User-preference-based DSL system
Operator-controlled implementations of user preferences are provided when feasible. User preference data is obtained by the operator and compared to operational characteristics and parameters of a communication system, such as a DSL system, to determine whether one or more of the user preferences can be implemented in the communication system. When implementation of a user preference would violate operational rules of the system, or where implementation would adversely affect system operation, the preference need not be implemented. However, when a user preference can be implemented in the system without causing problems, the operator can implement (or permit another party to implement) the user preference to effect the user's desires. The user preference data can be obtained directly from users (for example, by surveys and other direct user feedback) or can be obtained indirectly (for example, by constructing a Hidden Markov Model that shows user preferences). The operator may collect the user preference data from a user set (for example, a single user or a plurality of users). The user preference data can be compared to 2 or more performance metrics that can be adjusted, to the extent feasible, to implement the user preference data.
1. A method comprising:
operating a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system, the method limited to digital communication over existing telephone subscriber lines in accordance with defined operational characteristics and parameters;
determining an operational relationship between a first performance metric relating to the operation of the DSL system and a second performance metric relating to the operation of the DSL system;
collecting DSL customer data indicating a DSL customer's preferences for operation of a DSL service provided to the DSL customer via the DSL system, wherein the collected DSL customer data includes direct user information and indirect user information;
evaluating the DSL customer's preferences;
generating an operational parameter vector value to implement the DSL customer's preferences with regard to the first and second performance metrics in accordance with the defined operational characteristics and parameters of the DSL system; and
implementing the generated operational parameter vector value into the DSL system to adjust the DSL service provided to the DSL customer of the DSL system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
collecting the DSL customer data indicating the DSL customer's preferences for operation of the DSL service provided to the DSL customer via the DSL system comprises receiving DSL customer data indicating the DSL customer's preference for one of the first performance metric of the DSL system and the second performance metric of the DSL system, wherein an operational adjustment to the first performance metric effects a change in the second performance metric.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting the DSL customer data is based on at least one of the following:
conducting a user survey;
sending an email questionnaire;
obtaining user feedback via user calls;
using a web interface; or
obtaining direct user feedback.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting the DSL customer data comprises:
obtaining a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) representing a stochastic signal model that uses definable parameters to model complex behavior;
collecting operational data from the DSL system;
using the collected operational data to determine an HMM internal state; and
using the HMM internal state to derive the operational user preferences from the DSL customer data.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting the DSL customer data comprises:
determining a set of clusters corresponding to distinct user operational preferences, wherein the set of clusters comprises a first cluster;
collecting operational data from the DSL system;
assigning the DSL customer associated with the DSL customer data to the first cluster based on the collected operational data; and
generating the operational parameter vector value reflecting the DSL customer's preferences based on the assignment of the DSL customer to the first cluster.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting the DSL customer data comprises querying a database to obtain the DSL customer's preferences.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the DSL customer data comprises:
determining an operational parameter vector to be configured;
identifying a set of allowed vector values of the operational parameter vector, wherein each vector value in the set of allowed vector value complies with the defined operational characteristics and parameters constituting a defined operational space;
limiting the set of allowed vector values of the operational parameter vector to comply with the DSL customer's preferences; and
determining an optimization vector value of the operational parameter vector from within the limited set of allowed vector values that achieves a target performance level.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising retraining the DSL system prior to implementing the operational parameter vector value to adjust the DSL service provided to the DSL customer of the DSL system.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the DSL customer's preferences comprises:
collecting operational data of the DSL system; and
determining the feasibility of implementing one or more of the DSL customer's preferences reflected in the DSL customer data in light of the collected operational data of the DSL system.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein collecting operational data of the DSL system comprises at least one of the following:
applying a weighting factor to the collected operational data;
performing a sufficiency check on the collected operational data; and
performing a timeliness check on the collected operational data.
11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions store thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
operating a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system, the method limited to digital communication over existing telephone subscriber lines in accordance with defined operational characteristics and parameters;
determining an operational relationship between a first performance metric relating to the operation of the DSL system and a second performance metric relating to the operation of the DSL system;
collecting DSL customer data indicating a DSL customer's preferences for operation of a DSL service provided to a the DSL customer via the DSL system, wherein the collected DSL customer data includes direct user information and indirect user information;
evaluating the DSL customer's preferences;
generating an operational parameter vector value to implement the DSL customer's preferences with regard to the first and second performance metrics in accordance with the defined operational characteristics and parameters of the DSL system; and
implementing the generated operational parameter vector value into the DSL system to adjust the DSL service provided to the DSL customer of the DSL system.
12. A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system comprising:
an operator database defining one or more operational characteristics and parameters of the DSL system and an operational relationship between a first performance metric and a second performance metric; and
a controller to affect operation of the DSL system for a DSL service provided to a DSL customer via the DSL system, wherein operation of the DSL service is limited to digital communication over existing telephone subscriber lines associated with the DSL customer;
wherein the controller comprises:
a data collection unit to collect DSL customer data that indicates the DSL customer's preferences for operation of the DSL service provided to the DSL customer via the DSL system, wherein the collected DSL customer data includes direct user information and indirect user information;
an analysis unit coupled to the collection unit to evaluate the DSL customer's preferences;
a control signal generator to generate an operational parameter vector value to implement the DSL customer's preferences with regard to the first and second performance metrics in accordance with the defined one or more operational characteristics and parameters of the DSL system; and
wherein the controller is to send the control signals to the DSL system to adjust the DSL service provided to the DSL customer of the DSL system.
13. The controller of claim 12 wherein the data collection unit to collect the DSL customer data comprises the data collection unit to:
obtain a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) representing a stochastic signal model that uses definable parameters to model complex behavior;
collect operational data from the DSL system;
determine an HMM internal state from the collected operational data; and
derive the DSL customer's preferences for the DSL service provided to the DSL customer of the DSL system based on the HMM internal state.
14. The controller of claim 12 wherein the data collection unit is to:
determine a set of clusters corresponding to distinct operational user preferences, wherein the set of clusters comprises a first cluster;
collect operational data for the DSL system;
assign the DSL customer associated with the DSL customer data to the first cluster based on the collected operational data; and
generate the control signals implementing at least a portion of the DSL customer's preferences based on the assignment of the DSL customer to the first cluster.
15. The controller of claim 12 wherein the collection unit is to query a subscriber account database to obtain the DSL customer data.
16. The controller of claim 12 wherein the analysis unit is to:
determine an operational parameter vector to be configured;
identify a set of allowed values of the operational parameter vector, wherein each value in the set of allowed values complies with a set of operator rules;
limit the set of allowed values of the operational parameter vector to comply with the DSL customer's preferences; and
determine an optimization value of the operational parameter vector from within the limited set of allowed values that achieves a target performance level relative to the DSL customer's preferences.
17. The controller of claim 12 wherein the control signal generator is to send a retrain signal to the DSL system.
18. The controller of claim 17 wherein the control signal generator is to send a retrain signal to the DSL system only if a traffic level of the DSL system is below a threshold.
19. The controller of claim 12 wherein the data collection unit is to further collect operational data from the DSL system, and wherein the controller is to further perform at least one of the following:
apply a weighting factor to the collected operational data;
perform a sufficiency check on the collected operational data;
perform a timeliness check on the collected operational data;
apply a weighting factor to the DSL customer's preferences;
perform a sufficiency check on the DSL customer's preferences;
perform a timeliness check on the DSL customer's preferences;
apply a weighting factor to the collected operational data;
perform a sufficiency check on the collected operational data; or
perform a timeliness check on the collected operational data.
20. The controller of claim 12 further comprising the operator database.