JP2003258889A - Method for reserving band width and time for information transmission in band ensured communication service, its communication system and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dynamically, speedily and reliably calculate a reservation band width and a reservation time optimal to a preferential condition designated by a user in a band ensured communication service. <P>SOLUTION: HGF equipment 3 (home communication equipment) decides the combination of the reservation band width and the reservation time optimal to specific provided information transfer requested from HTF equipment 4 (user equipment), and a communication charge for this combination. Based on the reservation band width and the reservation time and the communication charge for this combination, the HTF equipment 4 obtains the specific provided information from SPF equipment 1 (information-providing equipment) through SNF equipment 2 (transmission path providing equipment). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a band guarantee communication service for downloading provided information (contents, etc.) in a band guarantee type communication network in which a required bandwidth can be reserved for a required time (on-demand). The present invention relates to a method for reserving a bandwidth and time for information transmission, its communication system, and a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, TCI / IP (Transmission
In communication networks (Intranet, Internet, Extranet) under the control protocol / Internet Protocol environment, moving image information (for example, MPEG-2: Mov
ing Picture Experts Group-2) and audio information (for example,
VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol / ITU-T
/ H. A service for delivering a real-time stream (eg, H.323 protocol) is possible. In such real-time stream distribution, it is difficult to maintain a certain communication quality in a best-effort communication network sharing a communication band.

Due to such difficulties, the importance of securing a band in this type of communication network has been recognized. Therefore, communication services are provided by leased lines and guaranteed bandwidth. In general, bandwidth guaranteed communication services such as leased lines do not share the bandwidth, so a larger amount of traffic cannot be secured, resulting in a high cost communication fee system.
Many of the contracts are for a relatively long period of several months to several years. Therefore, it is not possible to meet the demand for cost reduction by the user, and consequently it is not possible to meet the effective use of bandwidth.

For this reason, there is a demand for a communication service that provides a required bandwidth for a general user who does not always need a fixed bandwidth, only for a required time (on demand). As a result, this is a communication service that can reserve a larger amount of traffic and reserve bandwidth and time that enables low-cost communication.

In such a bandwidth guaranteed communication service, when a bandwidth is reserved on demand, there is an optimum combination of the secured bandwidth and time according to the user's request.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the reserved bandwidth and the hourly unit price in on-demand. 12
In (a) and (b), the two carriers A and B have a non-linear relationship between the reserved bandwidth and the hourly unit price. In this case, the user request to download a file with a large amount of data such as moving image information is as follows.

(1) Want to finish download in the shortest time (time priority) (2) Want to finish download in the lowest communication charge (cost priority) Either of these, the bandwidth secured from the telecommunications carrier and The time will be different. (3) Furthermore, I want to finish downloading within XX yen by XX hours

[0008] Such user requests differ in bandwidth and time secured for a communication network operated by a telecommunications carrier to be used due to time priority and cost priority, and a certain amount (communication charge) and within a designated time. It is a complex condition of time and cost such as wanting to finish downloading. For this reason,
In order to find the optimum combination under the complex condition of time and cost, it is necessary to perform a complicated calculation in consideration of the communication charge system and the file size, and in some cases the usage time zone.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, in order to obtain the optimum combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time under the complex condition of the time and the cost requested by the user, a troublesome calculation is required, and the quick and quick calculation is required. However, there is a drawback in that it cannot be ensured, and as a result, a larger amount of traffic cannot be secured, resulting in a high-cost communication service.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above points, and in the band guarantee communication service, the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time corresponding to the composite condition of the time and the cost desired by the user can be calculated. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for reserving a bandwidth and time for information transmission in a bandwidth guaranteed communication service, a communication system for the same, and a program that enable dynamic, quick, and reliable operation.

