Patent ID: 7835293

Claim:
A method of testing packet prioritization in a data network, comprising: transmitting stream of packet batches over said network from a sender to a receiver, wherein each packet batch contains high and low priority packets having a predetermined sending order; receiving said stream of packet batches at said receiver; for each packet batch at said receiver, determining a difference between a receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver of said high priority packets and said low priority packets relative to said predetermined sending order by measuring respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets; classifying each packet batch at said receiver as: a fully valid batch if all packets are received and all low priority packets thereof are received in the predetermined sending order; a valid batch if at least one low priority packet but not all low priority packets thereof are received and all received low priority packets are in the predetermined sending order; and an invalid batch otherwise; computing a numerical value according to a predetermined function of said respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets according to the fully valid batches and the valid batches thereof; comparing said numerical value to a lower predetermined numerical threshold and an upper predetermined numerical threshold; and determining a performance of said packet prioritization according to a result of said comparing, wherein: if said numerical value is above said upper predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network supports high-quality realtime traffic; if said numerical value is below said lower predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network fails to support high-quality realtime traffic; and determining that said testing is inconclusive otherwise.