Patent ID: 7382727

Claim:
A method for controlling data flow in a multi-user, limited bandwidth networking environment by differentiating data types for disparate processing thereof, said method comprising steps of: establishing a plurality of aggregation classes that are hierarchically ordered to include at least one favored class and at least one disfavored class; aggregating one or more network sessions into at least one of said plurality of aggregation classes according to a pre-defined aggregation policy; asymmetrically allocating bandwidth to said network sessions according to said hierarchically ordering whereby said allocation occurs in accordance with a first algorithm for said favored class and a second algorithm for said disfavored class, said first algorithm controlling a first arrival rate for a first data packet by controlling a first serving rate for said first data packet in accordance with a first serving/arrival ratio, said second algorithm controlling a second arrival rate for a second data packet by controlling a second serving rate for said second data packet in accordance with a second serving/arrival ratio, said favored class including said first data packet and said disfavored class including said second data packet.