Patent ID: 7280476

Claim:
A method for controlling traffic flow at a network node comprising the steps of: updating a group of credit buckets, wherein said updating comprises: updating all of said credit buckets during a predetermined multiple of time intervals, updating said credit buckets in response to said time intervals, and updating only a predetermined number of said credit buckets per each of said time intervals, wherein said predetermined number of said credit buckets represents a sub-set of said credit buckets, and each said sub-set is updated only after said predetermined multiple of said time intervals; determining an adjusted credit value for at least one of said credit buckets when said credit bucket is accessed to forward a packet, said adjusted credit value being determined as a function of a number of said time intervals that have elapsed since said credit bucket was last updated; comparing said adjusted credit value against an equivalent credit value of said packet; and based on said comparing step, forwarding, marking, or dropping said packet.