Selection of an audio visual stream by sampling

1. A method of providing quality of service by a processing module in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the processing module, within a sampling period, a set of network data comprising one or more data flows;

reading, from said network data, one or more data flows within said sampling period,

wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size;

categorizing said read one or more data flows into one or more categories, wherein each of said one or more categories is associated with a category size, wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a category from said one or more categories, and wherein the step of categorizing further comprises the step accumulating said flow size of each read data flow into said category size associated with said read data flow; and

for said each category of said one or more categories:

determining an estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category based on said one or more data flows associated with said category, wherein a total sampled size is based on accumulating all of said each category size associated with said one or more categories, and wherein said determined estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category is based on (a total size of said network data received divided by said sampling period) multiplied by (said category size associated with said category divided by said total sampled size); and

if said determined estimated average bandwidth for said category is greater than a defined threshold then requesting quality of service for said category.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of categorizing is based on a set of header information of said read data flow.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said header information comprises a protocol type, a source address, a destination address, a source port, and a destination port.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size based on a payload size.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said total size of said network data received is based on an entire packet size, comprising packet header and packet payload.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said defined threshold is 12 megabits per second.

7. An intermediate node device configured to be connected to one or more devices via a network, comprising one or more network segments, the intermediate node comprising:

a communication module configured to enable said intermediate node to communicate to said one or more devices via said network; and

a Quality of Service Determination and Processing (QOSDP) module adapted to:

receive via said network, within a sampling period, a set of network data comprising one or more data flows;

read, from said network data, one or more data flows within said sampling period;

categorize said read one or more data flows into one or more categories, wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a category from said one or more categories; and

for said each category of said one or more categories:

determine an estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category based on said one or more data flows associated with said category;

determine a total sampled size based on accumulating all of said each category size associated with said one or more categories, and wherein said determined estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category is based on (a total size of said network data received divided by said sampling period) multiplied by (said category size associated with said category divided by said total sampled size); and

if said determined estimated average bandwidth for said category is greater than a defined threshold then request quality of service for said category.

8. The intermediate node of claim 7 , further comprising a network adapter processing module adapted to process said set of network data from a first network type to a second network type.

9. The intermediate node of claim 8 , wherein said first network type is Ethernet and said second network type is PowerLine Communication.

10. The intermediate node of claim 7 , wherein said QOSDP module is further adapted to categorize said read one or more data flows based on a set of header information of said read data flow.

11. The intermediate node of claim 10 , wherein said header information comprises a protocol type, a source address, a destination address, a source port, and a destination port.

12. The intermediate node of claim 7 , wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size, wherein each of said one or more categories is associated with a category size, and wherein said QOSDP module is further adapted to accumulate said flow size of each read data flow into said category size associated with said read data flow.

13. The intermediate node of claim 7 , wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size based on a payload size.

14. The intermediate node of claim 7 , wherein said total size of said network data received is based on an entire packet size, comprising packet header and packet payload.

15. A system comprising:

a network comprising one or more network segments;

an intermediate node device configured to be connected to a rendering device via said network, the intermediate node comprising:

a communication module configured to enable said intermediate node to communicate to said one or more devices via said network; and

a Quality of Service Determination and Processing (QOSDP) module adapted to:

receive via said network, within a sampling period, a set of network data comprising one or more data flows;

read, from said network data, one or more data flows within said sampling period;

categorize said read one or more data flows into one or more categories, wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a category from said one or more categories; and

for said each category of said one or more categories:

determine an estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category based on said one or more data flows associated with said category;

determine a total sampled size based on accumulating all of said each category size associated with said one or more categories, and wherein said determined estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category is based on (a total size of said network data received divided by said sampling period) multiplied by (said category size associated with said category divided by said total sampled size); and

if said determined estimated average bandwidth for said category is greater than a defined threshold then request quality of service for said category; and

said rendering device adapted to receive said set of network data.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said intermediate node further comprises a network adapter processing module adapted to process said set of network data from a first network type to a second network type.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said first network type is Ethernet and said second network type is PowerLine Communication.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein said first network type and the second network are identical network types.

19. A method of providing quality of service by a processing module in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

reading, by the processing module, from a set of network data, one or more data flows within said sampling period, wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size;

categorizing said read one or more data flows into one or more categories, wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a category from said one or more categories, wherein each of said one or more categories is associated with a category size, and wherein the step of categorizing further comprises accumulating said flow size of each data flow into said category size associated with said read data flow; and

for said each category of said one or more categories:

determining an estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category based on said one or more data flows associated with said category, wherein a total sampled size is based on accumulating all of said each category size associated with said one or more categories, and wherein said determined estimated average data flow bandwidth for said category is based on (a total size of said network data received divided by said sampling period) multiplied by (said category size associated with said category divided by said total sampled size); and

if said determined estimated average bandwidth for said category is greater than a defined threshold then requesting quality of service for said category.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of said read one or more data flows is associated with a flow size based on a payload size.