System and method for assessing communication resources

A computer implemented system for assessing network bandwidth availability in a network connection of a plurality of network connections each having a corresponding allocated capacity which in total is a full hub capacity, the network connection having unknown excess capacity beyond a first network capacity, the system comprising:

• a data storage configured to maintain a data structure storing an estimated maximum network capacity value for a network connection;
• a processor configured to generate a probe data payload paired with one or more non-probe data payloads, the probe data payload including additional data based on the one or more non-probe data payloads;
• a network interface configured to transmit the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads through a network connection, the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads exceeding the estimated maximum network capacity value for the network connection by a controlled amount;
• the processor further configured to monitor one or more network response characteristics of the network connection to determine whether at least one of increased latency or increased packet loss occurs responsive to the transmission during a corresponding time of day or corresponding location of a device transmitting the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads;
• responsive to the one or more network response characteristics indicating that neither increased latency or increased packet loss occurs, periodically or continuously update the data structure to increase the estimated maximum network capacity value for the network connection for a duration corresponding to the corresponding time of day or for an area corresponding to the corresponding location, the estimated maximum network capacity value representative of the assessed network bandwidth availability;
• and
• responsive to an overcapacity data request for additional availability for usage of existing networking connections beyond nominally allocated capacities during the duration corresponding to the corresponding time of day or from a device located within the area, communicate the overcapacity data request at least partially on the network connection by iteratively reconfiguring the corresponding allocated capacity of one or more other network connections of the plurality of network connections to allow for the overcapacity data request during a period of the overcapacity data request;
• wherein a number of iterations n of step-wise increases is based at least on a relation:
• n=[log(C−T−(K−1)R)−log(C−C/K−(K−1)R)]/[log(K−1)−log(K)], where C is the full hub capacity, K is a total number of network connections of the plurality of network connections, R is a minimum bit rate at each network connection of the plurality of network connections, and T is a target bit rate requested by a terminal requesting the overcapacity data request;
• and updating the estimated maximum network capacity value for the data structure for the corresponding time of day or the corresponding location.

A non-transitory computer readable medium, storing machine interpretable instructions, which when executed, cause a processor to perform a method for assessing network bandwidth availability in a network connection of a plurality of network connections each having a corresponding allocated capacity which in total is a full hub capacity, the network connection having unknown excess capacity beyond a first network capacity, the method comprising:

• maintaining a data structure storing an estimated maximum network capacity value for a network connection;
• generating a probe data payload paired with one or more non-probe data payloads, the probe data payload including additional data based on the one or more non-probe data payloads;
• transmitting the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads through a network connection, the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads exceeding the estimated maximum network capacity value for the network connection by a controlled amount;
• monitoring one or more network response characteristics of the network connection to determine whether at least one of increased latency or increased packet loss occurs responsive to the transmission during a corresponding time of day or corresponding location of a device transmitting the probe data payload and the one or more non-probe data payloads;
• and
• responsive to the one or more network response characteristics indicating that neither increased latency or increased packet loss occurs, periodically or continuously updating the data structure to increase the estimated maximum network capacity value for the network connection for a duration corresponding to the corresponding time of day or for an area corresponding to the corresponding location, the estimated maximum network capacity value representative of the assessed network bandwidth availability;
• and
• responsive to an overcapacity data request for additional availability for usage of existing networking connections beyond nominally allocated capacities during the duration corresponding to the corresponding time of day or from a device located within the area, communicate the overcapacity data request at least partially on the network connection by iteratively reconfiguring the corresponding allocated capacity of one or more other network connections of the plurality of network connections to allow for the overcapacity data request during a period of the overcapacity data request;
• wherein a number of iterations n of step-wise increases is based at least on relation:
• n=[log(C−T−(K−1)R)−log(C−C/K−(K−1)R)]/[log(K−1)−log(K)], where C is the full hub capacity, K is a total number of network connections of the plurality of network connections, R is a minimum bit rate at each network connection of the plurality of network connections, and T is a target bit rate requested by a terminal requesting the overcapacity data request;
• and updating the estimated maximum network capacity value for the data structure for the corresponding time of day or the corresponding location.