Patent Publication Number: US-2002010772-A1

Title: System and method for communication based on priority class selection

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a communication system and method, wherein a priority class is selected for optimizing communication cost.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Conventionally, priority in communication is associated with kinds of communication services. For example, in the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), wherein information including sound, data, video and the like is loaded on a cell of fixed bytes, there are several network service classes such as CBR (Constant Bit Rate; service for image communication), VBR (Variable Bit Rate; service for realizing communication at information variable speed as it is), UBR (Unspecified Bit Rate; service, for low cost, not guaranteeing throughput) and the like. However, a user terminal has generally only one specific transmission protocol. Therefore, the users must always use a priority class of the same communication protocol.  
       [0005] A bandwidth allocating system in a packet communication network disclosed in JP 3-58646 A (1991) uses two priorities, thereby guaranteeing communication quality. Concretely, a bandwidth allocation for the first priority is conducted for a transmission channel passing under a bandwidth which is equal to maximum value of packet sending speed of information source, while a bandwidth allocation for the second priority conducted for a transmission channel passing under a virtual bandwidth which is not smaller than an average of packet sending speed of information source and is not greater than the maximum of that. Further, a packet having first priority is transmitted preferentially than a packet having second priority in network.  
       [0006] As described above, the priorities are classified mainly on the basis of transmission protocol such as CBR, VBR and UBR, for example. Therefore, in the case of ATM transmission, the terminal has generally only specific transmission system. Thus, the conventional priority system has a disadvantage that the users must always use priority class of the same communication system.  
       [0007] Accordingly, for example, when the user wants to transfer electronic file on business urgently, and when the user browses home pages through Internet, the user utilizes the network in the same priority class, so to say. According to the provision of UNI (User Network Interface), it is possible for a user to request a bandwidth, by means of exchanging parameter between the user terminal side and the network side.  
       [0008] However, such a system requires complicated protocol between the network side and the user side, and the users do not know easily what and why they demand the network to do. Therefore, it is difficult to provide suitable service for flexible request of the users.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a priority class selection type communication system and method which can ensure transmission channel by using classification of priority independent of communication protocol, thereby setting up communication cost corresponding to the priorities, selecting a priority class according to policy whenever transmitting, changing the priority freely in accordance with conditions on the basis of the importance of information and the like. It is another object of the present invention to do away with contracts in which the user always uses specific priority class and to optimize communication cost.  
       [0010] The present invention is characterized in that in a priority class selection type communication system for conducting use of network corresponding to priority, a specific band of a transmission channel in the network is classified and divided by priority; maximum user number is set by each priority class; and then lower limit of usable band is set as guarantee value at the time of use by maximum number of user based on the band of the each priority class and the maximum user number.  
       [0011] And, the present invention is characterized in that in a priority class selection type communication method in a priority class selection type communication system comprising a user terminal and a network control unit, request of network information of the priority class divided corresponding to a specific band of a transmission channel in the network and maximum user number is conducted from the user terminal to the network control unit at a stating time of transmission and reception of information between a user terminal and another user terminal, and it is determined that the terminal selects which priority class based on the network information that the user terminal received from the network control unit based on the request; that use request of determined priority class is conducted from the user terminal to the network control unit, and communication is conducted with permission ID that the user terminal received from the network control unit based on the request.  
       [0012] In addition, in a priority class selection type communication system of the present invention, describing while referring to FIG. 1, the user terminal ( 1 ) comprises detecting means ( 11 ) which detect start of transmission and reception of information between itself and another user terminal; first requesting means ( 12 ) which conduct request of network information of the each priority class to the network control unit ( 2 ); determining means ( 13 ) which determine that the means select which priority class based on the network information received from the network control unit ( 2 ) based on the request and selection policy that user has; second requesting means ( 15 ) which conduct use request of determined priority class to the network control unit ( 2 ); and transmitting and receiving means ( 16 ) which conduct transmission and reception of information through the network ( 3 ) with the permission ID received from the network control unit ( 2 ) based on the request, and the network control unit ( 2 ) comprises transferring means ( 21 ) which receive request of the network information from the user terminal ( 1 ) and transmit the network information to the user terminal ( 1 ), storing means ( 22 ) which can store and update the network information and accepting means ( 23 ) which receive the use request from the user terminal ( 1 ) and transmit the permission ID to the user terminal when the network ( 3 ) is usable.  
