Patent ID: 8504716

Claim:
A method for allocating, by an intermediary device between a sender and one or more receivers, a bandwidth credit of the sender by comparing the allocated bandwidth credit to a measurement of data transmission rates via the intermediary device and compression of data by the intermediary, the method comprising: a) allocating, to a sender, a bandwidth credit identifying an amount of data the sender may transmit over a predetermined time period to the one or more receivers via an intermediary device, the intermediary device compressing data of the sender transmitted to the one or more receivers; b) monitoring, by the intermediary device, bandwidth usage by determining a ratio of compression of data of the sender compressed by the intermediary device and a rate of transmission of compressed data of the sender transmitted by the intermediary device to the one or more receivers; c) determining, by the intermediary device, that a difference between the rate of transmission of the sender and the bandwidth usage of the sender falls below a predetermined threshold of the bandwidth credit; and d) communicating, by the intermediary device responsive to the determination, an allocation of a one-time bandwidth credit to the sender based on the difference.