Patent ID: 6574193
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
Variable-rate encoding apparatus operative to receive data and process the data for transmission through a network, comprising:a processor, which determines a degree of circuit congestion responsive to the status of a cell queue associated with at least one virtual circuit of the network; a variable-rate encoder, operative to encode the received data so as to provide encoded data packets to the at least one virtual circuit at rate that is selected responsive to said degree of circuit congestion; and a bit rate selector, wherein the apparatus is suitable for an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network; and wherein the processor determines a mean bit rate of the encoded data packets to be output by the encoder as a function of the circuit congestion, and wherein the bit rate selects one of a plurality of discrete, applicable bit rates of the encoder responsive to the mean bit rate.