Patent ID: 6560198
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for stabilizing occupancy of a buffer in a node in a communications network, wherein said node comprises connections and the buffer includes packets associated with the connections, the method comprising the steps of:estimating the number of active connections in the node by sampling the packets in the buffer when the node receives a first packet, said estimating step comprising the steps of statistically sampling one or more of the packets in the buffer, determining the number of sampled packets that are associated with the same connection as the received first packet, and estimating the number of active connections based on the determined number of sampled packets; identifying a connection in the node when the buffer occupancy exceeds a predetermined threshold and the determined number of sampled packets is greater than zero; collecting state information associated with the identified connection, said state information including at least one of the interval of time or a subset of the interval of time the connection is monitored, the number of packets that are associated with the connection and arrive during the interval, and the arrival rate of packets associated with the connection; determining a probability for discarding the received first packet based on the estimated number of active connections; and discarding the received first packet according to the determined probability.