Pro-rated consumable resource governor

• US 20040230533A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Benco, David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/439,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230533A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/63
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The method and apparatus is for allocating a fixed resource evenly over time in predetermined increments. One embodiment of the method has the steps of: receiving a resource request in a time increment; obtaining a resource limit; selecting a mode of operation; monitoring usage of the resource; calculating a quantity of usage of the resource; determining if a portion of the resource can be allocated based on the calculated quantity of the resource; granting the resource request for the time increment if the portion of the resource can be allocated; and denying the resource request for the time increment if the portion of the resource cannot be allocated. The apparatus implements the method.

Claims

1. A method for allocating a fixed resource evenly over time in predetermined increments, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an average time increment quantity of a fixed resource; and

providing an amount of the fixed resource up to the average time increment quantity of the resource per time increment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring a single parameter to determine an average time increment quantity of the fixed resource.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter comprises one of electrical power usage, gas flow, number of central processing unit cycles, computer memory usage, and level of call volume.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed resource comprises one of electrical power, natural gas, central processing unit cycles, computer memory, and call volume.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the provided amount of the fixed resource is allocated according to the selected mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the modes of operation comprise a daily mode, a monthly mode, and a peak mode.

7. A method for allocating a fixed resource over time in predetermined time increments, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a resource request in a time increment;

obtaining a resource limit;

selecting a mode of operation;

monitoring usage of the resource;

calculating a quantity of usage of the resource;

determining if a portion of the resource can be allocated based on the calculated quantity of the resource;

granting the resource request for the time increment if the portion of the resource can be allocated; and

denying the resource request for the time increment if the portion of the resource cannot be allocated.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the quantity of usage is representative of one of electrical power usage, gas flow, number of central processing unit cycles, computer memory usage, and level of call volume.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the fixed resource comprises one of electrical power, natural gas, central processing unit cycles, computer memory, and call volume.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein a single parameter of the resource is monitored.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the provided amount of the fixed resource is allocated according to the selected mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the modes of operation comprise a daily mode, a monthly mode, and a peak mode.

13. An apparatus for allocating a fixed resource evenly over time in predetermined increments, said apparatus comprising:

at least one fixed resource;

evaluation system having an input for receiving a resource request, and having an output for outputting a control signal indicative of the resource request;

operational mode system operatively connected to the evaluation system, and having an output for outputting mode parameter that is indicative of one of at least one mode of operation of the apparatus;

monitoring system having an input for receiving at least one use parameter associated with use of the fixed resource, and having an output for outputting output data indicative of the use of the fixed resource; and

metering system having inputs operatively coupled to the evaluation system, the operational mode system, and the monitoring system, the monitoring system operatively coupled to the fixed resource for controlling allocation of the fixed resource as a function of the control signal, the mode parameter, and the output data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the fixed resource comprises one of electrical power, natural gas, central processing unit cycles, computer memory, and call volume.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the use parameter comprises one of electrical power usage, gas flow, number of central processing unit cycles, computer memory usage, and level of call volume.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of modes, and wherein the operational mode system sets a mode parameter that is indicative of one of the plurality of modes of operation of the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the modes of operation comprise a daily mode, a monthly mode, and a peak mode.

18. A method for allocating a fixed resource in a telecommunications network over time in predetermined time increments, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call request in a time increment and requesting FSs for new call;

obtaining a FS limit;

selecting a mode of operation;

monitoring usage of the FS;

calculating a quantity of usage of the FS;

determining if a portion of the FS can be allocated based on the calculated quantity of the FS;

granting the request for the time increment if the portion of the FS can be allocated; and

denying the request for the time increment if the portion of the FS can not be allocated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the provided amount of the fixed resource is allocated according to the selected mode of operation.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the modes of operation comprise a daily mode, a monthly mode, and a peak mode.