Interfaces for service requests in a balloon network

• US 9,628,395 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOFTBANK Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cassidy, Michael, Teller, Eric, DeVaul, Richard Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingles, Kristie
• Application Number:
  US14/297,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 709226, 709229
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/40 Balloons B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/30 Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18502 Airborne stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/829 Topology based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 : Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Example embodiments may relate to web interfaces for a balloon-network. For example, a computing device may display a graphical interface that that includes one or more interface features to receive a request for use of bandwidth of a balloon network. In particular, the computing device may receive, via the graphical interface, input data corresponding to a bandwidth request for a first location, where the bandwidth request includes: (i) an indication of the first location and (ii) an indication of time. Subsequently, the computing device may receive an indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted, where acceptance of the bandwidth request is based at least in part on expected movement of one or more balloons from a plurality of balloons in the balloon network. As such, the computing device may display, on the graphical interface, the indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

displaying a graphical interface that comprises one or more interface features to receive a request for use of bandwidth of a balloon network;

receiving, via the graphical interface, input data corresponding to a bandwidth request for a first location, wherein the bandwidth request comprises;

(i) an indication of the first location and (ii) an indication of time;

receiving an indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted, wherein acceptance of the bandwidth request is based at least in part on expected movement of one or more balloons from a plurality of balloons in the balloon network; and

displaying, on the graphical interface, the indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth request further comprises an indication of a requested quality of service.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the requested quality of service comprises a requested bandwidth level.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input data comprises payment information associated with the bandwidth request.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface comprises a map, and wherein the input data comprises user-input indicating the first location on the map.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface comprises a map, the instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

receiving real-time bandwidth data related to the plurality of balloons in the balloon network; and

based at least in part on the received real-time bandwidth data, displaying, on the map, a visual representation of bandwidth information corresponding to one or more regions in a geographical area, wherein the visual representation of bandwidth information updates from time to time based at least in part on a plurality of bandwidth requests for bandwidth from the balloon network.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the bandwidth information indicates future bandwidth information estimated based at least in part on the bandwidth request.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth request further comprises a request to receive bandwidth from one or more specified balloons from the plurality of balloons.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth request comprises a request to receive bandwidth at one or more specified client devices associated with a user-account.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth request further comprises a request to receive bandwidth at a specified client device positioned at the first location, the instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

determining that the specified client device moves from the first location to a second location, wherein movement of the one or more balloons is determined based at least in part on determining that the specified client device moves from the first location to the second location, and wherein movement of the one or more balloons is determined such that the specified client device receives coverage at the second location.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface facilitates event reporting, wherein the input data comprises a report for an event (i) at a given event location and (ii) at a given event time, and wherein movement of the one or more balloons is determined based at least in part on the report such that a bandwidth level is increased (i) at the given event location and (ii) at the given event time.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface facilitates a voting process for one or more services related to the balloon network, wherein the input data further corresponds to one or more votes for an allocation of a service related to the balloon network, the instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

based at least in part on the one or more votes, determining a particular allocation of the service, and wherein movement of the one or more balloons is determined based at least in part on the particular allocation of the service.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein allocation of the service comprises allocation of bandwidth in the balloon network.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface facilitates an auction process for one or more services related to the balloon network, wherein the input data further corresponds to one or more bids for an allocation of a service related to the balloon network, the instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

based at least in part on the one or more bids, determining a particular allocation of the service, and wherein movement of the one or more balloons is determined based at least in part on the particular allocation of the service.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein allocation of the service comprises allocation of bandwidth in the balloon network.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more bids comprise one or more real-time bids, and wherein allocation of the service comprises allocation of an immediate service.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein allocation of the service comprises allocation of a future service.

18. A method comprising:

displaying, on a computing device, a graphical interface that comprises one or more interface features to receive a request for use of bandwidth of a balloon network;

receiving, via the graphical interface, input data corresponding to a bandwidth request for a first location, wherein the bandwidth request comprises;

(i) an indication of the first location and (ii) and an indication of time;

receiving, by the computing device, an indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted, wherein acceptance of the bandwidth request is based at least in part on expected movement of one or more balloons from a plurality of balloons in the balloon network; and

displaying, on the graphical interface, the indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the bandwidth request comprises an indication of a requested quality of service.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

displaying a graphical interface that comprises one or more interface features to receive a request for use of one or more services of a balloon network;

receiving, via the graphical interface, input data corresponding to a service request for a first location, wherein the service request comprises (i) an indication of the first location, (ii) an indication of time, and (iii) a request for latency reduction;

receiving an indication corresponding to whether or not the service request is accepted, wherein acceptance of the service request is based at least in part on expected movement of one or more balloons from a plurality of balloons in the balloon network; and

displaying, on the graphical interface, the indication corresponding to whether or not the service request is accepted.