User Prioritization in a Congested Network

A method for investigating the behavior of users in a communication network, the method being performed in a system investigating arrangement in the communication network and implementing a usage pattern investigating function, the method comprising:

• continuously obtaining statistical network usage data of users in the communication network;
• analyzing the statistical network usage data with regard to the pattern of behavior of the users;
• prioritizing the users based on the analysis;
• and
• informing a traffic prioritizing function about the priority of at least one of the users, in order for the traffic prioritizing function to allow or disallow the user to use the communication network when it is congested.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program product for investigating the behavior of users in a communication network, the computer program product comprising computer program code that, when run in a system investigating arrangement in the communication network, causes the system investigating arrangement to implement a usage pattern investigation function configured to:

• continuously obtain statistical network usage data of users in the communication network;
• analyze the statistical network usage data with regard to the pattern of behavior of the users;
• prioritize the users based on the analysis;
• and
• inform a traffic prioritizing function about the priority of at least one of the users, in order for the traffic prioritizing function to allow or disallow the user to use the communication network when it is congested.

A traffic prioritizing node in a communication network, the traffic prioritizing node comprising a processor acting on computer instructions whereby said traffic prioritizing node is operative to provide a traffic prioritizing function configured to:

• determine that there is network congestion;
• identify a communication session of a user in the communication network;
• obtain a priority of the user from a behavior investigating device, said priority having been determined based on a pattern of behavior of the user obtained through analysis of statistical network usage data;
• and
• determine whether the user is to be allowed to use the communication network based on the priority and the congestion determination.

A method of prioritizing traffic in a communication network, the method being performed in a traffic prioritizing node and implementing a traffic prioritizing function, the method comprising:

• determining that there is network congestion;
• identifying a communication session of a user in the communication network;
• obtaining a priority of the user from a behavior investigating device, said priority having been determined based on a pattern of behavior of the user obtained through analysis of statistical network usage data;
• and
• determining whether the user is to be allowed to use the communication network based on the priority and the congestion determination.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program product for prioritizing traffic in a communication network, the computer program product comprising computer program code that, when run in a traffic prioritizing node in the communication network, causes the traffic prioritizing node to implement a traffic prioritizing function configured to:

• determine that there is network congestion;
• identify a communication session of a user in the communication network;
• obtain a priority of the user from a behavior investigating device, said priority having been determined based on a pattern of behavior of the user obtained through analysis of statistical network usage data;
• and
• determine whether the user is to be allowed to use the communication network based on the priority and the congestion determination.