System, method, and computer program for transmitting network communications at a point in time automatically determined based on communication rates

• US 9,749,247 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Patro, Debabrata, Gaur, Anshoo, Domb, Menachem
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US15/048,857
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 709233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1489 dependent on congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1492 negotiation of tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8027 based on network load situation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8061 Selecting least cost route depending on origin or type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for transmitting network communications at a point in time automatically determined based on communication rates. In use, a communication to be transmitted over a network is identified, utilizing a device. Additionally, a point in time at which to transmit the communication over the network is automatically determined by the device, utilizing at least one rate for the communication. Further, transmission of the communication over the network is initiated at the determined point in time, utilizing the device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, comprising computer code for:

identifying a communication to be transmitted over a network, utilizing a device of a subscriber of the network;

conditionally assigning the communication a high priority, based on a content of the communication;

when the communication is not assigned the high priority;

querying a network service provider for a plurality of different points in time at which the communication is capable of being transmitted and associated rates for transmitting the communication over the network,

receiving at the device from the network service provider the plurality of different points in time and the associated rates, in response to the querying,

selecting, by the device from the received plurality of different points in time, a point in time of the plurality of different points in time, and

initiating, at the selected point in time, transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network;

when the communication is assigned the high priority;

immediately initiating transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network,

wherein immediately initiating the transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network when the communication is assigned the high priority includes bypassing the querying and the selecting otherwise performed when the communication is not assigned the high priority to avoid delay associated with the querying and the selecting.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the communication includes downloading the content or data at the device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the communication includes uploading the content from the device.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program is operable such that the communication is identified in response to a request from a user to transmit the communication.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program is operable such that the communication is identified in response to a request from an application on the device to transmit the communication.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein each of the rates includes a fee incurred by the subscriber for transmitting the entirety of the identified communication at the associated transmission time.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program is operable such that the high priority is conditionally assigned to the communication based on a type of the communication.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the point in time of the plurality of different points in time is selected automatically, by the device, utilizing a predetermined algorithm that includes criteria for selecting one of the different points in time.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the criteria includes a limit on total time period to wait for initiation of the communication.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein conditionally assigning the communication the high priority, based on the content of the communication includes:

assigning the communication the high priority when the content of the communication is associated with the high priority, and

assigning the communication a lower priority than the high priority, when the content of the communication is associated with the lower priority.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the query indicates attributes of the content, such that the received plurality of different points in time and the associated rates are determined by the network service provider as those applicable to the attributes of the content.

12. A method, comprising:

identifying a communication to be transmitted over a network, utilizing a device of a subscriber of the network;

conditionally assigning the communication a high priority, based on a content of the communication;

when the communication is not assigned the high priority;

querying a network service provider for a plurality of different points in time at which the communication is capable of being transmitted and associated rates for transmitting the communication over the network,

receiving at the device from the network service provider the plurality of different points in time and the associated rates, in response to the querying,

selecting, by the device from the received plurality of different points in time, a point in time of the plurality of different points in time, and

initiating, at the selected point in time, transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network;

when the communication is assigned the high priority;

immediately initiating transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network,

wherein immediately initiating the transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network when the communication is assigned the high priority includes bypassing the querying and the selecting otherwise performed when the communication is not assigned the high priority to avoid delay associated with the querying and the selecting.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication includes downloading the content at the device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication includes uploading the content from the device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication is identified in response to a request from a user to transmit the communication.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication is identified in response to a request from an application on the device to transmit the communication.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the rates includes a fee incurred by the subscriber for transmitting the entirety of the identified communication at the associated transmission time.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the high priority is conditionally assigned to the communication based on a type of the communication.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

identifying a communication to be transmitted over a network, utilizing a device of a subscriber of the network;

conditionally assigning the communication a high priority, based on a content of the communication;

when the communication is not assigned the high priority;

querying a network service provider for a plurality of different points in time at which the communication is capable of being transmitted and associated rates for transmitting the communication over the network,

receiving at the device from the network service provider the plurality of different points in time and the associated rates, in response to the querying,

selecting, by the device from the received plurality of different points in time, a point in time of the plurality of different points in time, and

initiating, at the selected point in time, transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network;

when the communication is assigned the high priority;

immediately initiating transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network,

wherein immediately initiating the transmission of the entirety of the identified communication over the network when the communication is assigned the high priority includes bypassing the querying and the selecting otherwise performed when the communication is not assigned the high priority to avoid delay associated with the querying and the selecting.