Patent ID: 7856501

Claim:
In a node configured to communicate with one or more other nodes over a network, a method for prioritizing network traffic among two or more distinct channels of communication within a single application, the method comprising: a) distributing a bandwidth quantum BQ for a time quantum T amongst N≧2 communication channels C 1 . . . C N , based on priorities P 1 . . . P N correspondingly assigned to channels C 1 . . . C N , wherein each channel is assigned a reserved portion of the bandwidth quantum BQ, wherein a size R i of the reserved portion assigned to a given channel C i of the N channels C 1 . . . C N , is greater than zero and wherein R i is determined based on the corresponding priority P i assigned to the given channel C i ; b) transmitting an amount of ready data, if any, for each channel C i that is greater than zero and less than or equal to the size R i of the reserved portion for that channel; and c) redistributing any unused part of any reserved portion R i amongst any of the N communication channels C 1 . . . C N having un-transmitted ready data.