Patent ID: 6865156
Filing Date: 2005-03-08
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling bandwidth usage by a group of connections in a communication network, the group of connections having an assigned group bandwidth, the connections in the group having respective minimum bandwidths providable within the assigned group bandwidth and respective current bandwidths that the connections are currently allowed to use, the method comprising the steps of: (a) calculating a total current bandwidth by adding up the current bandwidths of the connections in the group; (b) calculating a difference by subtracting the total current bandwidth from the assigned group bandwidth; (c) calculating an explicit rate for one connection in the group by adding said difference to the connection's current bandwidth; (d) determining which connections in the group are currently active; (e) calculating a sum of the minimum bandwidths of the active connections in the group; (f) using said sum to calculate a minimum explicit rate for said one connection; (g) altering said explicit rate to said minimum explicit rate under certain conditions; and (h) controlling the current bandwidth of said one connection according to said explicit rate.