       [0013] The priority class selection type communication system of the present invention can ensure transmission channel needed for transfer for itself by payment of proper compensation of each user and select priority class to be used according to the policy at the time of transmitting. Therefore, priority may be changed randomly according to conditions to be used based on the importance of information and the like, no contract in which user always uses specific priority class is needed, and optimization of communication cost may be realized.  
       [0014] According to the present invention, effect described below is obtained because of the following reason, that is, since request of network information of each priority class divided corresponding to the specific bandwidth of the transmission channel in the network and maximum user number is conducted from the user terminal to the network control unit with start of transmission and reception of information between the user terminal and another user terminal, it is determined that the terminal selects which priority class based on network information that the user terminal received from the network control unit based on request, use request of determined priority class is conducted from the user terminal to the network control unit, and communication is conducted with permission ID that the user terminal received from the network control unit based on request, in addition, each priority class has specific account system and unit price per unit bandwidth is set high as priority class limiting containing user number.  
       [0015] It is possible to ensure transmission channel needed for transfer for itself by payment of compensation of each user and select priority class to be used, therefore, priority may be changed randomly according to conditions to be used based on the importance of information and the like, no contract in which user always uses specific priority class is needed, and optimization of communication cost may be realized. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of constitution of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0017]FIG. 2 shows one example of network information that the network control unit of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention provides to the user terminal.  
     [0018]FIG. 3 shows one example of network information that the network control unit of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention provides to the user terminal.  
     [0019]FIG. 4 shows one example of database information that the network control unit of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention has.  
     [0020]FIG. 5 shows one example of database information that the network control unit of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention has.  
     [0021]FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a process of the side of the user terminal and that of the network control unit of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of constitution of the priority class selection type communication system of the embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     PREFERRED EMBODDDIMENT OF THE INVENTION  
     [0023] The priority class selection type communication system of an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 comprises: an user terminal  1  comprising a connection opening trigger detecting unit  11 , an information requesting unit  12 , a priority class selecting unit  13 , a policy database  14 , a utilization requesting unit  15  and a transmitting and receiving unit  16 ; a network control unit  2  comprising a network information transferring unit  21 , a network database  22  and a request accepting unit  23 ; and a transmission channel (network)  3 .  
     [0024] Describing above-mentioned constitution in detail, in the user terminal  1 , the connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  generates trigger signal for data sending when data to be sent is generated within the user terminal of own office and detects that generated signal become trigger of start of transmission and reception. The information requesting unit  12  inputs trigger signal and requests provision of use information of each priority class to network  3  and transfers received information to the priority class selecting unit  13 . The priority class selecting unit  13  determines that it selects which priority according to use conditions of network transferred from the information requesting unit  12  and the policy database (selection policy)  14  that user has.  
     [0025] The utilization requesting unit  15  inputs the selection result of the priority class selecting unit  13  and transmits request of priority class to the network control unit  2  and, as this response, receives usable Id value (referring to Id value hereafter) to transfer information in network from the network control unit  2 . The transmitting and receiving unit  16  conducts transmission and reception of information to network  3  with Id that the utilization requesting unit  15  received.  
     [0026] On the other hand, in the network control unit  2 , the network information transferring unit  21  receives reference request of network information from the user terminal  1  and transmits network information to the user terminal  1 . The network database  22  stores use information. The request accepting unit  23  receives use request from the user terminal  1  and judge whether network  3  is usable and delivers permission ID to the user terminal  1  while updating the network database  22  when acceptance is conducted.  
