Abstract: A communications node admits the receive data message to the buffer memory if the receive arriving message falls within the capacity range of a class of the receive data messages and if the buffer memory is not congested. A state detector detects if the buffer memory is congested by evaluating the occupancy rate of the buffer memory, or otherwise. The capacity range determines the utilization of buffer memory by a particular class of data messages, which may be defined in accordance with an estimated economic value rating of the data messages.

Abstract: A method that selects one of a plurality of priority schemes for scheduling messages for one of cyclically repeating sets of time slots of a control channel based on at least one of a plurality of characteristics of the state of the control channel. The state of the control channel is all information regarding what has arrived, what is queued, and what has been transmitted. This includes the status of the queues, the messages awaiting transmission, along with their type and the time they have been waiting, the sequence of past transmissions, as well as other information.

Abstract: A communications node predicts a transmission-departure time of a receive data message from an output upon reception of the receive data message at an input of the communications node. The communications node determines if the receive data message would remain stored within the communications node for a latent duration longer than a waiting-time limit based on the predicted transmission-departure time. The communications node admits the receive data message, for storage in a buffer memory of the communications node for prospective transmission over the output, if the receive data message would be transmitted prior to expiration of the waiting-time limit.