Patent ID: 7710874

Claim:
A method for automatically allocating bandwidth among many pipes in a network comprising: (a) providing a first device in which a unit of information received is associated with one pipe of the many pipes; (b) determining predefined characteristics of said unit of information; (c) providing a second device (different from said first device) in which transmit probability Ti for each of the many pipes is being calculated, which includes the calculation of values of Ti for packets of previously established connections of the many of pipes, wherein said transmit probability Ti relates to discarding said unit of information, forwarding said unit of information, and delay in forwarding said unit of information based upon a comparison of said transmit probability Ti with a random number generated for a service event of said unit of information; (d) transmitting from said second device to said first device the transmit probabilities Ti so calculated; and (e) making, in said first device, a decision for said unit of information based upon the comparison of the transmit probability Ti with the random number for at least one of the many pipes.