Analysis of voice and low-priority data traffic by means of brisk periods and slack periods

Differentiating data traffic in an integrated voice and data network into high and low priority classes, it is noted that spare voice transmission capacity may be used to transmit low priority data packets, which can tolerate large delays. This paper introduces the notion of brisk periods and slack periods for studying the fluctuation in the number of voice calls in progress and the number of customers, in general, in a multiserver queue with Poisson arrivals and exponential service times. Recurrence relations are derived for the Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the probability density functions and the mean and variance of the length of brisk periods and slack periods of voice calls and the mean and variance of the increase in low priority data packets during brisk periods of voice calls. Computation of spare transmission capacity available during slack periods of voice calls is outlined.