Abstract: Method, for use with a communications network, for measuring and analyzing the burstiness of network traffic based on the ratio of packet interarrival times. The network traffic includes at least one data burst, and each data burst includes a stream of data packets for travel over the network. The method includes (a) receiving a first data packet of the at least one data burst for travel over the network, the first data packet having an associated first packet interarrival time, and (b) consecutively receiving a second data packet for travel over the network, the second data packet having an associated second packet interarrival time. The method also includes (c) determining the ratio of the second packet interarrival time to the first packet interarrival time and (d) comparing the ratio of the second packet interarrival time and first packet interarrival time to at least one predetermined constant.

Abstract: A token ring network in which the token release mechanism adapts to the status of the other stations in the ring. Rather than releasing the token at the end of the token holding period, the token-holding station requests permission to continue transmitting. If permission is not denied by another station desiring to use the network, the token-holding station continues to transmit without interruption. Both absolute and relative priority can be accommodated with this adaptive token release mechanism. The permission denied message preferably comprises a simple modification of the request for permission to continue message.

Abstract: A distributed queue dual bus data packet network includes an adaptive bandwidth balancing mechanism in which a station priority, equal to the highest priority of waiting data at that station, and a network priority, equal to the highest priority of data received at a station, are defined. A bandwidth balancing system utilizing a balancing modulus to skip every (n+1)st time slot is enabled and disabled in response to the relative values of the station priority, network priority, request priority and data priority so as to maximize the efficiency of the balancing system. Activity timers are used for determining the if a station is the only active station on the network, and an end bit accompanies the request for transmission of the last segment of multi-segment transmissions, to further optimize the balancing enablement and disablement.