Patent ID: 8462812

Claim:
A method for estimation of residual bandwidth implemented in a node of a communication network which is connected to a plurality of links, the method comprising the steps of: a) calculating probability of primary link channel degradation delivery failure, number of competing links and number of successful packet deliveries per unit time on competing links, b) calculating failure probability on the primary link over idle times c) calculating failure probability on the primary link over collision behavior ( 103 ), d) comparing the failure probabilities on the primary link already obtained over idle times and collision behavior, e) using the number of primary link packet deliveries as hypothetical traffic level for calculating residual bandwidth in response to the failure probabilities on the primary link over the idle times and the collision behavior being equal to each other, f) incrementing the number of packet deliveries on the primary link and repeating steps b) to f) in response to the failure probability on the primary link obtained over idle times and the collision behavior being not equal to each other; wherein a time sharing model, in which the primary link is assumed to operate at a saturation point and the competing links is assumed to be below the saturation point, is used to calculate the failure probability on the primary link over the idle times; and wherein a collision dynamics rate, in which transmission probabilities of the competing links are calculated by using an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard compliant post back-off behavior of unsaturated competing links, is used to calculate the failure probability on the primary link over collision behavior.