Patent ID: 7953023

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving values q 1 , . . . , q K of a quality-of-service metric for K communications channels that connect a first node with a second node, wherein K is an integer greater than one, and wherein said values q 1 , . . . , q K are obtained without injecting any probe traffic into any of said K communications channels; determining values for K coefficients α 1 , . . . , α K that quantify how subsequent traffic is to be partitioned among said K communications channels; wherein the determination of said coefficients α 1 , . . . , α K is based on: (i) said values , q 1 , . . . , q K , (ii) one or more previous values of said coefficients α 1 , . . . , α K , and (iii) a measure of channel independence for one or more pairs of said K communications channels; and transmitting traffic from said first node to said second node via said K communications channels, wherein said traffic is distributed among said K communications channels based on the values of said coefficients α 1 , . . . , α K .