Patent ID: 8913501
Filing Date: 2014-12-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling a flow rate of multiple data flows at a network node on a path of the data flows, the method comprising the steps of: providing i) a private restriction token bucket for each of the data flows, ii) a private guarantee token bucket for each of the data flows and iii) a shared token bucket common to all of the data flows, wherein the restriction token bucket for a given one of the data flows, data flow i, has a refill rate R obtaining n number of tokens from the restriction token bucket for the data flow i when a message belonging to the data flow i arrives at the node and needs the n number of tokens to pass through the node; attempting to obtain the n number of tokens from one or more of A) the guarantee token bucket for the data flow i and B) the shared token bucket; and transmitting the message if the n number of tokens are obtained from one or more of A) the guarantee token bucket for the data flow i and B) the shared token bucket, otherwise delaying transmission of the message until the n number of tokens are available in one or more of A) the guarantee token bucket for the data flow i and B) the shared token bucket.