Furthermore, the present invention makes it possible to always recalculate the optimum combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time from the transfer history information of the provided information, and reserve the bandwidth and the time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service. A method, a communication system therefor, and a program are provided.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the method for reserving the bandwidth and time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service of the present invention is such that the user communication side receives specific provision information from the information provision side. In order to obtain the required bandwidth and time through the transmission path provider and the in-home communication side, the user communication side requests the information providing side to provide information, and the information providing side sends the information to the user communication side. Returning the provided information list, the user communication side requesting the home communication side to transfer specific provided information in the provided information list, and the specific communication information requested by the in-home communication side from the user communication side A step of determining an optimum combination of a reserved bandwidth and a reserved time for transfer, and requesting the transmission path provider to transfer specific provided information according to the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time. When the transmission path provider is characterized by having a step of responding to specific advertisement transfer possibility of by which is the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time request from the home network side to the home network side.

In the method of the present invention, the transmission path providing side is
As a preferred form, after responding to the in-home communication side whether or not the specific provided information can be transferred, the user communication side transmits the specific provided information from the information providing side through the transmission path providing side and the in-home communicating side. It is characterized by further comprising a step of acquiring the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time.

In the method of the present invention, the transmission path provider side is requested from the home communication side as a step in which the user communication side acquires the specific provision information from the information provider side with the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time. And a step of responding that the information transfer is possible according to the reserved bandwidth and the reservation time, a step of the home communication side making a response of the information transfer possible to the user communication side, and the home communication side having the specific provision information to the information providing side. Requesting, the information providing side transfers the specific providing information to the home communication side, the user communication side requests the home communication side to transfer the specific providing information, and the home The communication side transfers the specific provision information to the user communication side, and the user communication side acquires the specific provided information.

According to the above-mentioned method of the present invention, particularly in a bandwidth guaranteed communication service, provision information of a large amount of data is provided.
When acquiring (downloading), it becomes possible to dynamically, swiftly and surely calculate the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time corresponding to the composite condition of time and cost desired by the user.

According to the method of the present invention, in the step in which the user communication side acquires the specific provision information from the information providing side with the reserved bandwidth and the reservation time, the in-home communication side communicates with the user communication side. The feature is that the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time are calculated again based on the transfer information amount to acquire the specific provision information.

According to the method of the present invention, the history information including the information storage amount and the transfer speed during the information transfer is previously recognized in order to recognize the end of the information transfer in advance for the recalculation of the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time on the home communication side. Is performed by referring to.

According to the method of the present invention described above, it becomes possible to dynamically recalculate the combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time from the transfer history of the provided information. As a result, it is possible to provide / acquire the provision information of a particularly large amount of data by the reservation bandwidth and the reservation time in the optimum combination. In this case, as a result, a larger amount of traffic can be secured, and a low-cost communication service can be provided and used.

The method of the present invention, in a preferred form,
The in-home communication side, together with the acquisition time limit and the communication charge upper limit notified by the user communication side when requesting the provided information,
It is characterized in that a combination of bandwidth and time to be reserved and a communication charge based on this combination are determined based on the data size of specific provision information and the billing information.

In the above-described method of the present invention, the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time corresponding to the composite conditions of time and cost (communication charge) desired by the user are determined.

According to the method of the present invention, when a plurality of combinations of bandwidth and time to be reserved occur in the determination of the combination, the information transfer time or the information transfer time in the request from the user communication side is calculated from the plurality of combinations. The feature is that the communication charge is selected with priority.

According to the above-described method of the present invention, it becomes possible to transfer information by prioritizing the information transfer time or the communication charge desired by the user.

The band guarantee communication system of the present invention controls reservation of the bandwidth and time of information transmission in the band guarantee communication service, and specifies in the list of provided information transferred in response to a request for provided information. Requesting the transfer of additional information, and returning a list of additional information corresponding to the request from the user communication means for acquiring the requested specific additional information, and the specific information requested. A combination of an information providing means for transferring information, a reservation bandwidth and a reservation time optimum for the transfer of specific provided information requested by the user communication means, and a communication charge for this combination are determined, and the determined reservation bandwidth is determined. A home communication means for making a request to transfer specific provided information corresponding to a reservation time and a communication charge; and a reservation bandwidth requested by the home communication means,
It is characterized by further comprising: a transmission path providing means for responding to the in-home communication means whether or not to transfer specific provided information according to a reservation time and a communication charge.

