Priority-Based Admission Control in a Network with Variable Channel Data Rates

A method for priority-based admission control in a network, comprises receiving an admission request for transmitting an information flow to a network through a communication channel and determining an admissible region within a range of a channel data rate of a communication channel for an information flow in response to a priority of the information flow, where the priority of the information flow is one of a plurality of priorities of information flow. The admissible region is one of a plurality of admissible regions within the channel data rate range that correspond to different ones of the plurality of priorities of information flow, respectively, and each of the plurality of admissible regions within the channel data rate range is useable for transmitting information flow with a respective one of the plurality of priorities. Further included in the method is determining an available channel data rate of the communication channel for receiving the information flow by the network, and granting the admission request for the information flow after determining that the available channel data rate of the communication channel is within the admissible region of the channel data rate range.