Patent ID: 7546308

Claim:
A method implemented by one or more computer systems comprising: a first component receiving first and second requests; generating first and second priority values corresponding to the first and second requests, respectively; the first component processing the first and second requests to generate third and fourth requests, respectively, wherein the first request is processed before the second request if the first priority value is numerically greater than the second priority value, or the first request is processed after the second request if the first priority value is numerically less than the second priority value; a second component receiving the third and fourth requests; generating third and fourth priority values corresponding to the third and fourth requests, respectively; the second component processing the third and fourth requests wherein the third request is processed before the fourth request if the third priority value is numerically greater than the fourth priority value, or the third request is processed after the fourth request if the third priority value is numerically less than the fourth priority value, and if the first priority value is numerically greater than the second priority value, then the third priority value generated by the second component will be numerically greater than or equal to the fourth priority value.