Patent ID: 9647946
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: G06Q,H04L

Claim:
1. A method comprising: detecting, at a server computer that executes an enforcement application, a data session request, the data session request comprising a request for a data session between a data source and a user device; obtaining, at the server computer, network data that indicates network congestion at a portion of a network between the data source and the user device; obtaining, at the server computer, a credit subscription plan that is associated with the user device, the credit subscription plan that specifies an allocation rate at which credits are added to a credit account associated with the user device; determining, at the server computer, credit usage rates, wherein each of the credit usage rates defines a rate at which credits will be withdrawn from a credit pool during the data session, wherein the credit usage rates are based on the network congestion as indicated by the network data that indicates the network congestion, and wherein the credit usage rates are further based on a quality of service level; generating, at the server computer, credit usage rate options for the data session, wherein the credit usage rate options are based on the credit usage rates determined; transmitting, by the server computer, the credit usage rate options to the user device for presentation in a user interface at the user device; obtaining, by the server computer, a selection of a credit usage rate option of the credit usage rate options, the selection being obtained from the user device, wherein the selection is made via the user interface; determining, at the server computer, a plurality of flow rates that define a rate at which the credits flow from the credit account to the credit pool, wherein the plurality of flow rates comprises adjusting, by the server computer, a maximum capacity of the credit pool, wherein the maximum capacity is based on the network congestion; in response to a determination that the data session does not involve congested network resources, adding, by the server computer, credits to the credit pool at the third flow rate during the data session; and removing, by the server computer, a credit from the credit pool at a credit usage rate during the data session, wherein the credit usage rate corresponds to the credit usage rate option selected.