METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING BANDWIDTH BY A BROADBAND GATEWAY
Aspects of a method and system for managing bandwidth by a broadband gateway are provided. In this regard, broadband gateway may, upon receiving a request for content from a user of the communication device, present, via a graphical user interface, a message that offers a benefit to the user in exchange for deferring consumption of the content until a later time. The gateway may then deliver the content to the communication device at a time determined by a response to the message received from the communication device. The message may provide several times at which the content may be delivered and a corresponding benefit available for each of the times. The times may correspond to times at which it is expected there will be less traffic in the network over which the content is to be delivered.
1 . A method for networking, the method comprising:
in a broadband gateway that enables communication with a plurality of communication devices, wherein said broadband gateway is operable to handle at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider:
upon receiving a request for content from a user of one of said communication devices,
presenting a message that offers a benefit to said user in exchange for deferring consumption of said content until a later time; and
delivering said content to said one of said one or more communication devices at a time determined by a response to said message received from said one of said one or more communication devices.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one physical layer connection comprises a plurality of physical layer connections and said at least one corresponding network access service provider comprises a plurality of corresponding access service providers, and wherein each of said plurality of physical layer connections corresponds to a respective one of said plurality of corresponding access service providers.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising presenting said message after determining current and/or historical usage of a network over which said content is to be delivered.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said message provides several times at which said content may be delivered and a corresponding benefit available for each of said times.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said times correspond to times at which it is expected there will be less traffic in said network over which said content is to be delivered.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said benefit comprises a credit to a subscriber account associated with said broadband gateway.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said credit is redeemable for free or discounted services and/or content.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said credit is redeemable for access to other content before said other content is available via other broadband gateways.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said benefit is a monetary amount added to a subscriber account associated with said broadband gateway.
10 . The method of claim 1 , comprising, in instances that delivery of said content is deferred, downloading said content to local storage at a time or times that historically correspond to periods of relatively light traffic in a network via which said content is to be downloaded.
11 . A system for networking, the system comprising:
one or more circuits for use in a broadband gateway that enables communication with a plurality of communication devices, said one or more circuits being operable to:
handle at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider; and
upon receiving a request for content from a user of one of said communication devices,
present a message that offers a benefit to said user in exchange for deferring consumption of said content until a later time; and
deliver said content to said one of said one or more communication devices at a time determined by a response to said message received from said one of said one or more communication devices.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one physical layer connection comprises a plurality of physical layer connections and said at least one corresponding network access service provider comprises a plurality of corresponding access service providers, and wherein each of said plurality of physical layer connections corresponds to a respective one of said plurality of corresponding access service providers.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to present said message after determining current and/or historical usage of a network over which said content is to be delivered.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said message provides several times at which said content may be delivered and a corresponding benefit available for each of said times.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein said times correspond to times at which it is expected there will be less traffic in said network over which said content is to be delivered.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said benefit comprises a credit to a subscriber account associated with said broadband gateway.
17 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said credit is redeemable for free or discounted services and/or content.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein said credit is redeemable for access to other content before said other content is available via other broadband gateways.
19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said benefit is a monetary amount added to a subscriber account associated with said broadband gateway.
20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to, in instances that delivery of said content is deferred, download said content to local storage at a time or times that historically correspond to periods of relatively light traffic in a network via which said content is to be downloaded.