Method and Apparatus for Usage Estimation and Prediction in Two-Way Communication Networks

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and network oriented systems are discussed for estimating system, e.g. web site, usage removed from the web site, as well as scheduling and directing a data broadcast source to provide content based on web site usage estimates and predictions in a broadcast data stream.

1 . An apparatus for providing a usage estimate of a first network location, comprising:
 a counter for determining a count of hits by at least one network entity within a predetermined time-interval to create a hit-count within said time-interval for said first network location;   a module for estimating access to said first network location based upon said hit-count within said time-interval to create said usage estimate for said first network location; and   a transmitter for sending said usage estimate for said first network location to a second network location to provide a usage estimate from said first network location to said second network location.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said counter further comprising any of: a counter for determining a second count of hits by said network entity within a second predetermined time-interval; and a counter for determining a count pattern of hits at said network location based upon hit-counts within at least two time-intervals. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said counter further comprising: an interpolator for interpolating a hit-count pattern for said network location. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said interpolator comprises any of: means for interpolating said hit-count pattern using a time-varying orthogonal function basis, wherein said time-varying orthogonal function basis includes at least one member of the collection comprising linear time-varying functions, polynomial time-varying functions, and exponential time-varying functions; means for interpolating said hit-count pattern using a time-varying wavelet function basis; and means for interpolating said hit-count pattern using a finite-difference scheme. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: an integrator for integrating said network location access estimate to create an integrated network location access estimate. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , said integrater further comprising:
 a counter associated with said second network location for determining a hit-count within said first time-interval to create a hit-count within said first time-interval for said first network location at said second network location; and   a module for estimating access to said first network location based upon said hit-count within said first time-interval to create an integrated access estimate for said first network location at said second network location.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a mechanism at said first network location for sending said usage estimate for said first network location to a scheduling location to create a usage estimate for said first network location at said scheduling location; and
 a mechanism at said second network location for sending said integrated usage estimate for said first network location to said scheduling location to create said node usage estimate for said first network location at said scheduling location. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising any of:
 a scheduler associated with said scheduling location that uses said usage estimate for said first network location to schedule the addition of content associated with said first network location to a broadcast stream; and   a scheduler associated with said scheduling location that uses said usage estimate for said first network location to schedule the removal of content associated with said first network location from said broadcast stream.   
     
     
         9 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for creating a usage estimate of a first network location, comprising the steps of:
 providing a counter for determining a hit-count reflecting access to said first network location within a predetermined time-interval;   estimating said access to said first network location based upon said hit-count during said predetermined time-interval; and   sending said usage estimate to a second network location to provide usage estimate for said first network location at said second network location; wherein said first network location is distinctly addressed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a second hit-count within a second predetermined time-intervals.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising of the step of:
 interpolating a hit-count pattern for said first network location.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising any of the steps of:
 interpolating said hit-count pattern using a time-varying orthogonal function basis, wherein said time-varying orthogonal function basis includes at least one member of the collection comprising: linear time-varying functions, polynomial time-varying functions, and exponential time-varying functions;   interpolating said hit-count pattern using a time-varying wavelet function basis; and   interpolating said hit-count pattern using a finite-difference scheme.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a hit-count within said predetermined time-interval for said first network location at said second network location; and   estimating said usage of said first network location based upon said hit-count to create a usage estimate for said first network location at said second network location.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 sending said usage estimate to a scheduling location to create a usage estimate for said first network location at said scheduling location; and   said second network location sending an integrated usage estimate to said scheduling location to create said node usage estimate.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 said scheduling location using said usage estimate to schedule the addition of content associated with said first network location to a broadcast stream; and   said scheduling location using said usage estimate to schedule the removal of said content from said broadcast stream.   
     
     
         22 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A network node providing at least a usage estimate of at least one content location, comprising:
 means for determining at least one hit-count by at least one client within a first of a time-interval to create a hit-count within said first time-interval for said content location; and   means for estimating said usage of said content location based upon said hit-count within said first time-interval to create said usage estimate.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said means for determining said hit-count is further comprised at least one of the following:
 means for determining a second of said hit-counts within a second of said time-intervals for at least a second of said time-intervals;   means for determining a hit-count for at least two of said content locations; and   means for determining a hit-count pattern based upon said hit-counts within at least two time-interval collection members, for at least one of said content locations.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said means for determining said hit-count pattern is further comprised of: means for interpolating said hit-count pattern based upon at least two of said hit collection members for said content location. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of said means for interpolating said hit-count pattern is comprised of:
 means for interpolating said hit-count pattern based upon at least three of said hit collection members for said content location.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said means for interpolating said hit-count pattern for said URL is comprised of any of:
 means for interpolating said hit-count pattern based upon said at least two hit collection members for said content location using a time-varying orthogonal function basis;   means for interpolating said hit-count pattern based upon said at least two hit collection members for said content location using a time-varying wavelet function basis; and   means for interpolating said hit-count pattern based upon said at least two hit collection members for said content location using a finite-difference scheme.   
     
     
         31 - 73 . (canceled)