# US 12,120,041 B2 · Data network traffic management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,041 B2 - Document ID: US12120041B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/200,699 - Filed: 2023-05-23 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-10 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Jorge Salinger; Saifur Rahman; John G. Bevilacqua - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120041B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/64738: {Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level (data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10)} - H04L 47/806: {Broadcast or multicast traffic} - H04N 21/64769: {for rate control (flow control in packet networks H04L47/10)} - H04N 21/654: Transmission by server directed to the client - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A network management system may allocate different amounts of bandwidth to different types of data traffic. The traffic types may be distinguished by their source device address, and whether the source device is part of, or external to, a first network. Packets may also be marked by their sender with information to identify a traffic type, and the marking may be used to determine the packet's treatment. The allocations given to the various types of traffic may be dynamically modified with changing traffic demands and conditions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining an available amount of a total bandwidth on a network; allocating a first portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a first traffic group; allocating a second portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a second traffic group; receiving, from a device, a request to transmit content of the second traffic group; and delaying delivery of the content of the second traffic group based on: a determination that the second portion does not have sufficient allocated bandwidth to service the request, and a determination that data usage by the first traffic group is below a first minimum bandwidth allocation level and above a second minimum bandwidth allocation level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group comprises one or more of: delaying delivery of the content of the second traffic group by a predetermined amount of time; delaying granting of the request until a determination that data usage by the first traffic group falls below the second minimum bandwidth allocation level; causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group at a slower speed than a speed associated with data of the first traffic group; or causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group using a lower bandwidth than a bandwidth indicated by the request. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group is further based on a priority level of the second traffic group being lower than a priority level of the first traffic group. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group comprises causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group using a portion of the first portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first traffic group is a managed traffic group, and wherein the second traffic group is an unmanaged traffic group. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group comprises delivering a first portion of the content of the second traffic group at a first speed, the method further comprising: based on a determination that data usage by the first traffic group is below the second minimum bandwidth allocation level, causing delivery of a second portion of the content of the second traffic group at a second speed that is faster than the first speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: allocating a third portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a third traffic group; receiving, from a second device, a second request to transmit content of the third traffic group; and reallocating a portion of the first portion to the third traffic group, wherein the reallocating is based on one or more of: a determination that the third portion does not have sufficient allocated bandwidth to service the second request, a determination that data usage by the first traffic group is below the first minimum bandwidth allocation level and above the second minimum bandwidth allocation level, and a priority level of the third traffic group being higher than a priority level of the first traffic group, wherein the priority level of the first traffic group is higher than the second traffic group. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: based on a determination that data usage by the first traffic group is below the second minimum bandwidth allocation level, reallocating a modified second portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for the second traffic group, wherein the modified second portion comprises the second portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth and a portion of the first portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group is further based on a determination that a total usage of the available amount of the total bandwidth of the network is above a threshold. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: determining an available amount of a total bandwidth on a network; allocating a first portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a first traffic group; allocating a second portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a second traffic group; receiving, from a device, a request to transmit content of the second traffic group; and delaying delivery of the content of the second traffic group based on: a determination that the second portion does not have sufficient allocated bandwidth to service the request, and data usage by the first traffic group falling within a first range of the allocated first portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group is further based on a second data usage by the second traffic group falling within a second range of the allocated second portion satisfying a second criteria. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving a second request for second content of the second traffic group; determining that the second portion does not have sufficient allocated bandwidth to service the second request, and based on data usage by the first traffic group falling within a second range, different from the first range, of the allocated first portion: denying delivery of the second content of the second traffic group, or granting delivery of the second content of the second traffic group using a portion of the first portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: sending, to the device, a message indicating the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group comprises one or more of: delaying delivery of the content of the second traffic group by a predetermined amount of time; delaying granting of the request until a determination that data usage by the first traffic group falls below a minimum bandwidth allocation level; causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group at a slower speed than a speed associated with data of the first traffic group; or causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group using a lower bandwidth than a bandwidth indicated by the request. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group is further based on a priority level of the second traffic group being lower than a priority level of the first traffic group. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group comprises causing delivery of the content of the second traffic group using a portion, of the first portion, based on the first range of the allocated first portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting, based on analyzing a priority assigned to a content type of the content, the second portion for servicing the request. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: determining an available amount of a total bandwidth on a network; allocating a first portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a first traffic group; allocating a second portion of the available amount of the total bandwidth for a second traffic group; receiving, from a device, a request to transmit content of the second traffic group; and based on data usage by the first traffic group falling with a first range of the allocated first portion and on a second data usage by the second traffic group falling within a second range of the allocated second portion satisfying a second criteria, delaying delivery of the content of the second traffic group. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the second range is less bandwidth than a bandwidth indicated in the request. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the delaying the delivery of the content of the second traffic group is further based on a priority level of the second traffic group being lower than a priority level of the first traffic group.