System and method for communicating using bandwidth on demand
A system and method for dynamically changing the quality of service (QoS) for a subscriber of a cellular radio system. Bandwidth-on-Demand (BoD) enables the subscriber to dynamically switch to higher bandwidth and to enable a higher throughput. This may be for a limited time or amount of data, for example. The initiation may be by the subscriber, carrier, sponsor, or automatically by an application. The QoS increase may be dynamically priced in a kind of auction. The wireless device may contact the policy servers of a multiple network operator (MNO), which in turn contacts the Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server in the MNO's core network. The policy server contacts the scheduler on the serving basestation which then determines whether to allocate more resources (i.e. bandwidth in the form of subcarriers, resource blocks, resource elements, timeslots) to the subscriber. The initiation may start a timer or data counter.
1. A method for dynamically changing the level of quality of service (QoS) for a communication by a user of a cellular radio system, comprising:
requesting an increase in a level of quality of service for the communication from a normal level encompassing usage of bandwidth within a first cellular communication band;
authenticating the request;
determining availability of an increased level of quality of service for the communication representing available bandwidth within a second cellular communication band;
initiating the increase in the level of quality of service for the communication by modifying a communication protocol of a cellular radio system to concurrently use bandwidth within the first cellular communication band and the bandwidth within the second cellular communication band;
metering the usage of the increased level of quality of service;
automatically charging an account by producing at least one signal with an automated processor for the usage of the increased level of quality of service;
determining a metering threshold; and
upon exceeding the metering threshold, reverting the level of quality of service for the communication to the normal level of quality of service or recommencing at least the metering, charging and determining.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requesting is initiated by a user.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requesting is initiated by a cellular carrier.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requesting is initiated by a sponsor.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requesting is initiated by an application program executing on a cellular handset.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the normal level of quality of service for the communication within the first cellular communication band employs an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signal, and the increase in level of quality of service comprises employing at least two distinct orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals in separate bands.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the increase in level of quality of service comprises an increase in available bandwidth in a plurality of communication bands, wherein the bands are adjacent bands, separated by a guard band.
8. The method according to claim 1 , said determining comprises communicating between a central policy server and a cell site server.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said metering comprises timing a duration of an increased level of quality of service.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said metering comprises determining a quantity of data communicated.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said metering comprises determining a statistical measure of quality of service.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said charging comprises charging a predetermined fixed amount for an increment of increased level of quality of service.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said charging comprises charging a variable amount for an incremental increase of level of quality of service.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said charging comprises charging a competitively determined amount for an incremental increase of level of quality of service.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said charging comprises charging an amount for an incremental increase of level of quality of service determined based on an auction.
16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises determining expiration of a timer.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein upon exceeding the metering threshold, the level of quality of service reverts to the normal level.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein upon exceeding the metering threshold, at least the metering, charging and determining are recommenced.
19. A processor for dynamically changing the quality of service (QoS) for a user of a cellular radio system, comprising:
an input port configured to receive a request for an increase in quality of service from a normal level;
at least one processor configured to authenticate the request, define a metering threshold and upon exceeding the metering threshold, to deauthorize the request, and to charge an account for the usage of the increased quality of service by the user; and
an output port configured to query a transceiver control server to determine availability of an increased quality of service for the user over a normal quality of service level employing communications within a single cellular radio system communication band, to an enhanced quality of service level employing concurrent communications within at least two cellular radio system communication bands, and if available to initiate the increase in the quality of service for the user of the cellular radio system and meter the usage of the increased quality of service by the user.
20. A method for dynamically changing the level of quality of service (QoS) for a communication by a user of a cellular radio system, comprising:
determining a need for an increase in a bandwidth-dependent quality of service level for a user of the cellular radio system from a first quality of service level comprising communications within at least one cellular communication band to a higher second quality of service level comprising communications over the at least one cellular communication band and at least one additional cellular communication band;
determining availability of an increase in the quality of service for the user of the cellular radio system from the first quality of service level to the higher second quality of service level;
initiating the increase in the quality of service for the user of the cellular radio system by concurrently communicating, with the cellular radio system, portions of the communication over both the at least one cellular communication band and at least one additional cellular communication band;
charging an account for a metered amount of quantitative usage of the increase in the quality of service provided to the user of the cellular radio system; and
upon exceeding the metered amount of increase in the quality of service provided to the user of the cellular radio system, at least one of:
returning to the first quality of service, and
initiating and charging for a further metered amount of quantitative usage of the increase in the quality of service, if determined to be available.