Patent ID: 8711871
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of scheduling data for transmission in a communications network, the communications network having a plurality of data sources, the method comprising: classifying each data source as one of an eligible data source and an ineligible data source; maintaining a credit balance of available credits; allocating credits from the credit balance to eligible data sources; maintaining a respective credit count for each eligible data source; maintaining a plurality of queues, each queue having a respective priority level defined according to a corresponding credit count requirement; assigning each data source to a respective queue, the respective queue having a credit count requirement met by the credit count of the data source; selecting at least one data source for dequeuing according to the priority levels of the queues to which the data sources are assigned; transferring a number of credits from the credit count for the at least one selected data source to the credit balance, the number of credits corresponding to an amount of data dequeued; reclassifying an eligible data source as an ineligible data source; and transferring the credit count for the reclassified data source to the credit balance.