How Network Providers Subcontract Data Processing Tasks
A method for internet service providers to bundle specific data processing tasks from many users and send them to a third party for efficient handling.
Original patent title: “Methods, systems, and products for subcontracting segments in communications services”
A method for internet service providers to bundle specific data processing tasks from many users and send them to a third party for efficient handling. Granted to AT&T Intellectual Property I LP in 2013 with 21 claims and 3 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system where a network service provider, like an ISP, manages incoming data streams from multiple subscribers. Instead of processing every piece of data internally, the system identifies segments of data that require a specific service, such as deep packet inspection or complex transcoding. It then groups these specific segments from different users together and sends them to a third-party service provider to be processed in bulk. Once the third party completes the task, the results are sent back, re-aggregated into the original data streams, and delivered to the intended destinations.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover processing data streams entirely within a single service provider's infrastructure.
- Does not cover methods that do not involve grouping segments from multiple different subscribers.
- Does not cover standard routing of data packets where no specialized subcontracted processing service is applied.
- Does not cover real-time data streaming that does not utilize recursive segmentation based on historical packet structure.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using the structure of past data sequences to determine how to segment current data, and then grouping these segments across different users to create an economy of scale for outsourced processing.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Cloud-based traffic optimization services
Third-party deep packet inspection for security
Automated video transcoding services for ISPs
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses the massive computational load on modern network infrastructure. By allowing providers to offload specific, repetitive tasks to specialized third-party services, it enables more efficient use of network resources. It is particularly relevant for managing high-volume traffic in cloud-based communications and content delivery networks.
Filed
December 15, 2008
Granted
December 10, 2013
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Large telecommunications providers like AT&T and major cloud infrastructure companies such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud utilize similar concepts of distributed, segmented data processing to manage global network traffic efficiently.
Market impact
This patent reflects the industry shift toward modular, service-oriented network architectures. It supports the trend of offloading specialized computational tasks to specialized providers, which has become a foundational element of modern software-defined networking and cloud-native service delivery.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system where a network service provider, like an ISP, manages incoming data streams from multiple subscribers. Instead of processing every piece of data internally, the system identifies segments of data that require a specific service, such as deep packet inspection or complex transcoding. It then groups these specific segments from different users together and sends them to a third-party service provider to be processed in bulk. Once the third party completes the task, the results are sent back, re-aggregated into the original data streams, and delivered to the intended destinations.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using the structure of past data sequences to determine how to segment current data, and then grouping these segments across different users to create an economy of scale for outsourced processing.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover processing data streams entirely within a single service provider's infrastructure.
- Does not cover methods that do not involve grouping segments from multiple different subscribers.
- Does not cover standard routing of data packets where no specialized subcontracted processing service is applied.
- Does not cover real-time data streaming that does not utilize recursive segmentation based on historical packet structure.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
12/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
14/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$27K – $87K
Midpoint $55K · 2.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
21 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Tischer, S. N., Hodges, D. K., & Kreiner, B. M. (2013). How Network Providers Subcontract Data Processing Tasks (U.S. Patent No. 8,606,929). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8606929/aws-lambda
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Network Providers Subcontract Data Processing Tasks cover?
A method for internet service providers to bundle specific data processing tasks from many users and send them to a third party for efficient handling.
Who owns patent US 8606929?
AT&T Intellectual Property I LP owns this patent, granted in 2013.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 10, 2033, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8606929 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses the massive computational load on modern network infrastructure. By allowing providers to offload specific, repetitive tasks to specialized third-party services, it enables more efficient use of network resources. It is particularly relevant for managing high-volume traffic in cloud-based communications and content delivery networks.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover processing data streams entirely within a single service provider's infrastructure.
Same assignee
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