Patent ID: 9300538
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method executed at a server in a network, comprising: receiving a request from a client at a first network for accommodating flow characteristics at a second network to which the first network subscribes according to a subscriber level agreement (SLA), the flow characteristics being associated with executing an application in the first network, wherein the SLA prescribes allocation of certain network resources of the second network to flows associated with the first network; determining that the request cannot be fulfilled with available network resources allocated to the client by the second network according to the SLA; advising the client of additional cost for accommodating the flow characteristics; receiving an access token from the client, wherein the access token is issued by an authorization server; verifying the access token with the authorization server, wherein the authorization server verifies the access token with payment covering the additional cost for the requested flow characteristics and validates the access token against flow characteristics for which payment has been made; accepting the access token as notification of payment if the authorization server validates the access token; and authorizing additional network resources in the second network to accommodate the flow characteristics after receiving notification of payment of the additional cost.