Patent ID: 8194643
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring a link in a network between a first end-user device and a network, the method comprising: receiving, at a receiving device, performance data collected by the first end-user device, the performance data indicating a communication quality of the link between the first end-user device and the network; combining the received performance data collected by the first end-user device with a set of network performance data collected by the receiving device to form a combined set of network performance data associated with the communication quality of the link between the first end-user device and the network, wherein the network performance data collected by the receiving device includes performance data generated at the receiving device and performance data received from other devices on the network; determining that a threshold has been reached based on the received performance data, the threshold associated with a decline in quality of the link, the decline in quality being associated with a decline in quality applicable to multiple sessions communicated on at least a portion of the link; transmitting a query to the first end-user device in response to the determined reaching of the threshold, the query requesting from a user of the first end-user device a communication action to perform based on the threshold being reached; receiving the communication action from the first end-user device; determining whether a change is to be made to a communication session between the first end-user device and the network based on the received communication action specified by the user of the first end-user device; responsive to a determination that a change to is to be made to the communication session based on the received communication action, changing the communications session between the first end-user device and the network in accordance with the received communication action, wherein the change is to an amount of bandwidth used by a particular application on the first end-user device, the particular application specified in the communication action returned by the user of the first end-user device in response to the query; and responsive to a determination that a change to the communication session is not to be made based on the received communication action, maintaining the communications session between the first end-user device and the network unchanged.