# US 2020/0404401 A1 · Bandwidth allocation apparatus and bandwidth allocation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0404401 A1 - Document ID: US20200404401A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/970,986 - Filed: 2019-02-28 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-13 - Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Applicants: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Inventors: Daisuke Hisano; Hiroyuki Uzawa; Rintaro Harada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200404401A1 ## CPC - H04Q 11/0067: {Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring} - H04L 12/44: Star or tree networks - H04Q 11/0066: {Provisions for optical burst or packet networks} - H04Q 2011/0064: {Arbitration, scheduling or medium access control aspects} - H04Q 2011/0086: {Network resource allocation, dimensioning or optimisation} - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A bandwidth allocation apparatus includes a request information acquisition unit configured to acquire request information indicating a required amount for a bandwidth allocation by using a communication link separated from a data link used in data communication, a determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of the request information, whether the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within the designated time, to a termination apparatus is possible, and a bandwidth-allocation amount definition unit configured to, in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, specify some termination apparatuses to which the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within the designated time, is possible, define a bandwidth allocation amount for a specified termination apparatus, and allocate the defined bandwidth allocation amount to the specified termination apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bandwidth allocation apparatus comprising: a processor; and a storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, perform processing of: acquiring request information indicating a required amount for a bandwidth allocation by using a communication link separated from a data link used in data communication; determining, based on the request information, whether the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within a designated time, to a termination apparatus is possible; and in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, specifying some termination apparatuses to which the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within the designated time, is possible, defining a bandwidth allocation amount for a specified termination apparatus, and allocating the defined bandwidth allocation amount to the specified termination apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processing of: acquiring head position information indicating head data of burst traffic in an uplink signal transmitted from the termination apparatus to an end station apparatus; based on the request information and the head position information, defining bandwidth allocation time indicating time at which the bandwidth allocation amount is allocated; and allocating the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus at the bandwidth allocation time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processing of: in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, defining the bandwidth allocation amount to maximize a number of a plurality of the termination apparatuses capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processing of: in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, defining the bandwidth allocation amount to maximize a number of a plurality of the termination apparatuses which include a pre-designated termination apparatus and are capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processing of: defining, in an unused bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time, the unused bandwidth being obtained by removing, from an entire bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processing of: transmitting a discard instruction to cause data to be discarded, to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 7 A bandwidth allocation method of a bandwidth allocation apparatus, the method comprising: acquiring request information indicating a required amount for a bandwidth allocation by using a communication link separated from a data link used in data communication; determining, based on the request information, whether the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within designated time, to a termination apparatus is possible; and in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, specifying some termination apparatuses to which the bandwidth allocation that allows transmission of data within the designated time, is possible, defining a bandwidth allocation amount for a specified termination apparatus, and allocating the defined bandwidth allocation amount to the specified termination apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the computer program instructions further perform processing of: defining, in an unused bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time, the unused bandwidth being obtained by removing, from an entire bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The bandwidth allocation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the computer program instructions further perform processing of: transmitting a discard instruction to cause data to be discarded, to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 7, further comprising: acquiring head position information indicating head data of burst traffic in an uplink signal transmitted from the termination apparatus to an end station apparatus; based on the request information and the head position information, defining bandwidth allocation time indicating time at which the bandwidth allocation amount is allocated; and allocating the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus at the bandwidth allocation time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 7, further comprising: in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, defining the bandwidth allocation amount to maximize a number of a plurality of the termination apparatuses capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 11, further comprising: defining, in an unused bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time, the unused bandwidth being obtained by removing, from an entire bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 11, further comprising: transmitting a discard instruction to cause data to be discarded, to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 7, further comprising: in a case where the bandwidth allocation to the termination apparatus is determined not to be possible, defining the bandwidth allocation amount to maximize a number of a plurality of the termination apparatuses which include a pre-designated termination apparatus and are capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 14, further comprising: defining, in an unused bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time, the unused bandwidth being obtained by removing, from an entire bandwidth, the bandwidth allocation amount to the termination apparatus capable of transmitting data within the designated time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The bandwidth allocation method according to claim 14, further comprising: transmitting a discard instruction to cause data to be discarded, to the termination apparatus not capable of transmitting data within the designated time.