System and method for network sharing between public safety users and commercial users

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for sharing public safety network resources between public safety devices and commercial devices. A request for network resources is received from a commercial device for an application running on the commercial device. It is determined that the request is for a first type of traffic that is tolerant to time delays caused by resource fluctuations. Resources are allocated from a public safety network instead of resources from a commercial network, so that the commercial device can use resources from the public safety network.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A computerized method for allocating resources associated with a first network to a user device associated with a second network, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device associated with the second network, a request from the user device for network resources associated with an application running on the user device;   determining, by the computing device, that the request is for a first type of network traffic; and   in response to the determination, allocating, by the computing device and for the user device, network resources associated with the first network.   
     
     
         20 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , wherein the request from the user device is a first request, the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the computing device, a second request for network resources from the user device;   determining, by the computing device, that the second request is for a second type of network traffic for a second application running on the user device; and   allocating, by the computing device and for the user device, network resources associated with the second network.   
     
     
         21 . The computerized method of  claim 20 , further comprising determining that the second request is for voice data. 
     
     
         22 . The computerized method of  claim 20 , further comprising transmitting a response to the user device to configure the user device to:
 use a first air interface to send data associated with the first request; and   use a second air interface to send data associated with the second request, wherein each of the first and second air interfaces are configured to operate on different networks.   
     
     
         23 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for network resources associated with the first network for data traffic by a plurality of user devices; and   distributing network resources associated with the first network between the user device and each of the plurality of user devices according to a plurality of priority rules that provide priority to data traffic based on a user type and a data type.   
     
     
         24 . The computerized method of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the priority rules includes increasing resource use for high priority traffic and decreasing resource use for low priority traffic when a predetermined event occurs. 
     
     
         25 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , wherein the first network is a public safety network, the second network is a commercial network, and the user device is a commercial device. 
     
     
         26 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , wherein the request is generated by the user device based on a utility function of the application running on the user device. 
     
     
         27 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , wherein the first type of traffic is tolerant to time delays. 
     
     
         28 . The computerized method of  claim 19 , wherein the first network is a commercial network, the second network is a public safety network, and the user device is a public safety device. 
     
     
         29 . A computerized system for allocating resources associated with a first network to a user device associated with a second network, comprising:
 a processor configured to run a module stored in memory that is configured to cause the processor to:   receive a request from the user device for network resources associated with an application running on the user device;   determine that the request is for a first type of network traffic; and   in response to the determination, allocate for the user device network resources associated with the first network.   
     
     
         30 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the request from the user device is a first request, and wherein the module stored in memory is further configured to cause the processor to:
 receive a second request for network resources from the user device;   determine that the second request is for a second type of network traffic for a second application running on the user device; and   allocate network resources associated with the second network.   
     
     
         31 . The computerized system of  claim 30 , wherein the module stored in memory is further configured to cause the processor to determine that the second request is for voice data. 
     
     
         32 . The computerized system of  claim 30 , wherein the module stored in memory is further configured to cause the processor to transmit a response to the user device to configure the user device to:
 use a first air interface to send data associated with the request; and   use a second air interface to send data associated with the second request, wherein each of the first and second air interfaces configured to operate on different networks.   
     
     
         33 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the module stored in memory that is further configured to cause the processor to:
 receive a request for network resources associated with the first network for data traffic by a plurality of user devices; and   distribute network resources associated with the first network between the user device and each of the plurality of user devices according to a plurality of priority rules that provide priority to data traffic based on a user type and a data type.   
     
     
         34 . The computerized system of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the priority rules includes increasing resource use for high priority traffic and decreasing resource use for low priority traffic when a predetermined event occurs. 
     
     
         35 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the first network is a public safety network, the second network is a commercial network, and the user device is a commercial device. 
     
     
         36 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the request is generated by the user device based on a utility function of the application running on the user device. 
     
     
         37 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the first type of traffic is tolerant to time delays. 
     
     
         38 . The computerized system of  claim 29 , wherein the first network is a commercial network, the second network is a public safety network, and the user device is a public safety device. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions operable to cause an apparatus to:
 receive a request from a user device for network resources associated with an application running on the user device, wherein the user device is associated with a second network;   determine that the request is for a first type of network traffic; and   in response to the determination, allocate for the user device network resources associated with a first network.   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , the request from the user device is a first request, and wherein the instructions are operable to cause an apparatus to:
 receive a second request for network resources from the user device;   determine that the second request is for a second type of network traffic for a second application running on the user device; and   allocate network resources associated with the second network.   
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions are operable to cause the apparatus to determine that the second request is for voice data. 
     
     
         42 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions are operable to cause the apparatus to transmit a response to the user device to configure the user device to:
 use a first air interface to send data associated with the request; and   use a second air interface to send data associated with the second request, wherein each of the first and second air interfaces configured to operate on different networks.   
     
     
         43 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the instructions are operable to cause the apparatus to:
 receive a request for network resources associated with the first network for data traffic by a plurality of user devices; and   distribute network resources associated with the first network between the user device and each of the plurality of user devices according to a plurality of priority rules that provide priority to data traffic based on a user type and a data type.   
     
     
         44 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of the priority rules includes increasing resource use for high priority traffic and decreasing resource use for low priority traffic when a predetermined event occurs. 
     
     
         45 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the first network is a public safety network, the second network is a commercial network, and the user device is a commercial device. 
     
     
         46 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the request is generated by the user device based on a utility function of the application running on the user device. 
     
     
         47 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the first type of traffic is tolerant to time delays. 
     
     
         48 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the first network is a commercial network, the second network is a public safety network, and the user device is a public safety device.