Method and apparatus for distributed bandwidth allocation for a bi-directional ring media with spatial and local reuse

A method of statistically multiplexing network use by nodes in a bi-directional ring network having an upstream direction and a downstream direction comprising:

• determining at each node a local allocated bandwidth for locally generated network packets sent in the downstream direction;
• sending downstream available network bandwidth information from each node in the upstream direction;
• adjusting the local allocated bandwidth at each node based on the minimum downstream available network bandwidth information received at each node;
• and
• using the local allocated bandwidth at each node to govern whether a class of locally generated network packets are sent in the downstream direction.

A method of locally determining a fair allocated bandwidth for a network node of a unidirectional ring network wherein the network node is configured to send packets in a downstream direction and to receive packets from an upstream direction, comprising:

• forwarding traffic received from the upstream direction to the downstream direction;
• determining a local allocated bandwidth for locally generated network packets sent in the downstream direction based on a notification received from the upstream direction;
• determining local usage of the network;
• and
• restricting local usage based on the notification received from the upstream direction.