Chaotic throughput behaviour of the generic cell rate algorithm

It is well known that unexpected cell discard phenomena occur when applying the generic cell rate algorithm (GCRA), defined in ITU-T Recommendation I.371, to a constant bit rate cell flow of a deterministic bit rate connection that exceeds its agreed upon peak cell rate. By means of state transition diagrams, we analyse this unexpected throughput behaviour. Then we propose a slight modification of the GCRA to avoid this behaviour without imposing restrictions to the choice of the value of the cell delay variation tolerance parameter /spl tau/. Finally, we establish an analogy between telecom and solid state physics by observing a strong similarity between the particular GCRA throughput behaviour and chaotic transition diagrams in incommensurate crystal phases known as the Devil's staircase.