Computer network with microeconomic flow control
US6055571A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1997 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is disclosed a decentralized flow control technique based on microeconomics. In this framework, there are three important entities: switches, network brokers and users. Switches independently price their resources to provide flow control and to encourage high utilization. A network broker, located at the entrance of the network, works as an agent for a user, monitoring the budget, prices and needs. Using this information the network broker may purchase resources to maximize the user's quality of service. This approach has several advantages such as: decentralized control, minimal signaling, Pareto-optimal resource distribution, price stability and high network utilization.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.