Method and System for Providing Bandwidth Allocation and Sharing in a Hybrid Wired/Wireless Network

Abstract

A method for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) includes reserving bandwidth for a network device. The reserving of the bandwidth is based, at least in part, on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid LAN. The hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and/or bandwidth allocation within the hybrid LAN. In response to a communication session associated with the network device, at least a portion of the reserved bandwidth may be allocated for use by the network device. The at least a portion of the reserved bandwidth may be used during the communication session. A request for bandwidth may be received by one or both of the network device and/or a second network device.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) implemented by one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof and comprising the steps of:
 reserving bandwidth for a network device based at least in part on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the device hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN; and   in response to initiation of a communication session associated with the network device, allocating a portion of the reserved bandwidth for use by the network device during the communication session.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and the method further comprises the step of receiving a request for bandwidth from one or both of the first network device and a second network device associated with the communication session. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the reserving comprises reserving the bandwidth based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein reserving bandwidth is based at least on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , further comprising the step of identifying the device type and the priority of the device type prior to reserving bandwidth. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message; and   utilizing the bandwidth information for allocating the portion of the reserved bandwidth.   
     
     
         35 . A method for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) implemented by one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof and comprising the steps of, the method comprising the steps of:
 reserving a bandwidth for a first network device based at least in part on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the device hierarchy is utilized for one or more of a bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and a bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN; and   in response to detecting a communication session associated with the first network device, allocating at least a portion of the reserved bandwidth for use by the first network device during the communication session, wherein either the first network device or a second network device utilizes an unused remaining portion of the bandwidth.   
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to:
 reserve a bandwidth for a network device based at least in part on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN;   detect a communication session associated with the network device; and   allocate at least a portion of the bandwidth for use by the network device during the communication session in response detecting the communication session associated with the network device.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 36 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and the program further causes the processing circuitry to obtain a request for the bandwidth by one or both of the first network device or a second network device associated with the communication session. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 36 , wherein the bandwidth is based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 38 , wherein the bandwidth is based on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 39 , wherein the program further causes the processing circuitry to identify the device type and the priority of the device type prior to causing the processing circuitry to reserve the bandwidth. 
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 36 , wherein the program further causes the processing circuitry to:
 obtain bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message; and   allocate the bandwidth based at least in part on the bandwidth information.   
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to:
 reserve bandwidth for a first network device based, at least in part, on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the device hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN;   allocate at least a portion of the reserved bandwidth for use by the first network device for use during a communication session between the first network device and a second network device in response to a detection of the communication session by the processing circuitry, wherein either the first network device or the second network device utilizes an unused portion of the bandwidth.   
     
     
         43 . A system for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) and comprising one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof for use in a network device and configured to:
 reserve a bandwidth for network device based at least in part on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the device hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN; and   allocate, upon initiation of a communication session or during a the communication session involving the network device, at least a portion of the bandwidth for use by the network device in the communication session.   
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to receive a request for bandwidth by one or both of the first network device and a second network device. 
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the reserving comprises reserving the bandwidth based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the reserving the bandwidth is reserved based on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 46 , wherein the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to identify the device type and the priority of the device type prior to reservation of the bandwidth. 
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 45 , wherein the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to:
 receive a bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message; and   allocate the bandwidth based on the bandwidth information.   
     
     
         49 . A system for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) and comprising one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof for use in a first network device and configured to:
 reserve a bandwidth for the first network device based, at least in part, on a device hierarchy established within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN, wherein the device hierarchy is utilized for one or more of bandwidth reservation, bandwidth sharing, and bandwidth allocation within the hybrid wired/wireless LAN; and   allocate at least a portion of the bandwidth for use by the first network device in response to detection of participation of the first network device in a communication session, wherein either the first network device or a second network device utilizes an unused remaining portion of the bandwidth.   
     
     
         50 . A method, implemented by one or more processors, one or more circuits, or any combination thereof, for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN), the method comprising the steps of:
 allocating a portion of a bandwidth previously reserved for use by a network device in a first communication session in response to detecting participation of the network device in the first communication session; and   allocating an unused, remaining portion of the bandwidth to the network device during a second communication session.   
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 50 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and further comprising the step of receiving a request for the bandwidth by one or both of the first network device and a second network device. 
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein one or both of the first network device and the second network device utilize the unused, remaining portion of the bandwidth. 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 50 , wherein allocating comprises allocating the portion of the bandwidth and the unused, remaining portion of the bandwidth upon one or both of an initiation of the first communication session and during the first communication session. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 50 , further comprising the step of reserving the bandwidth based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 54 , wherein the step of reserving the bandwidth is based on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 55 , comprising further comprising the step of identifying the device type and the priority of the device type prior to the step of reserving the bandwidth. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 50 , further comprising the step of receiving a bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message, wherein allocating a portion of a bandwidth is based at least in part on the bandwidth information. 
     
     
         58 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to:
 allocate a first portion of a bandwidth reserved for use by a network device in response to identifying a communication session involving the network device; and   allocate a second portion of the bandwidth reserved for use by a network device in response to identifying a second communication session involving the network device, wherein the second portion of the bandwidth is not in use by the network device.   
     
     
         59 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 58 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and the program further causes the processing circuitry to receive a request for the bandwidth by one or both of the first network device and a second network device. 
     
     
         60 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 59 , wherein one or both of the first network device and the second network device utilize the second portion of the bandwidth. 
     
     
         61 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 58 , wherein identifying a communication session comprises identifying an initiation of the communication session and identifying the communication session while the communication session is in progress. 
     
     
         62 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 58 , wherein the program further causes the processing circuitry to reserve the bandwidth based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         63 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 62 , wherein the bandwidth is reserved based on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         64 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 63 , wherein the program further causes the processing circuitry to identify the device type and the priority of the device type prior to causing the processing circuitry to reserve the bandwidth. 
     
     
         65 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 58 , wherein the program further causes the processing circuitry to:
 receive a bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message;   allocate the first portion of the bandwidth based on the bandwidth information; and   allocate the second portion of the bandwidth based on the bandwidth information.   
     
     
         66 . A system for managing resources in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network (LAN) and comprising one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof for use in a first network device and configured to:
 allocate a first portion of a bandwidth reserved for use by a network device in a first communication session in response to an identification of the communication session; and   allocate a second portion of the bandwidth to the network device for use during a second communication session.   
     
     
         67 . The system according to  claim 66 , wherein the network device comprises a first network device and the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to receive a request for the bandwidth by one or both of the first network device and a second network device. 
     
     
         68 . The system according to  claim 67 , wherein one or both of the first network device and the second network device utilize the second portion of the bandwidth. 
     
     
         69 . The system according to  claim 66 , wherein the first portion of the bandwidth is allocated upon one or both of an initiation of the first communication session and during the first communication session; and
 wherein the second portion of the bandwidth is allocated upon one or both of a respective initiation of the second communication session and during the second communication session.   
     
     
         70 . The system according to  claim 66 , wherein the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to reserve the bandwidth based on a device type of the network device. 
     
     
         71 . The system according to  claim 70 , wherein the bandwidth is reserved based on a priority assigned to the device type. 
     
     
         72 . The system according to  claim 71 , wherein the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured to identify the device type and the priority of the device type prior to a reservation of the bandwidth. 
     
     
         73 . The system according to  claim 66 , wherein the one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof are further configured:
 to receive a bandwidth information associated with the network device from one or more of a bandwidth management process, a quality of service management process, a load balancing management process, a session control process, and a network management process using at least one messaging protocol message; and   allocate the bandwidth based at least in part on the bandwidth information.