     [0027] And one example of network information that the network control unit  2  provides to the user terminal  1  is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, for example, each of priority A class, priority B class and priority C class which are divided into three ranks correspond to minimum guarantee bandwidth and usable bandwidth.  
     [0028] Furthermore, one example of database information that the network control unit  2  has is shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, for example, each of priority A class, priority B class and priority C class which are divided into three ranks correspond to all bandwidth, minimum guarantee bandwidth, usable bandwidth and maximum user number. In this case, FIG. 5 shows updated database information in FIG. 4.  
     [0029] In addition, above-mentioned constitution presents an example that the user terminal  1  and the network control unit  2  are provided with transmission line apart from network  3 , however, the user terminal may conduct selection of priority and the like through network similar to another embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 described later with respect to use of network depending on generation of data.  
     [0030] The operation of the embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail with reference to FIG. 1-FIG. 6.  
     [0031] In the user terminal  1 , when condition that information is transmitted and received with another terminal is occurred, the connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  detects this occurrence. With respect to methods for detecting connection opening trigger, various detecting methods such as carrier sensing, detection based on occurrence of transmission request in protocol level and detection based on occurrence of transaction request in application level and the like can be considered.  
     [0032] The connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  informs information that the unit  11  detected this connection opening trigger to the information requesting unit  12  (Step  41  in FIG. 6). Additional information to judge quality of information to be transmitted such as transmission application, amount of transfer information and the like is added to this trigger detection information.  
     [0033] The information requesting unit  12  of the user terminal  1  requests notice of use condition of each priority class in network  3  for the network information transferring unit  21  with which the network control unit  2  is provided (Step  42  in FIG. 6). The network information transferring unit  21  refers to the network database  22  according to foregoing request and transfers this information to the information requesting unit  12 , which is a request resource, of the user terminal  1  (Step  401  in FIG. 6).  
     [0034] Here, FIG. 2 shows network information which is given at this time. In this embodiment, priority of network is divided into three ranks, these ranks are, in order of raising priority, priority A class, priority B class, and priority C class. Each class has a whole bandwidth of 100 Mbps temporarily, priority A class contains maximum 10 user, priority B class contains maximum 100 user, priority C class contains unlimited user. Priority A class guarantee minimum 10 Mbps, priority B class guarantee minimum 1 Mbps, priority C class guarantee nothing.  
     [0035] Accordingly, network information shown in FIG. 2 shows each minimum guarantee bandwidth and usable bandwidth for each user in each priority class at present. Usable bandwidth show usable bandwidth at the time of addition of new user so that it is easy for user who selects class. Specifically, 2 Mbps of priority B class is calculated by the formula;  
     2=100/(49+1)  (A)  
     [0036] Here, “1” in the formula (A) is added in order to calculate value when this user is added temporarily.  
     [0037] The information requesting unit  12 , which received foregoing network information, of the user terminal  1  transfers network information to the priority class selecting unit  13 . The priority class selecting unit  13  selects that which priority class is used for information transfer with reference to the policy database  14 .  
     [0038] The policy database  14  sets, for example, time emergency, lower limit and upper limit of network use for information and the like by amount of transfer information, a kind of sending application and the like to maintain policy for selecting suitable priority class. The priority class selecting unit  13  determines that which priority class is used with respect to transmission and reception based on this policy (Step  43  and  44  in FIG. 6).  
     [0039] Next, the priority class selecting unit  13  informs the utilization requesting unit  15  of selected priority class (Step  45  in FIG. 6). The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  transmits use request to the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2 . In this embodiment, it is assumed that request that priority B class is used is conducted based on the policy database  14 .  
     [0040] At this time, information concerning opposed station of communication is delivered. The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  transfers this information, that is, information that priority B class is used to the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2 . The request accepting unit  23  obtains information shown in FIG. 4 with reference to the network database  22  (Step  402  in FIG. 6).  
