Ordering message signals for transmission over a telecommunications channel

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a succession of M message signals, Sl through SM, wherein each of said M message signals is a member of one of G classes, Cl through CG,
• a processor for assigning a class ranking Ni to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein message signal Si is a member of class Cj and Ni is based on the order of arrival of said message signal Si with respect to all of said M message signals that are members of class Cj, and for assigning a priority Pi to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting a set of K message signals based on Pl through PM;
• wherein said priority Pi is based on αcNi, and αc is a first parameter for class Cj that indicates the relative perishability of the message signals in class Cj with respect to the message signals in other classes.

A method comprising:

• receiving a succession of M message signals, Sl through SM, wherein each of said M message signals is a member of one of G classes, Cl through CG;
• assigning a class ranking Ni to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein message signal Si is a member of class Cj and Ni is based on the order of arrival of said message signal Si with respect to all of said M message signals that are members of class Cj;
• assigning a priority Pi to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni;
• and
• transmitting a set of K message signals based on Pl through PM;
• wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni+βc, and βc is a first parameter for class Cj that indicates the relative priority of the message signals in class Cj with respect to the message signals in other classes.

A method comprising:

• receiving a succession of M message signals, Sl through SM, wherein each of said M message signals is a member of one of G classes, Cl through CG;
• assigning a class ranking Ni to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein message signal Si is a member of class Cj and Ni is based on the order of arrival of said message signal Si with respect to all of said M message signals that are members of class Cj;
• assigning a priority Pi to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni;
• and
• transmitting a set of K message signals based on Pl through PM;
• wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni+γci and γc is a first parameter for class Cj that indicates whether the message signals in class Cj are to be transmitted in FIFO or LIFO order.

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a succession of M message signals, Sl through SM, wherein each of said M message signals is a member of one of G classes, Cl through CG;
• a processor for assigning a class ranking Ni to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein message signal Si is a member of class Cj and Ni is based on the order of arrival of said message signal Si with respect to all of said M message signals that are members of class Cj, and for assigning a priority Pi to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting a set of K message signals based on Pl through PM;
• wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni+βc, and βc is a first parameter for class Cj that indicates the relative priority of the message signals in class Cj with respect to the message signals in other classes.

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a succession of M message signals, Sl through SM, wherein each of said M message signals is a member of one of G classes, Cl through CG;
• a processor for assigning a class ranking Ni to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein message signal Si is a member of class Cj and Ni is based on the order of arrival of said message signal Si with respect to all of said M message signals that are members of class Cj, and for assigning a priority Pi to said message signal Si for Sl through SM, wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting a set of K message signals based on Pl through PM;
• wherein said priority Pi is based on Ni+γci and γc is a first parameter for class Cj that indicates whether the message signals in class Cj are to be transmitted in FIFO or LIFO order.