US Patent 7606900 Regulating access to a scarce resource

The invention relates to regulating access by users to a scarce resource, wherein the resource is capable of handling multiple concurrent accesses. A request for access to the scarce resource is received and it is determined whether the access level for the scarce resource is at a desired maximum. Responsive to determining that said access level is at a desired maximum, the requester is placed in a queue for access to said scarce resource. The requester is then provided with a notification that the request has been enqueued. Access is available to the requester upon reaching the head of the queue when the access level drops below the desired maximum.