System and method for controlling network demand via congestion pricing
US7284047B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/16
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for avoiding network congestion by measuring network load to adjust a rate at each source. The load (e.g., as a price value) is provided to network traffic sources, which adjust their flows based on a per-flow weight (willingness to pay). The load may be determined in-band by routers or out-of-band by an observer node. A load value (e.g., as a price) is increased or decreased based on the actual load or an estimate based on the actual load. The sources obtain the load value and control the output rates per flow based on each flow's associated weight (willingness to pay), e.g., as set by an administrator. Further, two classes of applications are enabled by allowing certain applications to ignore price.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.