Systems and methods for dynamically allocating network bandwidth

• US 8,102,767 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Marcellin, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tung Q
• Application Number:
  US11/647,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-240
• US Class Current: 370/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• 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 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/765 triggered by the end-points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS

Abstract

An improved system for allocating bandwidth allows a network customer to dynamically modify bandwidth settings for their private networks. Applicable modified bandwidth settings may include port speed, committed access rate, and Ethernet flow. Port speed determines how much total data may pass through a node in a private network at one time, while committed access rate determines how much bandwidth the node will commit to a particular class of service. Ethernet flow governs the bandwidth allowed over a private line between two nodes. A bandwidth modification request is received by an input interface, which provides it to a processing server that schedules the modification request for committal. The processing server also changes customer billing information accordingly. Additionally, the user may specify a future time when the bandwidth modification request should be committed.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically allocating bandwidth across a network including a site that includes a plurality of nodes comprising:

an input interface configured to validate the identity of a network customer and receive a bandwidth modification request from the network customer when validated, wherein the bandwidth modification request identifies the site to which the bandwidth modification request applies, and wherein the input interface allows the network customer to request a change to port speed and committed access rate for the plurality of nodes associated with the site;

a processing server in communication with the input interface, the first node and the second node, wherein the processing server is configured to apply the bandwidth modification request to at least the first node, thereby committing the bandwidth modification request, and change billing information for the network customer in accordance with the bandwidth modification,

wherein the bandwidth modification request specifies a change to the committed access rate of a first class of service associated with the site, wherein the bandwidth modification request prioritizes the first class of service above a second class of service for the plurality of nodes by assigning more bandwidth to the first class of service than to the second class of service, wherein the first and second classes of service are associated with the customer and the first and second classes represent different types of bandwidth usage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein bandwidth modification request includes a change to the port speed of the first node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first node and the second node form a private line within the network, and the bandwidth modification request includes a change to Ethernet flow over the private line.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing server is configured to schedule the bandwidth modification request to be committed at a future time, the future time being received from the network customer by the input interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input interface is configured to receive a second input from the network customer as a change to the bandwidth modification request prior to committal of the bandwidth modification request by the processing server, and wherein the input interface is configured to notify the processing server of the change to the bandwidth modification request.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein input interface is configured to:

send a list of uncommitted bandwidth modification requests to the network customer; and

receive from the network customer a communication scheduling at least one of the listed bandwidth modification requests for committal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the input interface is configured to send confirmation information to the network customer before the bandwidth modification request is committed by the processing server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the confirmation information includes at least one of:

a notification of a billing change; and

a notification of a potential conflict associated with the bandwidth change request.

9. A computer-implemented method for dynamically allocating bandwidth across a network including a site that includes at least a first node and a second node, the method comprising:

validating, via a processor, the identity of a network customer;

receiving, via an interface, a bandwidth modification request from the network customer, specifying a change to a port speed and a committed access rate for the site, wherein the change to the committed access rate applies to a first class of service associated with the first and second nodes of the site to prioritize the first class of service above a second class of service by assigning more bandwidth to the first class of service than to the second class of service, wherein both the first and second classes of service are associated with the customer and the first and second classes represent different types of bandwidth usage;

applying the bandwidth modification request to the first and second nodes, thereby committing the bandwidth modification request; and

changing, via the processor, billing information in association with the bandwidth modification.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein bandwidth modification request includes a change to the port speed of the first node.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first node and the second node form a private line within the network, and the bandwidth modification request includes a change to Ethernet flow over the private line.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bandwidth modification request is committed at a scheduled time, the scheduled time being a future time received from the network customer.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for allocating bandwidth across a network including a site comprising a plurality of nodes, the instructions, when executed by a processing unit, causing the processing unit to:

validate the identity of a network customer;

receive a bandwidth modification request from the network customer that specifies a change to port speed and committed access rate for the site, wherein the change to the committed access rate applies to a first class of service associated with the plurality of nodes to prioritize the first class of above a second class of service by assigning more bandwidth to the first class of service than to the second class of service, wherein both the first and second classes of service are associated with the customer and the first and second classes represent different types of bandwidth usage;

apply the bandwidth modification request to the plurality of nodes, thereby committing the bandwidth authorization request; and

change billing information in association with the bandwidth modification.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein bandwidth modification request includes a change to the port speed of a first node associated with the site.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the bandwidth modification request is committed at a scheduled time in the future, wherein the future time is selected by the network customer and received from the network customer as part of the bandwidth modification request.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the bandwidth modification request applies to a particular class of service selected from a plurality of classes of service.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first node and the second node form a private line within the network, and the bandwidth modification request includes a change to Ethernet flow over the private line.