Communications network
AssigneeBritish Telecommunications public limited company
InventorsRobert J Briscoe, Michael Rizzo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a communications network, loading of network resources is detected locally at a customer terminal, and a tariff for network usage is varied automatically depending on the usage.
Claims23
A method of operating a communications network having a customer terminal which has a tariff at least temporarily stored therein, including:
- automatically varying at the customer terminal, depending on network loading as detected at the customer terminal, the tariff for network usage by the customer terminal, the network loading being indicative of a current status of network congestion as detected at the customer terminal;
- and
- calculating a charge for the network usage by the customer terminal using the tariff.
A communications network including:
- means for detecting network loading locally at a customer terminal, the network loading being indicative of a current status of network congestion as detected locally at the customer terminal;
- means responsive to the means for detecting arranged automatically to vary a tariff for network usage by the customer terminal, the tariff being at least temporarily stored by the customer terminal;
- and
- means for calculating a charge for the network usage by the customer terminal using the tariff.
A customer terminal for use in a communications network, the customer terminal including:
- means for detecting a local amount of loading of a network, which is indicative of a current status of network congestion perceived by the customer terminal, to which, in use, the customer terminal is connected;
- means responsive to the means for detecting and arranged automatically to vary a tariff for network usage by the customer terminal, the tariff being at least temporarily stored by the customer terminal;
- means for calculating a charge for the network usage by the customer terminal using the tariff.
A customer terminal for use in a communications network, the customer terminal including one or more processors arranged to carry out the following steps in sequence:
- detecting a local amount of loading of resources in a network, which is indicative of a current status of network congestion perceived by the customer terminal, to which the customer terminal is connected;
- and
- automatically varying in dependence on the detected loading a tariff for network usage by the customer terminal, the tariff being at least temporarily stored by the customer terminal;
- calculating a charge tbr the network usage by the customer terminal using the tariff.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.