Apparatus and methods for scheduling packets in a broadband data stream

A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for managing congestion of packets in a data stream, the computer program comprising:

• logic code for determining a set of congestion regions by compliance levels, said compliance levels indicating a hierarchy of compliance, compliance being conformance of incoming traffic with a specified data rate;
• logic code for receiving a packet in a queue, said packet having an assigned compliance identifier indicating compliance based on an arrival time of the packet, a theoretical arrival time based on the specified data rate, and a packet delay variation tolerance of the packet;
• logic code for determining an instantaneous queue size of said queue;
• logic code for comparing said instantaneous queue size to said set of congestion regions;
• and
• logic code for passing said packet based on said comparing and said assigned compliance identifier.

A system for managing congestion of packets in a data stream, comprising:

• means for determining a set of congestion regions by compliance levels, said compliance levels indicating a hierarchy of compliance, compliance being conformance of incoming traffic with a specified data rate;
• means for receiving a packet in a queue, said packet having an assigned compliance identifier indicating compliance based on an arrival time of the packet, a theoretical arrival time based on the specified data rate, and a packet delay variation tolerance of the packet;
• means for determining an instantaneous queue size of said queue;
• means for comparing said instantaneous queue size to said set of congestion regions;
• and
• means for passing said packet based on said comparing step and said assigned compliance identifier.