Patent ID: 8214487

Claim:
A method comprising: determining, at a network tracking system, for a particular user account first network usage of a network during a first time interval based on first network usage data retrieved from a first network device of the network, wherein the first network usage data corresponds to usage of the network associated with a plurality of user accounts, wherein determining the first network usage comprises adjusting the first network usage data to compensate for network overhead bytes counted in the first network usage data, and wherein adjusting the first network usage data comprises applying at least one of an upload correction factor to a first uploaded bytes value determined from a first uploaded cell count of the first network usage data and a download correction factor to a first downloaded bytes value determined from a first downloaded cell count of the first network usage data; determining for the particular user account second network usage of the network during the first time interval based on second network usage data retrieved from a second network device of the network, wherein the second network usage data corresponds to the usage of the network, wherein the second network device is distinct from the first network device, and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices that direct network traffic in the network; determining for the particular user account aggregate network usage of the network during the first time interval based on the first network usage and the second network usage, wherein the aggregate network usage is determined by computing an average of the first network usage and the second network usage when a difference exists between the first network usage and the second network usage, the difference not exceeding an accuracy threshold; and sending the aggregate network usage associated with the particular user account to a billing system; wherein the upload correction factor is determined based on the first uploaded bytes value and a second uploaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second uploaded bytes value satisfies an upload threshold determined based on an upper data upload rate limit available to the particular user account; and wherein the download correction factor is determined based on the first downloaded bytes value and a second downloaded bytes value determined from the second network usage data when the second downloaded bytes value satisfies a download threshold determined based on an upper data download rate limit available to the particular user account.