     [0041] Information of FIG. 4 show that all bandwidth and information of user number are added to information of FIG. 2. Priority B class does not reach maximum user number, it is still possible for service for 40 user, therefore, at this time, request is accepted as it is, and the network database  22  is updated (Step  403 ,  404  in FIG. 6). When acceptance is impossible, acceptance impossible is judged (Step  405  in FIG. 6). FIG. 5 shows updated database. After this, user who conducted request of information transfer receives information shown in FIG. 3.  
     [0042] The request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  assigns ID so that user can use priority B class in network  3  (Step  406  in FIG. 6) and informs this to the utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1 . The request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  assigns same ID and informs it to the utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  in the opposed station simultaneously. And the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  conducts operation for opening connection of accepted service for network  3 .  
     [0043] The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  receives each signal transmitted from the side of the network control unit  2  (Step  45  in FIG. 6), delivers this ID to the transmitting and receiving unit  16  and executes transmission and reception of data between itself and opposed terminal with received ID (Step  46  in FIG. 6).  
     [0044] In addition, in the embodiment described above, an example of the system that user directly specifies priority class in same priority class, however, the system that user only specifies minimum guarantee bandwidth, and the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  refers to the network database  22  to select suitable class may be applicable.  
     [0045] As described above, in the priority class selection type communication method of the embodiment of the present invention, the specific bandwidth of the transmission channel in the network is classified and divided by priority, and maximum user number is set. And lower limit of usable bandwidth is set as guarantee value when maximum number of user uses by fair share based on bandwidth of each priority class and maximum user number. In addition, priority class, having no guarantee substantially, in which maximum user number is infinity may be set.  
     [0046] Each priority class has specific account system, and unit price per unit bandwidth is set high as priority class limiting containing user number. Network updates at real time and controls minimum guarantee value of its priority class and usable bandwidth information based on use conditions of each priority class.  
     [0047] Network user can obtain use information of each priority class from network by request of user. It is possible to request and reserve that which priority class is used at how much bandwidth for network by user&#39;s policy. User is accounted use charge by the product of used priority class, bandwidth and time. Network contains to maximum user number that each priority class has.  
     [0048] Accordingly, the used bandwidth may gradually decrease due to the increase in users, even when users are using bandwidth which exceed minimum guarantee bandwidth.  
     [0049]FIG. 7 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the difference between FIG. 7 and FIG. 1 is that an user terminal  1  and a network control unit  2  are conducted intercommunication through network  3 . Therefore, the user terminal  1  has a terminal interface  17  having a function of mutual mediation between a transmitting and receiving unit  16  and network  3  and is connected with network  3  according to protocol specified by network.  
     [0050] This protocol may be a physical layer, a data link layer, network layer, a transport layer and the like in OSI reference model. The network control unit  2  is provided with a managing unit interface  25  for connection with network  3 , and this managing unit interface  25  intervenes between a network information transferring unit  21  and a request accepting unit  23  and between the unit  2  and the user terminal  1  for intercommunication of data.  
     [0051] The user terminal  1  is provided with a display  19  and a transmitting data generating unit  18  having a function of input and output, the transmitting data generating unit  18  generates trigger signal of data output. A connection opening trigger detecting unit  11 , an information requesting unit  12 , a priority class selecting unit  13 , a policy database  14 , a utilization requesting unit  15  and a transmitting and receiving unit  16  have the same function as FIG. 1 respectively. When the user terminal  1  receives data from network  3 , reception processing is conducted through the terminal interface  17 , the transmitting and receiving unit  16  and the connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  while visibly recognizing the display  19  at the transmitting data generating unit  18 .  
     [0052] The network control unit  2  is provided with a network information transferring unit  21 , a network database  22 , a request accepting unit  23 , the managing unit interface  25  and a referring and updating unit  24  which conducts reference and update of data of the network database  22 . In addition, the network information transferring unit  21  and the request accepting unit  23  may be included in the managing unit interface  25 .  
