Patent ID: 7009992
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
Classification: H04L,H04N,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method of providing network access across a shared communications medium between competing users, comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring network access usage by each user during a time interval, wherein said step of monitoring network access usage includes collecting data representative of the number of logical data units of the user that are dropped during a time interval; (b) based on said monitoring, forecasting network access usage by each user over a future time interval; (c) prioritizing users based on each user's forecasted network access usage in increasing order, whereby a user with a lesser forecasted network access usage receives a higher priority than a user with a greater forecasted network access usage; and (d) allocating network access available to each user during the future time interval in decreasing order of user priority, each user's allocation of network access being equal to each user's forecasted network access usage subject to a respective, predetermined maximum value and subject to availability.