Patent ID: 7664020

Claim:
A method for determining bandwidth allocation among a plurality of programs on a plurality of links of a video-on-demand network of a tree topology, the method comprising: broadcasting a plurality of programs from a root node of a tree topology network along a path comprising a plurality of links connecting nodes through the network to at least one destination node; allocating bandwidth for each program of said plurality of programs carried on a link having an available bandwidth capacity such that the sum of the allocated bandwidths of all of the programs carried on the link does not exceed an available bandwidth capacity of the link; allocating bandwidth for each program carried on a link within a predetermined range and an allocated bandwidth for each program can be decreased but not increased from one link to a next link along a path from the root node through the network to the at least one destination node; assigning a performance function to each program at each node which expresses satisfaction from video service as a function of bandwidth allocated to said program on the incoming link to said node; and wherein the allocating bandwidth is performed using a Lexicographic Minimax Algorithm for a Flexible Bandwidth Allocation Model (FBAM) to provide equitable bandwidth allocations to all programs at all nodes wherein said Lexicographic Minimax Algorithm for FBAM is performed by using repeatedly the Minimax Algorithm for FBAM.