     [0053] Generally, a plurality of user terminals are connected with the transmission channel (network)  3 , and the action of an user terminal  4  is the same as the action of the user terminal  1 . Since the action of the user terminal  1  and the network control unit  2  are nearly the same as the action described by the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, overlapping description will be omitted.  
     [0054] Describing above-mentioned constitution in detail, in the user terminal  1 , the connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  generates trigger signal for data sending when data to be sent is generated by the transmitting data generating unit  18  within the user terminal of own office and detects that generated signal become trigger of start of transmission and reception. The information requesting unit  12  inputs trigger signal and requests provision of use information of each priority class to the network control unit  2  through the terminal interface  17  for network  3 .  
     [0055] At this time, in the case of communication to the network control unit  2 , the terminal interface  17  accepts its request while setting the network control unit  2  and the network information transferring unit  21  of an address in a header part of a packet, and according to response of request result, the managing unit interface  25  sets specification of the user terminal  2  and the information requesting unit  12  of an address in a header part of a response packet to send the packet to the terminal interface  17  through network  3 , and then the interface  17  transfers received information to the priority class selecting unit  13 .  
     [0056] The priority class selecting unit  13  determines that it selects which priority according to use conditions of network  3  transferred from the information requesting unit  12  and the policy database (selection policy)  14  that user has.  
     [0057] The utilization requesting unit  15  inputs the selection result of the priority class selecting unit  13  and transmits request of priority class to the network control unit  2  and, as this response, receives usable Id value (referring to Id value hereafter) to transfer information in network from the network control unit  2 . The transmitting and receiving unit  16  embeds Id that the utilization requesting unit  15  received into a transmission resource region of a header part of a packet form and conducts transmission and reception of information to network  3 .  
     [0058] On the other hand, in the network control unit  2 , the network information transferring unit  21  receives reference request of network information from the user terminal  1  and transmits network information to the user terminal  1 . The network database  22  stores use information. The request accepting unit  23  receives use request from the user terminal  1 , judges whether network  3  is usable and delivers permission ID to the user terminal  1  while updating the network database  22  when acceptance is conducted.  
     [0059] And one example of network information that the network control unit  2  provides to the user terminal  1  is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, for example, each of priority A class, priority B class and priority C class which are divided into three ranks corresponds to minimum guarantee bandwidth and usable bandwidth.  
     [0060] Furthermore, one example of database information that the network control unit  2  has is shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, for example, each of priority A class, priority B class and priority C class which are divided into three ranks corresponds to all bandwidth, minimum guarantee bandwidth, usable bandwidth and maximum user number. In this case, FIG. 5 shows updated database information in FIG. 4.  
     [0061] The operation of the embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. Since this embodiment is basically similar to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, overlapping description will be omitted.  
     [0062] In the user terminal  1 , when condition that information is transmitted and received with another terminal, such as the user terminal  4 , is occurred, trigger is generated from the transmitting data generating unit  18 , and the connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  detects this generation. The connection opening trigger detecting unit  11  informs information that the unit  11  detected this connection opening trigger to the information requesting unit  12  (Step  41  in FIG. 6). Additional information to judge quality of information to be transmitted such as transmission application, amount of transfer information and the like is added to this trigger detection information.  
     [0063] The information requesting unit  12  of the user terminal  1  informs a packet in which an address is as the network information transferring unit  21  of the network control unit  2  to the terminal interface  17  according to this trigger, and the interface  17  transmits this packet to network  3 . The managing unit interface  25  of the network control unit  2  detects the packet whose address is the unit  2  from packets sent to network  3  and inputs detected packet to transmit it to the network information transferring unit  21  and conducts request of notice of use conditions of each priority class in network  3  (Step  42  in FIG. 6).  
     [0064] The network information transferring unit  21  refers to the network database  22  according to the foregoing request and transfers this information to the information requesting unit  12 , which is a request resource, of the user terminal  1  via network  3  (Step  401  in FIG. 6).  