The communication system of the present invention is characterized in that the user communication means obtains the specific provided information through the in-home communication means after the response of the transmission path providing means indicating whether or not the information transfer is possible.

In a preferred form of the communication system of the present invention, the in-home communication means recalculates the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time based on the transfer information amount with the user communication means, and terminates the information transfer. In order to recognize the information in advance, the history information including the information storage amount and the transfer speed during the information transfer is referred to.

In a preferred form of the communication system of the present invention, when the in-home communication means determines a plurality of combinations of bandwidth and time to be reserved, when a plurality of combinations occur, the plurality of combinations are used to select the combination. It is characterized in that the information transfer time or the communication charge designated by the user communication means is preferentially selected.

In the communication system of the above-mentioned invention, the calculation (determination process) of the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time corresponding to the priority condition of the user does not require any troublesome calculation, as in the invention of the above-mentioned method. In addition to being able to dynamically and swiftly and reliably, the optimum combination of reserved bandwidth and reserved time can always be obtained.

The program of the present invention requests the transfer of the specific additional information in the additional information list transferred in response to the request for the additional information, and the user communication control for acquiring the requested specific additional information. Optimal for information provision control for returning a list of provision information corresponding to the request by the user communication control and for performing transfer of the requested specific provision information, and for transfer of the specific provision information requested by the user communication control The combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time, and the communication charge of this combination are determined, and the determined reserved bandwidth,
In-home communication control that makes a specific provided information transfer request corresponding to the reservation time and communication charge, and whether or not the specified provided information transfer based on the reserved bandwidth, reservation time, and communication charge requested by the in-home communication control Substantially, a transmission path provision control that responds to the control, and user communication control that acquires specific provision information by the information provision control at the reserved bandwidth and the reservation time through the transmission path provision control and the in-home communication control. It is what a computer runs.

According to the program of the present invention, in the in-home communication control, the information transfer is performed in order to recognize the end of the information transfer in advance for the recalculation of the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time based on the transfer information amount by the user communication control. In effect, a computer executes control to refer to history information including the information storage amount and transfer speed.

According to the program of the present invention, when a plurality of combinations occur in the determination of the bandwidth and time combination to be reserved in the in-home communication control, the plurality of combinations are designated by the user communication control. A substantial computer executes control for preferentially selecting information transfer time or communication charge.

The program of the invention described above can be provided by downloading / installing the invention by an information recording medium, for example, package software or a communication network, and the versatility of the invention is improved.

[0032]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of a bandwidth and time reservation method for information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service of the present invention, its communication system, and a program will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (Structure of First Embodiment and Operation of Each Unit) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a communication network according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, this example shows an SPF that provides content (corresponding to the provided information in the claims).
(Service Provider Function) A device 1 (corresponding to the information providing means in the claims) and an SNF (Service Network Function) arranged in a communication network that provides a transmission path.
An HGF (Home Gateway Function) device 3 which is a gateway on the user side (home communication network).
(Corresponding to in-home communication means in claims) and an HTF (Home Terminal Function) device 4 (corresponding to user communication means in claims) as a user terminal.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal system configuration of the SPF device 1 in FIG. In Figure 2, this SP
The F device 1 has a content management unit 1a for controlling request reception and distribution of content and a storage device. In this storage device, a content 1b (corresponding to the provided information in the claims) and a profile 1c describing attributes of the content 1b are stored, and one profile 1c is prepared for one content 1b. ing. The profile 1c includes information such as the type of content data, the data size, and the usable period.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the system configuration inside the SNF device 2 in FIG. In FIG. 3, this S
The NF device 2 is arranged in a communication network and performs communication quality control (QoS: Quarantine) in bandwidth control and priority delivery.
resource management unit 2 for managing the lity of service)
In addition to a, a billing management unit 2b that bills for use of the communication network is provided.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal system configuration of the HGF device 3 in FIG. In FIG. 4, this HG
The F device 3 has a resource reservation management unit 3a that manages a reservation request for communication network resources to the SNF device 2, and a storage device 3b that stores contents downloaded from the outside, profile data, and the like. The HGF device 3 processes bandwidth reservation and download (corresponding to information transfer in claims).

