Patent ID: 8537670

Claim:
A packet router comprising: a) an input port configured to: i) receive one or more incoming data flows; and ii) calculate an incoming flow rate for at least one of the one or more incoming data flows; b) a queue configured to buffer the one or more incoming data flows, the queue having a queue length; c) an output port configured to output an outgoing data flow, the outgoing data flow being a combination of the at least one of the one or more incoming data flows; and d) a flow controller communicatively coupled to the input port, the queue, and the output port, the flow controller configured to calculate a local flow rate, the flow controller further comprising: i) a Smith predictor configured to compensate for delays in at least one of the one or more incoming data flows; ii) a proportional-integral controller configured to adjust rate coverage to within an approximate desired rate; iii) a proportional-derivative controller configured to reject disturbances in at least one of the one or more incoming data flows; and iv) a proportional controller configured to, in combination with the proportional-derivative controller, reduce at least one transient period of at least one of the one or more incoming data flows and to stabilize the flow controller.