Patent ID: 8201220
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for generating a network usage profile comprising: receiving device data from a set of active devices currently in operative communication with a customer-side network node, wherein the device data is received at a subscriber location; processing the device data to determine an active devices profile comprising a device type for each of the set of active devices wherein the device data is processed at the subscriber location; receiving a timestamp temporally relating to the device data received in the receiving device data step; receiving a node identifier identifying the customer-side network node; associating the timestamp and the node identifier with the active devices profile to generate a current devices-by-node record, the current devices-by-node record defining the set of active devices communicatively coupled with the customer-side network node identified by the node identifier at the time identified by the timestamp; logging the current devices-by-node record in a devices-by-node log, the devices-by-node log comprising a plurality of devices-by-node records generated over a time duration; analyzing the devices-by-node log to generate a devices-by-node profile as a function of the plurality of devices-by-node records generated over at least a portion of the time duration, the devices-by-node profile defining at least an estimation of a set of customer devices available for use in communicating with the customer-side network node during the at least a portion of the time duration, wherein the network usage profile comprises the devices-by-node profile; receiving a network traffic profile comprising traffic information relating to network traffic being communicated over at least a portion of an access network; and associating the network traffic profile with the devices-by-node profile to generate a traffic-by-device profile, the traffic-by-device profile defining at least a portion of the network traffic attributable to at least a portion of the set of customer devices in operative communication with the customer-side network node during the at least a portion of the time duration, wherein the network usage profile further comprises the traffic-by-device profile: receiving at least a portion of the network traffic being communicated over the at least a portion of the access network; processing the sample dataset to generate the traffic information.