Method and apparatus for assessing traffic load of a communication network
An approach is provided for obtaining load of a terminal operating in a communication system. A query is transmitted for a cumulative load of the terminal, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level. The cumulative load for the terminal is determined based on load information supplied by the terminal and bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system. The determined cumulative load is provided in response to the query. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network that provides data communication services.
1. A method for determining load of a terminal operating in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving load information from the terminal during a frame transmission, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level;
determining bandwidth allocation information associated with the frame transmission; and
determining a cumulative load for the terminal based on the load information and the bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system,
wherein the cumulative load, CBL k , is determined according to:
CBL k =CBL k-1 +|BL k −( BL k-1 −BW k )| + ,
where,
|x| + ={ 0 if x≦0. x if x>0,
BL k is the load information, and BW k is the bandwidth allocation.
2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a total of cumulative loads for each of the terminals in the group.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the communication system is a satellite network, and the communication channel is a return channel.
4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a billing file that includes the determined cumulative load.
5. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions for providing load balancing in a communication system including a plurality of terminals, the instructions, being arranged, upon execution, to cause one or more processors to perform:
receiving load information from the terminal during a frame transmission, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level;
determining bandwidth allocation information associated with the frame transmission; and
determining a cumulative load for the terminal based on the load information and the bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system,
wherein the cumulative load, CBL k , is determined according to:
C
B
L
k
=
C
B
L
k
-
1
+
B
L
k
-
(
B
L
k
-
1
-
B
W
k
)
+
,
where,
x
+
=
{
x
if
x
>
0
,
0
if
x
≤
0.
BL k is the load information, and BW k is the bandwidth allocation.
6. An apparatus for determining load of a terminal operating in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:
a processing module configured to receive load information from the terminal during a frame transmission, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level, the processing module being further configured to determine bandwidth allocation information associated with the frame transmission,
wherein the processing module is further configured to determine a cumulative load for the terminal based on the load information and the bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system,
wherein the cumulative load, CBL k , is determined according to:
C
B
L
k
=
C
B
L
k
-
1
+
B
L
k
-
(
B
L
k
-
1
-
B
W
k
)
+
,
where,
x
+
=
{
x
if
x
>
0
,
0
if
x
≤
0.
BL k is the load information, and BW k is the bandwidth allocation.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the processing module is further configured to determine a total of cumulative loads for each of the terminals in the group.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the communication system is a satellite network.
9. An apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a billing module configured to generate a billing file that includes the determined cumulative load.
10. A method for obtaining load of a terminal operating in a communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting a query for a cumulative load of the terminal, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level; and
determining a cumulative load for the terminal based on load information supplied by the terminal and bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system; and
providing the determined cumulative load in response to the query,
wherein the cumulative load, CBL k , is determined according to:
C
B
L
k
=
C
B
L
k
-
1
+
B
L
k
-
(
B
L
k
-
1
-
B
W
k
)
+
,
where,
x
+
=
{
x
if
x
>
0
,
0
if
x
≤
0.
BL k is the load information, and BW k is the bandwidth allocation.
11. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a total of cumulative loads for each of the terminals in the group.
12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the communication system is a satellite network, and the communication channel is a return channel.
13. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
generating a billing file that includes the determined cumulative load.
14. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions for providing load balancing in a communication system including a plurality of terminals, the instructions, being arranged, upon execution, to cause one or more processors to perform:
transmitting a query for a cumulative load of the terminal, wherein the terminal belongs to a group of terminals having a common service level; and
determining a cumulative load for the terminal based on load information supplied by the terminal and bandwidth allocation information, wherein the cumulative load represents a total amount of data sent over a communication channel of the communication system; and
providing the determined cumulative load in response to the query,
wherein the cumulative load, CBL k , is determined according to:
C
B
L
k
=
C
B
L
k
-
1
+
B
L
k
-
(
B
L
k
-
1
-
B
W
k
)
+
,
where,
x
+
=
{
x
if
x
>
0
,
0
if
x
≤
0.
BL k is the load information, and BW k is the bandwidth allocation.