SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING BANDWIDTH ON DEMAND

• US 20070258361A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iridescent Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Iridescent Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: McEwen, Kathy
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time

Abstract

An improved system and method of providing bandwidth on demand for an end user and/or enterprise is disclosed. The method includes: sending a request from the user to a control system for a quality of connection service for a specific time limit and either a specific bandwidth or a codec type, wherein the request also includes a source address and a destination address, optional service type and optional video and/or voice codec negotiation; and determining whether the request will be approved or denied, wherein if the request is approved, reserving resources for a transmission of information of the specified bandwidth for the specified time from the source address to the destination address.

Claims

1. A method of providing bandwidth on demand to an end user, the method comprising:

sending a request for the user to a control system for a quality of connection service for a specific time limit and either a specific bandwidth or a codec type, wherein the request also includes a source address and a destination address; and

determining whether the request will be approved or denied, wherein if the request is approved, instructing a bearer platform, by the control system, in setting up dynamic bandwidth connections, wherein the bearer platform responds to controller designated bearer port and route selection decisions to deliver high quality and low latency bandwidth connections point-to-point and point-to-multipoint and wherein the bearer port is tightly controlled by a remote platform such that all ingress and agrees traffic bandwidth admission is managed by the remote platform; and

reserving resources for a transmission of information of the specified bandwidth, which is managed and monitored by the controller for the specified time from the source address to the destination address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request also includes at least one of the following:

a service type, a video code type and a voice codec type and wherein the codec type determines an amount of bandwidth required for the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is sent to a portal.

4. The method of claim 3 further including instructing the portal by a controller.

5. The method of claim 4 further including a plurality of portals.

6. The method of claim 4 further including connecting a plurality of I/O ports to a signaling/security function to a message distribution function that handles distributing all control signaling to a subscriber data function, a session management function, billing function and a routing/bandwidth admission and quality assurance management function.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the portal includes I/O ports on line cards for the bearer connections, a switching matrix and a portal connectivity processing element.

8. The method of claim 4 further including interconnecting a content services device to the controller and the portal.

9. The method of claim 4 further including interconnecting back-office provisioning, billing and element management systems to the controller and portal.

10. A method of providing bandwidth on demand to an end user, the method comprising:

sending a request for the user to a control system for a quality of connection service for a specific time limit and either a specific bandwidth or a codec type, to be determined by the user upon termination, wherein the request also includes a source address and a destination address;

instructing a bearer platform, by the control system, in setting up dynamic bandwidth connections, wherein the bearer platform makes a bearer port and route selection decisions to deliver high quality and low latency bandwidth connections point-to-point and point-to-multipoint and wherein the bearer port is tightly controlled by a remote platform such that all ingress and agrees traffic bandwidth admission is managed by the remote platform; and

determining whether the request will be approved or denied, wherein if the request is approved, reserving resources for a transmission of information of the specified bandwidth for the specified quality from the source address to the destination address, until either the user or the network owner determines to terminate the connection in real-time, upon which real-time billing records may be generated recording available usage information or real-time intervention by a pre-paid billing solution.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the request also includes at least one of the following:

a service type, a video code type and a voice codec type and wherein the codec type determines an amount of bandwidth required for the user.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the control system includes a plurality of I/O ports connected to a signaling/security function to a message distribution function that handles distributing all control signaling to a subscriber data function, a session management function and a routing/bandwidth admission and quality assurance management function.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the bearer platform includes I/O ports on line cards for the bearer connections, a switching matrix and a portal connectivity processing element.

14. The method of claim 10 further including interconnecting a content services device to the controller and the portal.

15. The method of claim 10 further including interconnecting back-office provisioning, billing and element management systems to the control system and the bearer platform.

16. A method of providing bandwidth on demand to an end user, the method comprising:

sending a request for the user to a control system for a quality of connection service for a specific time limit and either a specific bandwidth or a codec type, wherein the request also includes a source address and a destination address, wherein the control system includes a controller and a portal; and

determining whether the request will be approved or denied, wherein if the request is approved, reserving resources for a transmission of information of the specified bandwidth for the specified time from the source address to the destination address.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the request also includes at least one of the following:

a service type, a video code type and a voice codec type and wherein the codec type determines an amount of bandwidth required for the user.

18. The method of claim 16 further including connecting a plurality of I/O ports to a signaling/security function to a message distribution function that handles distributing all control signaling to a subscriber data function, a session management function and a routing/bandwidth admission and quality assurance management function.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the portal includes I/O ports on line cards for the bearer connections, a switching matrix and a portal connectivity processing element.

20. The method of claim 16 further including interconnecting a content services device to the controller and the portal.

21. The method of claim 16 further including interconnecting back-office provisioning, billing and element management systems to the controller and portal.