JPH1166140A - Method and device for network automatic designing and storage medium where network automatic designing program is stored - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reflect a traffic prediction model for content access on network design by calculating the number of network resources on a service node side of a communication network from the traffic prediction model. SOLUTION: A content purchase quantity prediction module 310 predicts how many videos are to be purchased by analyzing video rental charges of video and demands by a demand prediction model. An access traffic prediction module 320 determines a traffic model representing access traffic to contents generated during a rental period of video. A network design module 330 calculates the number of necessary network resources from the purchase quantity from the content purchase prediction module 310 and the mean service time and mean arrival interval from the access traffic prediction module 320. This access traffic prediction module 320 uses a service management data base 340 so as to properly update the traffic prediction model.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network for a multimedia service system that realizes movie viewing, television shopping, and the like at home using a high-speed, wide-band communication network such as an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network. Related to design technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a service node that provides an interactive multimedia service such as a distribution service at the time of a request for a moving image content, receives data such as a moving image by accessing these service nodes, and outputs data such as a television receiver. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a multimedia service providing system including a plurality of terminal devices that perform display processing on media, a communication network that connects a service node and a terminal device, and can transfer data such as moving images in real time. ing.

In such a multimedia service providing system, a high-speed and broadband interactive multimedia service for ordinary households is still in an experimental stage. Therefore, with the network design technology realized conventionally,
It is difficult to predict the traffic that is essential in the first stage of network design. In practice, a secure design is performed before the service starts, and then the traffic data is measured and analyzed after the service starts. Modify the design you made.

[0004]

Therefore, in the case of the conventional set-work design technology, even if a demand forecasting model representing the relationship between the price of a content and demand can be determined,
There is a problem that the determined demand forecast model cannot be reflected in the design of a network such as an ATM network, and efficient resource operation cannot be performed. Or, conversely, the service quality for the user deteriorates due to lack of resources, etc.,
There are problems such as losing business opportunities.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art by providing a network automatic design method and apparatus in which a traffic prediction model for content access is reflected in a network design, and a storage medium storing a network automatic design program. For the purpose of providing.

[0006]

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, according to the network automatic design technique of the present invention, a traffic prediction model for content access is set, and a service node is determined from the set traffic prediction model. The required number of network resources is calculated automatically.

Further, in order to calculate the required number of network resources on the service node side, the traffic prediction model and the demand prediction model representing the relationship between the service fee and the demand for the content may be used. This allows
The results of demand forecasting or marketing are reflected in the network design, and comprehensive service operation is realized.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention.
The network automatic design method of the present invention includes a plurality of service nodes that provide multimedia services for content, a plurality of terminal devices that receive data by accessing the service nodes and perform display processing on media,
A method for designing a network in a multimedia service system comprising a communication network connecting the service node and the terminal device and capable of transferring the data in real time, comprising the steps of: A traffic prediction model representing the traffic generated by accessing the content, and the number of purchases of the content predicted from the demand prediction model representing the attribute of the content and the relationship between the price and the demand of the content are set (step 1). The number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated from the set traffic prediction model and the predicted number of purchases (step 2).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The automatic network design apparatus 2 of the present invention includes a plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service of contents,
A plurality of terminal devices that receive data by accessing the service node and perform display processing on media; and a communication network that connects the service node and the terminal device and that can transfer the data in real time. Design a network in a multimedia service system composed of Automatic network design apparatus 2 of the present invention
A prediction model setting means 10 including means 12 for setting a traffic prediction model representing traffic generated by accessing the content from the terminal device;
It comprises automatic determination means 20 including means 22 for calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the created traffic prediction model.

Advantageously, the prediction model setting means 10 has a means 14 for creating a demand prediction model representing the relationship between the price and the demand of the content, and the automatic determination means 20 calculates the number of network resources. Means 22 for calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network using the traffic prediction model and the demand prediction model.

Further, the automatic determination means 20 includes means 24 for predicting the predicted number of purchases of the content from a demand prediction model representing the attribute of the content and the relationship between the price and the demand of the content. The number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated from the model and the predicted number of purchases.

According to the network automatic design method and apparatus of the present invention, a required network resource can be automatically calculated from a demand prediction model and an access traffic prediction model for each content.
Further, the present invention provides a plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service for content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal. A storage medium for storing a program for designing a network in a multimedia service system comprising a communication network connected to a device and capable of transferring the data in real time, wherein A prediction model setting process for setting a traffic prediction model representing traffic generated by the access of the communication network; and an automatic determination process for calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the created traffic prediction model. Characterized by A storage medium storing the automatic network design program.

[0013] In the storage medium of the present invention, the prediction model setting process may further include a process of creating a demand prediction model representing a relationship between the price and the demand of the content. An automatic network design program characterized by calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network using the demand forecast model may be stored.

