System and method for monitoring a stream of events

摘要

A system (10) is provided for processing data such that the rate at which events occur in a network for a particular user does not exceed a predetermined rate. A request to allow a potential event is received by a sequencer (12). Event rate information is retrieved from random access memory (30) for the particular user and provided to plurality of registers (18). A reference level is generated by reference level generating circuitry (16) for use in determining whether to allow the potential event to occur. A determination is made by comparison circuitry (24) as to whether to allow the potential event based on the reference level and the retrieved event rate information. Function generating circuitry (20) updates the event rate information based on the retrieved event rate information, the reference level, and an output of comparison circuitry (24).