Grade of service and fairness policy for bandwidth reservation system

Abstract

A scheme and a method for assigning priority levels to users based upon a history of their request for access to the resources is disclosed. If a user has, over a historical period of time, made fewer demands than a stated amount, that user is given a higher priority than a user who has made greater use of the resources than their stated amount. Thus, users making the heaviest demand on the available resources are allocated fewer resources despite their demand, whereas users that make less demands for the resources are granted more of the resources they request.

1 . A method for providing multiple grades of service in a code division multiple access base station, comprising:
 identifying a demand for resources of a base station, on a condition that the demand exceeds a predetermined threshold;   identifying a priority level of a user requesting allocation of bandwidth for transmitting data information to a base station depending on whether a previous historical usage of resources by that user exceeds a predetermined threshold, such that:
 on a condition that the previous historical usage by the user is higher than the threshold, the user is assigned a lower priority level for transmitting data information, the lower priority level entitling the user to use of fewer channels than otherwise allowed when a high priority level is assigned; and 
 on a condition that the previous historical usage by the user is lower than the threshold, the user is assigned a higher priority level for transmitting data information, the high priority level entitling the user to use of more channels than otherwise allowed when a lower priority level is assigned; 
   reserving bandwidth for users at the lowest priority levels and creating a lowest priority queue to allow at least some access for users with the lowest priority; and   allocating bandwidth to a user depending upon the corresponding priority level so identified on a condition that the resources requested of the base station exceeds the predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the priority level for transmitting data defines a maximum continuous allocation of resources entitled to transmit data information to the base station. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 detecting whether a time limit for allocated channels has been exceeded for a continuous transmission of data based on a corresponding priority level of the user and further comprising: 
 discontinuing a data transfer by the user; 
 deallocating use of previously assigned channels; and 
 decreasing the priority level of a user to a lower priority level, the lower priority level entitling the user to use of fewer channels than otherwise allowed when a higher priority level is assigned. 
 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein a user is allocated resources depending on a cumulative amount of data information previously transferred from the user to the base station. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the threshold defines a cumulative amount of data information that a user can transmit over a specified period of time without being assigned to a lower priority level. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the threshold varies over time. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the previous historical usage of resources is determined by comparing usage over a period of at least several past days. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for providing multiple grades of service, comprising:
 a processor that determines a demand for resources of a base station exceeding a predetermined threshold;   a processor that identifies a priority level of a user requesting allocation of bandwidth for transmitting data information to the base station depending on whether a previous historical usage of resources by that user exceeds a predetermined threshold, such that:   on a condition that the previous historical usage by the user is higher than the threshold, the processor assigning the user of a lower priority level for transmitting data information, the lower priority level entitling the user to use of fewer channels than otherwise allowed when a higher priority level is assigned; and   on a condition that the previous historical usage by the user is lower than the threshold, the processor assigning the user a higher priority level for transmitting data information, the higher priority level entitling the user to use of more channels than otherwise allowed when a lower priority level is assigned;   the processor reserving bandwidth for users at the lowest priority levels and creating a lowest priority queue to allow at least some access to users with the lowest priority; and   the processor allocating bandwidth to a user depending upon the corresponding priority level so identified on a condition that the resources requested of the base station exceeds the predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the priority level for transmitting data defines a maximum continuous allocation of resources entitled to the user to transmit data information to the base station over multiple assigned traffic channels. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as in  claim 8  wherein:
 the processor detects whether a time limit for allocated channels has been exceeded for a continuous transmission of data based on a corresponding priority level of the user and: 
 the processor discontinues a data transfer by the user; 
 the processor deallocates use of previously assigned channels; and 
 the processor decreases the priority level of a user to a lower priority level, the lower priority entitling the user to use of fewer channels than otherwise allowed when a higher priority level is assigned. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as in  claim 9 , wherein the processor allocates resources to a user depending on a cumulative amount of data information previously transferred to the base station. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as in  claim 9 , wherein the threshold defines a cumulative amount of data information that a user can transmit over a specified period of time without being assigned to a lower priority level. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as in  claim 10 , wherein the threshold varies over time. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as in  claim 10 , wherein the processor determines the previous historical usage of resources by comparing usage over a period of at least several past days.