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the configuration of the HGF device 3. In FIG. 5, this example includes a data transmission / reception device 5a that executes data communication with a communication network, an information processing device 5b, and a database (D / B) device 5c. The information processing device 5b performs resource reservation execution and reservation permission / prohibition processing, and includes a CPU, a ROM that stores a program (corresponding to the program in the claims), and a working RAM. Also, the database device 5c
Stores moving image information and management information and executes the processing.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the internal system configuration of the HTF device 4 in FIG. In FIG. 6, this HT
The F device 4 is a terminal used by a user, and has an application unit 4a that executes a program corresponding to the embodiment of the present invention to provide an interface with the user. This HTF device 4 is external (SPF device 1, SN
Communication with the F device 2) is performed through the HGF device 3.

The specific configurations of the SPF device 1 shown in FIG. 2, the SNF device 2 shown in FIG. 3 and the HTF device 4 shown in FIG. 6 are substantially the same as the specific configuration of the HGF device 3 shown in FIG. Similarly, the information processing unit including the CPU, the ROM, and the RAM respectively executes the respective processes by the program (corresponding to the program in the claims).

(Overall Operation of First Embodiment) Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the operation of the first embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the HGF device 3. FIG. 7 shows an operation from a user (HTF device 4) requesting a specific content to acquisition thereof.

(1-1) The user issues a profile request from the HTF device 4 and requests acquisition of the content list stored in the SPF device 1. (1-2) The SPF device 1 that has received the acquisition request for the content list (1-1) returns the profile list held therein.

(1-3) The above (1-
2) Upon receiving the profile list (corresponding to the provided information list in the claims), the HTF device 4 displays the profile list for the user, and which content is downloaded under what download conditions (communication charge upper limit and acquisition limit time). It provides an interface (screen display and selection instruction) for selecting what you want to get in. By this screen display and selection instruction, the application unit 4a of the HTF device 4 issues a download request to the HGF device 3 based on the determined acquisition condition. This download request message includes profile information and download conditions for the content selected by the user.

(1-4) The HGF device 3 is the HTF device 4
From the above (1-3) download request message (steps S1 and S2). The resource reservation management unit 3a of the HGF device 3 uses the profile and the download condition included in the download request message, together with the data size (S) of the content, the acquisition time limit (Tdl) at which the download should be completed, and the communication charge upper limit (C).
max) and the like, and based on the charging information (use communication charge table) acquired from the charge managing unit 2b of the SNF device 2 in advance, a combination of the bandwidth (Rbw) and time (Rt) to be reserved and the communication charge thereof. Determine (C).

As the combination of the bandwidth (Rbw) and the time (Rt) to be reserved here, there are a plurality of combinations in which the bandwidth is short and the bandwidth is short and the time is narrow. However, those satisfying the following three conditions are calculated by the following equations (1), (2) and (3). This calculated value is used as a bandwidth request message from the HGF device 3 to the SNF device 2
Is issued (steps S3, S4, S5).

[0044]   Condition 1     Bandwidth to be reserved (Rbw) x time (Rt)                           ≧ Content data size (S) (1)   Condition 2     Acquisition time limit (Tdl) -current time T ≧ time (Rt) (2)   Condition 3     Communication charge upper limit (Cmax) ≧ communication charge C (3)

When there are a plurality of combinations and the user's request is the download time priority, the one having the smallest time (Rt) is selected. If cost is prioritized, the combination with the lowest communication charge (C) is selected. However, if there is no combination satisfying the conditions, a prepayment response message indicating reservation failure will be returned to the HTF device 4, but in the following, a combination exists (the prepayment response message is not returned to the HTF device 4). It will be described as having done.

