Method, system and computer readable medium for affecting bit rate

A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions for:

• determining to introduce a desired change in a bit rate allocated by a bit rate allocator for streaming a portion of a first stream;
• wherein the first stream is expected to flow from a source entity to a target entity;
• wherein the source and target entities are coupled to the bit rate allocator and to a bandwidth management module;
• wherein the bit rate allocator is expected to set the bit rate allocated to the streaming of the portion in response to a bit rate associated with the first stream;
• modifying a value of the bit rate associated with the first stream to provide a modified value;
• wherein the modifying is expected to cause the bit rate allocator to introduce the desired change in the bit rate allocated for streaming the portion;
• and
• causing the bit rate allocator module to be aware of the modified value without instructing the bit rate allocator to introduce the desired change.

A system comprising a bandwidth management module that comprises:

• a processor arranged to determine to introduce a desired change in a bit rate allocated by a bit rate allocator for streaming a portion of a first stream;
• wherein the first stream is expected to flow from a source entity to a target entity;
• wherein the source and target entities are coupled to the bit rate allocator and to the bandwidth management module;
• wherein the bit rate allocator is expected to set the bit rate allocated to the streaming of the portion in response to a bit rate associated with the first stream;
• a modifier arranged to modify modifying a value of the bit rate associated with the first stream to provide a modified value;
• wherein the modifying is expected to cause the bit rate allocator to introduce the desired change in the bit rate allocated for streaming the portion;
• and an interface arranged to cause the bit rate allocator module to be aware of the modified value without instructing the bit rate allocator to introduce the desired change.