Patent ID: 7961607

Claim:
A marking determining method, for determining a packet marking of packets of an incoming packet-flow, in order to keep said packets in conformance with a traffic policy, said determining being based on an actual value of a traffic reservation parameter, said traffic reservation parameter being a measure of available network resources dedicated to packets of said incoming packet-flow having a pre-assigned priority, said determining further being based on said pre-assigned priority of said packets of said incoming packet flow, said traffic reservation parameter having a predetermined minimum and a maximum value, said marking determining method comprising: holding a threshold value for said traffic reservation parameter, said threshold value lying between said minimum and said maximum value of said traffic reservation parameter; metering said actual value of said traffic reservation parameter; and if said actual value of said traffic reservation parameter exceeds said threshold value for said traffic reservation parameter, determining said packet marking of and marking each of said packets based on said actual value of said traffic reservation parameter, and if said actual value of said traffic reservation parameter is below said threshold value for said traffic reservation parameter, determining said packet marking of and marking each of said packets based on a pre-assigned priority of the packet.