Patent ID: 7908393

Claim:
In a node configured to communicate with one or more other nodes over a network, a method for network bandwidth detection, distribution and traffic prioritization, the method comprising: a) detecting an available bandwidth for communication between the first node and a second node; b) determining a distribution for the available bandwidth among the two or more communication channels for a single application by 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 ; c) 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 d) 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.