

self-learning, by a processor coupled to the communication system, of bandwidth-related user preferences.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the telecom endpoint and independently of the sensor, a second indicia of a user further comprises determining if the user has activated an application other than the communication session on the telecom endpoint.

16. A system to manage bandwidth used by a telecom endpoint of a communication session, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an indicia of a user;

a processor coupled to the sensor, the processor configured to;

detect, independently of the sensor, a second indicia of a user;

infer a first involvement by the user in the communication session;

infer a second involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring the second involvement comprises using the second detected indicia of the user;

determine a verification of the first involvement using the second involvement; and

determine a relative level of involvement by the user relative to other users; and

a bandwidth controller configured to modify a bandwidth of the communication session based upon the first inferred involvement, the verification, and the relative level of involvement by the user, wherein the bandwidth controller is located apart from both the telecom endpoint of the communication session and a provider server transporting the communication session.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first involvement comprises a detection of inactivity by the user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor detects the second indicia of the user by determining if the user has activated an application other than the communication session on the telecom endpoint.

20. A method to manage bandwidth used by a telecom endpoint of a communication session, the method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor coupled to a communication system transporting the communication session, a first indicia of a user;

detecting, by the telecom endpoint and independently of the sensor, a second indicia of the user;

inferring, by a processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a first involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring is based upon the detected first indicia of the user;

inferring, by the processor of the communication system transporting the communication session, a second involvement by the user in the communication session, wherein inferring the second involvement comprises using the detected second indicia of the user;

determining a verification of the first involvement using the second involvement;

determining a relative level of involvement by the user relative to other users; and

modifying, by a conference bridge within the communication system and apart from both the telecom endpoint of the communication session and a provider server transporting the communication session, a bandwidth of the communication session based upon the first inferred involvement by the user, the verification, and the determined relative level of involvement.