Patent ID: 7848343

Claim:
A method comprising: sending a first packet stream over a passive optical network (PON), the first packet stream being addressed to a specific optical network terminal (ONT) on the PON; receiving a request from the specific ONT to receive a second packet stream; determining whether the first packet stream and the second packet stream would collectively exceed a bandwidth capacity of the specific ONT; when the first packet stream and the second packet stream would collectively exceed the bandwidth capacity of the specific ONT, reducing a transmission rate associated with the first packet stream and allowing the specific ONT access to the second packet stream when the first packet stream at a reduced transmission rate and the second packet stream would not collectively exceed the bandwidth capacity of the specific ONT; and when the first packet stream and the second packet stream would collectively exceed the bandwidth capacity of the specific ONT, denying the specific ONT access to the second packet stream when the first packet stream at the reduced transmission rate and the second packet stream would collectively exceed the bandwidth capacity of the specific ONT.