Patent ID: 7564872

Claim:
In a data communications device, a method to allocate bandwidth for transferring data, the method comprising: based on bandwidth allocation information, programming the data communications device with a first configuration to provide a first throughput rate for an active session transferring data through the data communications device; after instantiation of the active session and providing the first throughput rate, determining a bandwidth allocation modification to be made for the active session; and in response to said determining, altering the first configuration to produce a second configuration in the data communications device to provide a second throughput rate for the active session transferring data through the data communications device; wherein determining the bandwidth allocation modification to be made for the active session includes: during the active session: i) detecting an occurrence of an event identified in the bandwidth allocation information, the bandwidth allocation information being received prior to instantiation of the active session; and ii) based on the occurrence of the event, identifying a bandwidth modification amount to change the first throughput rate in order to configure the data communications device to support the second throughput rate.