When the HGF device 3 has already fetched and stored (cached) the content designated in (1-3), the operation of (1-1) content list acquisition request is performed ( Step S6).

(1-5) The resource management unit 2a of the SNF device 2 which has received the bandwidth request message (1-4),
Whether or not the bandwidth reservation is possible is determined from the information held therein, and the result is issued to the HGF device 3 as a bandwidth response message. Hereinafter, it will be described that the bandwidth reservation is permitted by the SNF device 2.

(1-6) The resource reservation management section 3a of the HGF device 3 which received the (1-5) band response message.
(Step S2), download end time (=
A download response message including Rt) is issued to the HTF device 4 as a response to the (1-3) download request message from the HTF device 4 (steps S7 and S8).

(1-7) The HGF device 3 is
6) After issuing the download response message, SP
A content request message is issued to the F device 1, and in response to the (1-4) band request message, the download of the content designated by the user is started (step S9).

(1-8) Upon receiving the content request message (1-7), the SPF device 1 transmits the designated content data to the HGF device 3, and the HGF device 3 stores the data in the internal Save (cache) in the storage device.

(1-9) The HTF device 4 uses the above (1-
6) After the scheduled download end time notified in the download response message, issue a download request to the HGF device 3 as in (1-3) above.

(1-10) Upon receiving the (1-9) download request, the HGF device 3 transmits the downloaded content data to the HTF device 4 as a response to the (1-9) download request, and the HTF device 4 4 uses the content.

The advantages of the first embodiment will be described below. (1) If the resource status of the communication network matches the user's requirement, the user can obtain the desired content within the desired time and within the communication charge. (2) Even if the conditions do not match, the user is notified of that fact, so that useless downloading does not occur. (3) The user does not have to directly perform complicated processing such as calculation of reserved bandwidth and time, and resource reservation processing for the communication network, and only needs to select required conditions.

As described above, in the first embodiment, in the band guarantee communication service, in the band guarantee communication service,
It becomes possible to dynamically, swiftly and surely calculate the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time corresponding to the composite condition of time and cost desired by the user. As a result, a larger amount of traffic can be secured and a low-cost communication service can be provided and used.

(Second Embodiment) In recent years, as a bandwidth guaranteed communication service provided by a communication network operator, a communication service based on a minimum bandwidth guaranteed system has been implemented. This communication service does not provide fixed-width bandwidth like leased line service, but also in any congestion situation.
Throughput must not drop below a certain band (=
(Lower limit of bandwidth) is guaranteed. Generally, in this bandwidth guaranteed communication service, the upper limit of the used bandwidth is not set,
If there is a free communication band, communication with a bandwidth of at least the minimum is possible.

When a file having a certain data size is to be downloaded using the bandwidth guaranteed communication service as described above, the download end time in the most busy communication network can be calculated in advance.
Actually, it is considered that the download will be completed in a shorter time than that. In other words, instead of reserving the necessary and sufficient bandwidth from the beginning, it is possible to reduce unnecessary reservations by resetting the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time multiple times from the download history information during the download. Become.

The second embodiment of the resource reservation and download method based on such an idea will be described below. The communication network configuration of this second embodiment is
Since it is basically the same as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the duplicated description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 9 shows H in the second embodiment.
It is a block diagram showing a system configuration inside a GF device 3A. 9, the system configuration inside the HGF device 3A is similar to that of the HGF device 3 (the resource reservation management unit 3a and the storage device 3b) of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
Has been newly added.

The system configuration of the other second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. That is, SPF shown in FIG. 3 together with the SPF device 1 (content management unit 1a, content 1b, profile 1c) shown in FIG.
NF device 2 (resource management unit 2a, billing management unit 2b),
And the HTF device 4 (application unit 4 shown in FIG.
a).

