Patent ID: 7774506

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving information at a first media access control (MAC) device from a client of the first MAC device, wherein the information indicates a need to change an amount of data being transmitted through the first MAC device to the client of the first MAC device, and the client generates the information in response to the client determining that the client is receiving data at a rate exceeding a set threshold; forming a message including an indication to a second MAC device to change a rate at which the second MAC device transmits data to the client, wherein the first MAC device forms the message, said forming the message uses the information indicating the need to change the amount of data being transmitted to the client, said forming the message is performed in response to receiving said information, the message identifies the second MAC device as originating the message, and a total bandwidth allocation of the first MAC device is unaffected by said change; and transmitting the message to the second MAC device over a network.