Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of adjusting a packet transmission rate depending on a minimum value or a maximum value of a plurality of packet acceptance levels produced at a network node of a communications network, comprising: storing a set of unique packet acceptance levels representative of all possible packet acceptance levels available at the network node; receiving packet acceptance levels from the network node at regular or irregular time intervals; storing a last occurrence identifier in response to a particular packet acceptance level of the set of unique packet acceptance levels being equivalent to a received packet acceptance level; defining a window spanning a range of last occurrence identifiers; identifying the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels within the window; and adjusting the packet transmission rate of packets transmitted to the communication network as a function of the minimum value or the maximum value of the packet acceptance levels within the window.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of adjusting a packet transmission rate depending on a minimum value or a maximum value of a plurality of packet acceptance levels produced at a network node of a communications network, comprising: storing a set of unique packet acceptance levels representative of all possible packet acceptance levels available at the network node; receiving packet acceptance levels from the network node at regular or irregular time intervals; storing a last occurrence identifier in response to a particular packet acceptance level of the set of unique packet acceptance levels being equivalent to a received packet acceptance level; defining a window spanning a range of last occurrence identifiers; identifying the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels within the window; and adjusting the packet transmission rate of packets transmitted to the communication network as a function of the minimum value or the maximum value of the packet acceptance levels within the window.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the last occurrence identifier comprises a time stamp identifier representative of a time at which the particular packet acceptance level was received at the network node, and wherein the size of the window is defined as a measure of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the last occurrence identifier comprises an order number identifier representative of an order in which the particular packet acceptance level was received at the network node, and wherein the size of the window is defined in terms of an order of last occurrence.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein storing the last occurrence identifier occurs subsequent to receiving a packet acceptance level from the network node.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein determining the minimum value or the maximum value occurs contemporaneously with respect to receiving the packet acceptance levels from the network node and storing the last occurrence identifiers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein defining the window comprises modifying a size of the window from a previously defined window size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the packet acceptance levels comprise any of integer, real, or alphabetic values indicative of an acceptance level of packets in the communications network.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for adjusting a packet transmission rate depending on a minimum value or a maximum value of a plurality of packet acceptance levels produced at a network node of a communications network, comprising: a memory configured to store a table of unique packet acceptance levels representative of all possible packet acceptance levels produceable by the network node and a last occurrence identifier associated with each of the unique packet acceptance levels; an input device for receiving packet acceptance levels from the node at regular or irregular time intervals; and a processor configured and arranged to store the last occurrence identifiers in the memory in response to determining equivalency between packet acceptance levels received by the input device and associated unique packet acceptance levels of the table, to compute the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels having associated last occurrence identifiers defined within a window having a size associated with a range of last occurrence identifiers, and to adjust the packet transmission rate of packets transmitted to the communication network as a function of the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels within the window.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for adjusting a packet transmission rate depending on a minimum value or a maximum value of a plurality of packet acceptance levels produced at a network node of a communications network, comprising: a memory configured to store a table of unique packet acceptance levels representative of all possible packet acceptance levels produceable by the network node and a last occurrence identifier associated with each of the unique packet acceptance levels; an input device for receiving packet acceptance levels from the node at regular or irregular time intervals; and a processor configured and arranged to store the last occurrence identifiers in the memory in response to determining equivalency between packet acceptance levels received by the input device and associated unique packet acceptance levels of the table, to compute the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels having associated last occurrence identifiers defined within a window having a size associated with a range of last occurrence identifiers, and to adjust the packet transmission rate of packets transmitted to the communication network as a function of the minimum value or the maximum value of received packet acceptance levels within the window.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to store the last occurrence identifier after the input device receives a packet acceptance level from the network node.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to compute the minimum value or the maximum value contemporaneously with respect to receiving the packet acceptance levels from the node and storing the last occurrence identifiers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to modify the size of the window from a previously defined window size in response to a modification instruction.