In FIG. 9, the storage management unit 3Aa of the HGF device 3A stores (caches) in the internal storage device 3b.
It manages the accumulated history information of the data being written and observes the writing (= how fast it is downloaded) per unit time. The resource reservation management unit 3a of the HGF device 3A acquires history information such as the storage amount and download speed of the file being downloaded by inquiring of the storage management unit 3Aa, and re-establishes the reservation bandwidth required to complete the download. Calculation is performed ("recalculation of bandwidth reservation amount and reservation time is performed by referring to history information including information accumulation amount and transfer speed during information transfer in order to recognize the end of information transfer in advance" in the claims.) Corresponding to).

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the operation of the second embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the HGF device 3A. Further, FIG. 10 shows the operation from the request to the acquisition of the content in the second embodiment.

(2-1) As in the first embodiment, the HTF device 4 requests acquisition of the (1-1) content list. (2-2) Similar to the first embodiment, the SPF device 1 returns the profile list held in (1-2).

(2-3) Similar to the first embodiment, the HTF device 4 issues a download request message including a condition for downloading to the HGF device 3. However, in the second embodiment, the desired acquisition time is set as the download condition. Issued including both the acquisition time limit and the acquisition time limit. This desired acquisition time is the time when the user wants to complete the download,
The HGF device 3A performs processing so that it is completed by this time as much as possible, but there is no guarantee that the download will be completed by that time. The acquisition limit time is the time when the download should be completed, as in the first embodiment, and the time when the download should be guaranteed to be completed by this time.

(2-4) Similar to the first embodiment, the HGF device 3A issues a bandwidth request message to the SNF device 2. This operation is the same as in the first embodiment, and the reservation is made using only the acquisition time limit (and the upper limit of the communication charge). As a result, if this request is accepted by the SNF device 2, it is guaranteed that the download can be completed within the acquisition time limit at worst (steps S11 to S16).

(2-5) Similar to the first embodiment, the resource management unit 2a issues the (1-5) band response message to the HGF device 3. (2-6) Similar to the first embodiment, the (1-6) download response message is issued (step S17,
S18).

(2-7) As in the first embodiment, the content request message (1-7) is issued (step S19). (2-8) Similar to the first embodiment, (1-8) the designated content data is transmitted to the HGF device 3A, and the HGF device 3A stores (caches) it.

(2-9) The HGF device 3A calculates the expected download completion time (Tfin) from the download history information stored here. If the desired acquisition time Texp is set and the following conditions are satisfied, nothing is processed. Estimated download completion time Tfin ≤ desired acquisition time Te
xp (= Tfin is a future nearer than Texp)

If this condition is not satisfied, a bandwidth request message is issued to the SNF device 2 to add the bandwidth reservation amount (step S20). The method of calculating the combination of the bandwidth and time to be added is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the calculation by the following equation (4) is performed with α being a constant of 0 or more and 1 or less. Content size S = remaining content size × α (4) Acquisition time limit Tdl = Texp If there is no combination that matches the conditions, the reservation response message indicating reservation failure is not returned to the HTF device 4.

(2-10) Similar to the first embodiment, the (1-5) band response message is issued. (2-11) Similar to the first embodiment, the same as (1-9) Issuance of download request, but the message may be issued before the acquisition time limit.

(2-12) Similar to the first embodiment, (1-10) the downloaded content data is transmitted, and the user of the HTF device 4 uses the content.

The second embodiment as described above has the following advantages. In the second embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment, the combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time can be dynamically calculated again from the download history information of the provided information. As a result, it is possible to provide / acquire provision information (content) having a particularly large amount of data by the reservation bandwidth and the reservation time in the optimum combination. In this case, as a result, a larger amount of traffic can be secured and a low-cost communication service can be provided and used.

