# US 9,521,054 B2 · Available bandwidth search range control method and available bandwidth search range control system

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- Number: US 9,521,054 B2
- Document ID: US9521054B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/374,108
- Filed: 2012-12-14
- Published: 2015-02-05
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-01-25
- Assignees: NEC Corporation
- Applicants: NEC Corporation
- Inventors: Takashi Oshiba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521054B2

## CPC

- H04L 43/0805: by checking availability
- H04L 25/0262: {Arrangements for detecting the data rate of an incoming signal}
- H04L 43/062: related to network traffic
- H04L 43/12: Network monitoring probes
- H04L 69/24: Negotiation of communication capabilities
- H04L 27/0006: {Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio (for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14)}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A first terminal 1000 includes: a local terminal transmission rate acquisition unit 100 for acquiring a transmission rate of an application in the first terminal 1000; a search range control unit 110 for deciding an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and a probe packet transmission unit 120 for transmitting a probe packet to a second terminal 2000 in a bandwidth less than or equal to the upper limit. The second terminal 2000 includes: a probe packet receiving unit 200 for receiving the probe packet; and an available bandwidth estimation unit 210 for estimating the available bandwidth based on the received probe packet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An available bandwidth search range control method comprising:
acquiring a transmission rate of an application in a local terminal;
deciding an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and
estimating the available bandwidth in the search range less than or equal to the upper limit;
the method further comprises:
acquiring a reception rate of the application in the local terminal;
determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the local terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication; and
setting, in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the local terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal and the reception rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

### Claim 2

An available bandwidth search range control system comprising a first terminal and a second terminal that are connected to a network,
wherein the first terminal comprises:
a local terminal transmission rate acquisition unit which acquires a transmission rate of an application in the first terminal;
a search range control unit which decides an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and
a probe packet transmission unit which transmits a probe packet to the second terminal in a bandwidth less than or equal to the upper limit, and
wherein the second terminal comprises:
a probe packet receiving unit which receives the probe packet; and
an available bandwidth estimation unit which estimates the available bandwidth based on the received probe packet;
wherein the first terminal further comprises:
a local terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires a reception rate of the application and a link speed in the first terminate; and
a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the first terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and
wherein in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the first terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, the search range control unit sets a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal and the reception rate of the application in the first terminal form a link speed of the first terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.