Further, the storage medium of the present invention further has a process in which the automatic determination process predicts the number of purchases of the content from a demand prediction model representing an attribute of the content and a relationship between price and demand of the content. And
It is advantageous to store a network automatic design program characterized by calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the traffic prediction model and the predicted purchase number of the content.

[0015]

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an automatic network design system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The network automatic design system includes a plurality of service nodes 1
11, 112 and a plurality of terminal devices 121, 122, 12
3, an ATM communication network 130, a LAN (local area network) 140, and a management node 150.

The service nodes 111 and 112 provide a two-way multimedia service such as a demand content distribution service for moving image content. Terminal devices 121, 122, 1
23 accesses the service nodes 111 and 112 via the ATM communication network 130, receives data such as moving images, and performs display processing on media such as a TV receiver. AT
The M network 130 connects the service node and the terminal device,
It is possible to transfer data such as moving images in real time.

The LAN 140 is controlled by a service node.
Network used for management. Management node 15
Numeral 0 is a node for controlling a service node, contents, service use status, and the like. Consider VOD (Video on Demand) as an application of the interactive multimedia service provided by the system of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a usage image and a sequence of the VOD service. FIG. 7A shows a navigation screen for video selection. (B) of the figure shows the purchase (or rental) of a video
Is a confirmation screen. FIG. 3C shows an actual video viewing screen. During the rental period, the user can freely designate actions such as rewinding, fast-forwarding, pausing, and suspending viewing of the video.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a functional module configuration of a part related to network design in the management node 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Management module 150
Is a content purchase number prediction module 310, an access traffic prediction module 320, a network design module 330, and a service management database 34.
0 is included.

Content Purchase Number Prediction Module 310
Analyzes the video rental fee and demand using a demand forecast model, and predicts the number of video purchases. The access traffic prediction module 320 determines a traffic model representing the access traffic to the content that occurs during the video rental period.

The network design module 330 calculates the required number of network resources from the predicted number of purchases from the content purchase number prediction module 310 and the average service time and average arrival interval from the access traffic prediction module 320. The number of network resources includes, for example, the accommodation V required for each service node.
C (virtual channel) number.

The service management database 340 is shown in FIG.
Is a database for managing the service fee and the number of services used for the content collected from the system shown in FIG. The service management database 340 further manages statistical data based on the characteristics of the content indicating attributes such as the genre and popularity of the content.

Content Purchase Number Prediction Module 310
Uses the service management database 340 to appropriately update the demand prediction model, and the access traffic prediction module 320 uses the service management database 340 to appropriately update the traffic prediction model.

[0023]

FIG. 3 is an example showing a demand forecasting model used in a second embodiment of the present invention. (A) of FIG.
Shows an economic model using the price elasticity value in the marketing theory. For this economic model,
For example, cited documents (1) Ueda: "Marketing for price determination", Yuhikaku, (2) Chigusa: "Economic speech", and are described in the World Shoin. (B) of the figure does not show specific numerical examples of the economic model. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the price constant and the price elasticity value in the economic model are set from statistical data in terms of the genre, popularity, and the like of the target content. In the above example, the service charge of the content is determined to be 10 yen, considering that the service charge of the content is determined so that the product of the price and the number of purchases is maximized.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the concept of traffic handled by the access traffic prediction module according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the traffic related to the VOD service described in the first embodiment of the present invention is assumed. As shown in FIG. 7, the traffic generated during the content rental period is modeled such that two types of service calls, called a navigation call and a viewing call, occur randomly at a certain service time and arrival interval. . The rental call shown in the figure does not correspond to a service call targeted at the time of network design, and is not considered in the following description. The service call is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-190986, entitled "Service Call Creation Method and System" by Arido, Minemura and Amada, filed in July 1996. Are listed. For modeling, refer to (4) Okubo, Kato, Kamada, Hirano: "A Study on Design and Quality Evaluation of Multimedia Systems Using ATM Networks", IEICE Transactions, Vol.J80-B No .6,19
It is described in June 1997.

During the selection of the VOD application, a navigation call appears, the viewing is started, and the viewing call is present during the period from when the viewing ends. After the end of the viewing, a period without service continues, and then a VOD application is selected again and a navigation call appears.
The average service time and the average arrival interval in the traffic model are set by actual measurement or prediction. FIG. 8 is a numerical example of the average service time and the average arrival interval when the service charge is 100 yen in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a housing V according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure showing the example of a numerical calculation regarding C (virtual channel). In this numerical calculation example, based on the values shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, it is assumed that the number of purchases and the average arrival interval are inversely proportional. References (5) Fujiki and Ganbe: “Communication traffic theory”, The VC number is determined according to the Erlang B formula described in Maruzen. That is, according to FIG. 6, since the number of purchases is A (= 2539/238: the ratio of the number of purchases when the service fee is 10 yen to the number of purchases when the service fee is 100 yen), the average arrival time is shown in FIG. The number of VCs is calculated assuming that the service fee of 7 is 1 / A with respect to the case of 100 yen.