In the first and second embodiments, the SPF
Device 1, SNF device 2, HGF device 3 and HTF device 4
As shown in FIG. 1, all of the spaces between them are shown as a wired section (wired communication line connection), but the invention is not limited to this. All the wired sections may be wireless sections (wireless communication line connection), or may be partially wireless sections. Such a configuration is also a design matter that can be easily created by those skilled in the art, and is included in the present invention.

[0072]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to calculate the optimum reserved bandwidth and the reserved time corresponding to the combined condition of the time and the cost desired by the user in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service. There is an effect that it can be done dynamically, quickly and surely.

Further, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the optimum combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time can always be calculated again from the transfer history information of the provided information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a communication network configuration in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal system configuration of the SPF device in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing an internal system configuration of the SNF device in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the HGF device in FIG.

5 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the HGF device shown in FIG.

6 is a block diagram showing an internal system configuration of the HTF device in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of HGF in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an internal system configuration of an HGF device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of HGF in the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the reserved bandwidth and the time unit price in the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 SPF device 1a Content management section 1b content 1c profile 2 SNF device 2a Resource management department 2b Charge management unit 3,3A HGF device 3a Resource reservation management department 3b storage device 3Aa Storage management unit 4 HTF device 4a Application part

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (71) Applicant 000005108             Hitachi, Ltd.             4-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (71) Applicant 000004226             Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Satoshi Tabata             2-31-19 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Communications and Broadcasting Organization             Within (72) Inventor Haruo Yamaguchi             2-31-19 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Communications and Broadcasting Organization             Within (72) Inventor Yuji Ohba             2-31-19 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Communications and Broadcasting Organization             Within (72) Inventor Shinji Wada             2-31-19 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Communications and Broadcasting Organization             Within (72) Inventor Takashi Hibi             1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric             Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Atsushi Nagasaka             1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric             Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Satoshi Date             1-280, Higashikoigakubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo             Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Yu Mimura             1-280, Higashikoigakubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo             Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshimasa Yanagihara             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Minoru Kobayashi             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F term (reference) 5K030 GA11 HB08 LC09 LD17 LD18

