Patent ID: 7941154

Claim:
A method for providing in a communication network comprising at least a first and a second set of resources corresponding to a first and a second communication system and having associated controllers, a service to users of at least a first and a second type identified based on capability to operate according to the first and the second communication systems, wherein the users of the first type are in a condition to be provided said service only by means of said first set of resources, while the users of said second type are in a condition to be provided said service both by means of said first set of resources and by means of said second set of resources, the method comprising the steps of: detecting during at least one time interval, the total number of requests for said service coming from said users, identifying within said total number the fraction of requests adapted to be met only by means of said first set of resources; identifying at least one parameter representative of said fraction; receiving a service request from a one user of said second type; based on the at least one parameter, making a first determination whether to provide or to deny said service to the one user by means of the first set of resources; if the first determination determines to provide the service to the one user, providing said service to the one user of said second type by means of said first set of resources; if the first determination determines to deny the service to the one user by means of the first set of resources, making a second determination whether to provide or to deny the service to the one user by means of the second set of resources; and if the second determination determines to provide the service to the one user, providing the service to the one user by means of the second set of resources, and otherwise denying the service to the one user.