Patent ID: 8503304

Claim:
A method comprising: determining, by a network device, a data transfer rate per unit time interval associated with a flow of data; determining, by the network device, a first time, the first time being associated with receiving a first data unit included in the flow of data; determining, by the network device and based on the data transfer rate per unit time interval, a quantity of data allocated to the flow of data between the first time and a second time, the second time being associated with receiving a second data unit included in the flow of data, the second data unit being a next data unit, from the flow of data, received by the network device after the first data unit, and determining the quantity of data, allocated to the flow of data, further including: determining a first counter value, the first counter value indicating a quantity of data transferred between a third time and the first time, the third time being associated with receiving a third data unit included in the flow of data, the third data unit being received prior to the first data unit, and determining the quantity of data based on the first counter value; and policing, by the network device, the second data unit based on the quantity of data.