By systematizing the functional modules shown in the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, efficient network operation in consideration of demand forecasting becomes possible. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the description is made based on the configuration requirements of the automatic network design apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the respective configuration requirements of the automatic network design apparatus are constructed by software (program). It can be stored in a disk device or the like, and installed on a computer of the information providing device as needed, to automatically design a network. Further, the constructed program can be stored in a portable storage medium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM, and can be used for general purposes in a case where such a system is used.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be variously modified and applied within the scope of the claims.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Comprehensive service that sets the demand forecast model for content service charges and demand and the traffic forecast model for content access, and performs network design using these forecast models to reflect demand forecast results in network design The advantage of realizing the operation is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a network automatic design system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of using a VOD service according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional module configuration diagram of the management node according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a table showing an example of a demand forecasting model used in a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of traffic in a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a table of numerical examples of an average service time and an average arrival interval according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a table of a calculation example of an accommodation virtual channel according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 111, 112 Service node 140 Local area network 150 Management node 310 Content purchase number prediction module 320 Access traffic prediction module 330 Network design module 340 Service management database

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service of content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a communication network capable of transferring the data in real time. A method for designing a network in a multimedia service system, comprising: a traffic generated by accessing the content from the terminal device. A network automatic design method comprising: setting a traffic prediction model representing the following: and calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the traffic prediction model. 2. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service of content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a communication network capable of transferring the data in real time. A method for designing a network in a multimedia service system, comprising: a traffic generated by accessing the content from the terminal device. And a demand prediction model representing the relationship between the price and the demand of the content. The number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is determined from the traffic prediction model and the demand prediction model. Network Automatic workpiece design method. 3. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service for content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a communication network capable of transferring the data in real time. A method for designing a network in a multimedia service system, comprising: a traffic generated by accessing the content from the terminal device. A traffic prediction model indicating the number of purchases of the content predicted from a demand prediction model indicating the relationship between the attribute of the content and the price and demand of the content, and the set traffic prediction model and the prediction From the number of purchases made, Automatic network design method characterized by calculating the number of network resources of the serial service node side. 4. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service of content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a network for designing a network in a multimedia service system comprising a communication network capable of transferring the data in real time, wherein traffic generated by accessing the content from the terminal device is provided. A network comprising: a prediction model setting unit for setting a traffic prediction model representing: and an automatic determination unit for calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the created traffic prediction model. Automatic design equipment. 5. The prediction model setting means further comprises means for creating a demand prediction model representing a relationship between the price of the content and demand, and wherein the automatic determination means determines the traffic prediction model and the demand prediction model. 5. The automatic network designing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated using the number of network resources. 6. The automatic determination means further comprises means for predicting the number of purchases of the content from a demand prediction model representing an attribute of the content and a relationship between price and demand of the content. 6. The network automatic designing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated from the predicted number of purchases of the content. 7. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service for content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a communication service network that can transfer the data in real time. A device for designing a network in a multimedia service system, comprising: a charge for content collected from the multimedia service system; A service management database that manages demand and traffic data; a content purchase number prediction unit that analyzes a charge and a demand for the content using a demand prediction model to predict the number of purchases of the content; Access to content An access traffic predicting means for determining a traffic prediction model representing traffic, a number of purchases of the content from the content purchase number prediction means, and a necessary network An automatic network design device comprising network design means for calculating the number of resources. 8. A plurality of service nodes for providing a multimedia service for content, a plurality of terminal devices for receiving data by accessing the service node and performing display processing on media, the service node and the terminal device And a storage medium for storing a program for designing a network in a multimedia service system including a communication network capable of transferring the data in real time. A prediction model setting process for setting a traffic prediction model representing traffic generated by access; and an automatic determination process for calculating the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network from the created traffic prediction model. Characterized by Storage medium storing Ttowaku automatic design program. 9. The forecasting model setting process further includes a process of creating a demand forecasting model representing a relationship between the price of the content and demand, and wherein the automatic determining process includes the step of creating the traffic forecasting model and the demand forecasting model. 9. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated by using the program. 10. The automatic determination process further includes a process of predicting the number of purchases of the content from a demand prediction model representing an attribute of the content and a relationship between the price and the demand of the content. 10. The storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the number of network resources on the service node side of the communication network is calculated from the predicted number of purchases of the content.