     [0065] Here, FIG. 2 shows network information which is given at this time, like the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0066] The information requesting unit  12 , which received foregoing network information, of the user terminal  1  transfers network information to the priority class selecting unit  13 . The priority class selecting unit  13  selects that which priority class is used for information transfer with reference to the policy database  14 . The policy database  14  sets, for example, time emergency, lower limit and upper limit of network use amount for information and the like by amount of transfer information, a kind of sending application and the like to maintain policy for selecting suitable priority class.  
     [0067] Since this policy is different by the user terminal, for example, priority is best, low cost is best or data quality is best, it is ranked so that priority is medium, low cost is best and data quality is best, for example, according to user&#39;s preference to store them in the policy database  14 . The priority class selecting unit  13  determines class selection according to use information of network at present based on this policy (Step  43 , 44  in FIG. 6).  
     [0068] Next, the priority class selecting unit  13  notifies the utilization requesting unit  15  of the selected priority class (Step  45  in FIG. 6). The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  constructs a packet including information of priority class bandwidth and transmits utilization request to the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  through the terminal interface  17  and managing unit interface  25 .  
     [0069] In this embodiment, it is assumed that request that priority B class is used is conducted based on the policy database  14 . At this time, information concerning the user terminal  4  which is an opposed station of communication is also delivered. The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  transfers this information, that is, information that priority B class is used to the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2 .  
     [0070] It is assumed that the request accepting unit  23  obtains information shown in FIG. 4 with reference to the network database  22  (Step  402  in FIG. 6). Information of FIG. 4 show that all bandwidth and information of user number are added to information of FIG. 2. Priority B class do not reach maximum user number, it is still possible for service for 40 user until it is specified, therefore, at this time, request is accepted as it is, the fact, noticed from the request accepting unit  23 , that the user terminal  1  uses network  3  at priority B class is stored in the network database  22  through the referring and updating unit  24 , and the contents which have been not used till now is updated (Step  403 , 404  in FIG. 6).  
     [0071] When acceptance is impossible, acceptance impossible is judged (Step  405  in FIG. 6). FIG. 5 shows updated database. After this, user who conducted request of information transfer receives information shown in FIG. 3.  
     [0072] The request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  assigns ID so that user can use priority B class in network  3  and informs this to the utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1 . The request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  assigns same ID and informs it to the requesting unit in the user terminal  4  of the opposed station simultaneously. And the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  conducts operation for opening connection of accepted service for network  3 .  
     [0073] The utilization requesting unit  15  of the user terminal  1  delivers this ID to the transmitting and receiving unit  16  and executes transmission and reception of data between itself and opposed user terminal  4  through the terminal interface  17  (Step  406  in FIG. 6).  
     [0074] In addition, in the embodiment described above, an example of the system that user directly specifies priority class in same priority class, however, the system that user only specifies minimum guarantee bandwidth, and the request accepting unit  23  of the network control unit  2  refers to the network database  22  to select suitable class may be applicable. Furthermore, since if a data transmitting resource determined class selection such as priority, there is a case that an opposed user terminal requests priority class of higher rank by one rank, therefore negotiation function may be provided in the network control unit  2 .  
     [0075] As described above, in the priority class selection type communication method of the embodiment of the present invention, the specific bandwidth of the transmission channel in the network is classified and divided by priority, and maximum user number is set. In this embodiment, since service is given in network  3  of the network control unit by only connecting with network, it is effective when network system is extended.  
     [0076] Network user can obtain use information of each priority class from network by request of user oneself. It is possible to request and reserve that which priority class is used at how much bandwidth for network by user&#39;s policy. User is accounted use charge by the product of used priority class, bandwidth and time. Network contains to maximum user number that each priority class has.  
     [0077] Accordingly, the used bandwidth may gradually decrease due to an increase in users, even when the users are using the bandwidth which exceed minimum guarantee bandwidth.