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A bandwidth and time of information transmission in a band guarantee communication service for the user communication side to acquire specific provision information from the information provision side through the transmission path provider and the home communication side with a required bandwidth and time. A reservation method, wherein the user communication side requests provision information from the information providing side, the information providing side returns a provision information list to the user communication side, and the user communication side is the home communication side A step of requesting the transfer of the specific additional information in the additional information list, and the in-home communication side determines an optimal combination of the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time for the specific additional information transfer requested by the user communication side, Requesting the transmission path providing side to transfer specific provided information according to a reserved bandwidth and a reservation time; and before the transmission path providing side is requested by the home communication side. Reserved bandwidth and reservation time by specific advertisement whether the bandwidth and time of the reservation method for information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service, characterized in that it comprises the steps of responding to the home network side, the transfer. 2. The user communication side sends the information from the information providing side through the transmission line providing side and the in-home communicating side after the transmission path providing side responds to the home communication side with a possibility of transfer of specific provided information. 2. The method for reserving the bandwidth and time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service according to claim 1, further comprising the step of acquiring the specific provision information of the above with the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time. 3. The reserved bandwidth requested by the in-home communication side by the transmission path providing side is a step in which the user communication side acquires specific provision information from the information providing side with the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time. A step of responding that the information transfer is possible according to the width and the reservation time, a step of the home communication side making a response of the information transfer possible to the user communication side, and a step of the home communication side requesting the specific provision information from the information providing side A step in which the information provider side transfers the specific provision information to the home communication side; a step in which the user communication side requests the home communication side to transfer the specific provision information; and a home communication side in the user The band guarantee communication service according to claim 2, further comprising: a step of transferring the specific provided information to a communication side and the user communication side acquiring the specific provided information. Bandwidth and time of reservation method of information transmission. 4. In the step of the user communication side acquiring the specific provided information from the information providing side with the reserved bandwidth and the reserved time, the in-home communication side determines the amount of transfer information with the user communication side. The specific provision information is acquired by recalculating the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time based on the above.
Bandwidth and time reservation method for information transmission in the band guarantee communication service described. 5. The history information including the information storage amount and the transfer speed during the information transfer is referred to in order to previously recognize the end of the information transfer for the recalculation of the bandwidth reservation amount and the reservation time on the home communication side. The method for reserving the bandwidth and time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service according to claim 4, wherein the reservation is performed. 6. The bandwidth to be reserved by the in-home communication side based on the data size and billing information of the specific provision information together with the acquisition time limit and the communication charge upper limit notified when the user communication side requests the provision information. And a time, and a communication charge based on the combination are determined. The bandwidth and time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. How to book. 7. When determining a combination of bandwidth and time to be reserved, when a plurality of combinations occur, the information transfer time or the communication charge in the request from the user communication side is prioritized from the plurality of combinations. 7. The method for reserving the bandwidth and time of information transmission in the bandwidth guaranteed communication service according to claim 6, wherein the reservation method is selected. 8. A band guarantee communication system for controlling bandwidth and time reservation of information transmission in a band guarantee communication service, wherein specific offer information in a list of offer information transferred in response to a request for offer information. A user communication unit that requests transfer and acquires the requested specific provision information, and returns a list of provision information corresponding to the request from the user communication unit, and transfers the requested specific provision information transfer. A combination of the information providing means to perform and the optimum reservation bandwidth and reservation time for the specific provided information transfer requested by the user communication means, and the communication charge of this combination is determined, and the determined reservation bandwidth and reservation time are determined. And an in-home communication means that makes a specific information transfer request corresponding to the communication charge, and a reservation bandwidth, a reservation time, and a communication charge specified by the in-home communication means. Bandwidth guaranteed communication system, comprising a transmission path providing means responsive to said home network means whether to provide information transfer. 9. The band guarantee communication according to claim 8, wherein the user communication means receives the specific provision information through the in-home communication means after a response of the transmission path provision means indicating whether or not the information transfer is possible. system. 10. The in-home communication means performs recalculation of a bandwidth reservation amount and a reservation time based on the transfer information amount with the user communication means, in order to previously recognize the end of information transfer, 9. The bandwidth guarantee communication system according to claim 8, wherein the bandwidth guarantee communication system is executed by referring to history information including an information storage amount and a transfer rate. 11. The in-home communication means determines the combination of bandwidth and time to be reserved,
9. The band guarantee communication system according to claim 8, wherein, when a plurality of combinations occur, the information transfer time or the communication charge designated by the user communication means is preferentially selected from the plurality of combinations. . 12. User communication control for requesting transfer of specific provision information in a list of provision information transferred in response to a request for provision information, and acquiring the requested specific provision information, and the user communication. An information provision control for returning a list of provision information corresponding to a request by the control, and for performing a transfer of the requested specific provision information, and an optimal reserved bandwidth for the transfer of the specific provision information requested by the user communication control and A combination of reservation times and a communication charge for this combination are determined, and in-home communication control for making a request to transfer specific provided information corresponding to the determined reservation bandwidth, reservation time and communication charge, and a request made by the in-home communication control A transmission path provision control for responding to the in-home communication control about whether or not specific provision information transfer based on the reserved bandwidth, the reservation time and the communication charge, Control and the home network control through the information providing control of specific advertisement said reserved bandwidth and reservation time program for the user communications control, a substantial computer executes to get in. 13. In the in-home communication control, information storage during information transfer is performed in order to previously recognize the end of information transfer, and recalculation of bandwidth reservation amount and reservation time based on transfer information amount by the user communication control. The program according to claim 12, which is executed by referring to history information including an amount and a transfer rate. 14. When determining a combination of bandwidth and time to be reserved in the in-home communication control, when a plurality of combinations occur, the information transfer time or the information transfer time designated by the user communication control is selected from the plurality of combinations. 13. The program according to claim 12, which causes a substantial computer to execute control for preferentially selecting a communication charge.