User network control

Details User network control User network control

1999-07-15

2001-09-04

Chin, Wellington (Department: 2664)

Multiplex communications

Special services

Reexamination Certificate

active

06285660

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention is related to methods and apparatus for user network control.
2. Description of Related Art
Network management, such as for communication networks, are transparent to users. When a call is made, in a telephone network for example, the network automatically routes the call based on network administration policies determined by administrators to achieve a desired performance (e.g., reduce network congestion by distributing network traffic). As networks become more complex and with increasing number of traffic types (voice, video, text, data, etc.), managing network performance also becomes more difficult. Thus, new technology is needed to resolve the above difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a network control device and methods that incorporate user decisions into network management and controlling the network accordingly. The users are provided network information such as available bandwidth and special services that are available due to current network conditions, for example. The users may elect to communicate via one of the offered special services or choose to communicate using specific network parameters, i.e., bandwidth, end-to-end delay, transmission error rate, encryption, type of communication (e.g. voice, video, data), etc., in the form of a request. The network control device either responds to the request by providing the selected service or if network parameters are specified, by assessing current network conditions and determining whether the network can support the requested communication.
If the requested communication (either the offered special services or specified network parameters) is supportable, then the network control device may indicate to the user that fact and may also provide a corresponding cost estimate and/or other pertinent information. If the network cannot support the requested communication due to lack of bandwidth, for example, then the network control device may generate and send alternatives to the user. If the user selects one of the alternatives, or accepts the cost estimate for the original request, the network control device may issue appropriate commands to various network elements to commence the requested communication.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5175800 (1992-12-01), Gails et al.
patent: 5572674 (1996-11-01), Ernst

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