Patent ID: 7298703

Claim:
A method comprising: a first memory receiving and storing data transmitted by a data transmitting device at a second data transmit rate during a first period of time, wherein the second data transmit rate is greater than a third data transmit rate but less than a first data transmit rate; comparing q(t), a quantity of data in the first memory at time t, with first, second, third, and fourth data quantity values wherein first data quantity value is less than the second, third, and fourth data quantity values, wherein the second data quantity value is less than the third and fourth data quantity values, and wherein the third data quantity is less than the fourth data quantity value; the first memory receiving and storing data transmitted by the transmitting device at the first data transmit rate during a second period of time if q(t) is determined to be less than the second, third and fourth data quantity values but greater than the first data quantity value, wherein the second period of time is subsequent to the first period of time; the first memory receiving and storing data transmitted by the transmitting device at the third data transmit rate during the second period of time if q(t) is determined to be greater than the first, second, and third data quantity values but less than the fourth data quantity value; the first memory receiving and storing data transmitted by the transmitting device at the second data transmit rate during the second period of time if q(t) is determined to be greater than the first and second data quantity values but less than the third and fourth data quantity values; replacing the second data quantity value stored in memory with a new second data quantity value if q(t) is determined to be less than the second, third and fourth data quantity values but greater than the first data quantity value; replacing the third data quantity value stored in memory with a new third data quantity value if q(t) is determined to be greater than the first second, and third data quantity values but less than the fourth data quantity value.