Pricing mechanism for resource control in a communications network
US6728266B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 27, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L43/16
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In order to provide price information to customers quickly a fast reflector switch is used. This helps to ensure that price information provided to customers is as up-to-date as possible. To determine a price for use of a particular route in a communications network, the available resources at each node in that route are assessed. The most congested node in that route is selected and a price determined on the basis of the available capacity at that node. This price is then delivered to the customer via the fast reflector switch. In another example, the average amount of available resources at each node in the route is determined over a specified time period. The standard deviation of the resource level values at each node over the specified time period is also determined. A price is then set on the basis of the sum of the average amounts and the sum of the standard deviations. In this way a price which takes into account recent variation in traffic levels as well as average traffic levels is provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.