MEDIA DISTRIBUTION IN A WIRELESS NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting of a media data stream from a source node of a packet network to a plurality of sink nodes of the network, the method comprising:
- the source node transmitting a first stream of unicast packets addressed to at least one of the sink nodes, such that the addressee sink nodes can reliably receive the first stream while the other non-addressee sink nodes operate in promiscuous mode in which each can receive all traffic on the network including the first stream;
receiving a re-transmission request packet from a particular non-addressee sink node with an indication that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received one or more particular packets of the first stream; and
taking action to ensure that the particular non-addressee sink node receives the one or more particular packets, such that all sink nodes can receive the complete first stream.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a network environment such as a wireless packet network, a source node transmits a data stream, e.g., a stream of media packets to a plurality of sink nodes, including the source node transmitting a first data stream of unicast packets addressed to at least a first one of the sink nodes, while other ones of said sink nodes receive while in promiscuous mode traffic on the network including the data stream. Individual ones of the other sink nodes, upon ascertaining that there are packets of the stream that were not received, transmit a re-transmission request to the source node so that the source node can take corrective action, and so all the sink nodes can receive the data stream, even though sent as unicast addressed to fewer than all the sink nodes.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting of a media data stream from a source node of a packet network to a plurality of sink nodes of the network, the method comprising:
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the source node transmitting a first stream of unicast packets addressed to at least one of the sink nodes, such that the addressee sink nodes can reliably receive the first stream while the other non-addressee sink nodes operate in promiscuous mode in which each can receive all traffic on the network including the first stream;
receiving a re-transmission request packet from a particular non-addressee sink node with an indication that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received one or more particular packets of the first stream; and
taking action to ensure that the particular non-addressee sink node receives the one or more particular packets, such that all sink nodes can receive the complete first stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method in a packet network that includes a source node and a plurality of sink nodes, the method comprising:
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a particular sink node of the network operating in promiscuous mode including receiving traffic on the network, the traffic including a first data stream of unicast packets sent by the source node and addressed to at least another one of the sink nodes not including the particular sink node;
the particular sink node selecting the first data stream from the traffic received;
the particular sink node ascertaining whether the particular non-addressee sink node has successfully received all packets of the first stream; and
in the case that the particular sink node has ascertained that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received one or more particular packets, transmitting a re-transmission request packet to the source node with an indication that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received the one or more particular packets of the first stream, such that the source node can take action to ensure that the particular non-addressee sink node receives the one or more particular not-received packets. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors in a source node of a packet network cause the one or more processors to carry out a method of transmitting of a media data stream from the source node to a plurality of sink nodes of the network, the method comprising:
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the source node transmitting a first stream of unicast packets addressed to at least one of the sink nodes, such that the addressee sink nodes can reliably receive the first stream while the other non-addressee sink nodes operate in promiscuous mode in which each can receive all traffic on the network including the first stream;
receiving a re-transmission request packet from a particular non-addressee sink node with an indication that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received one or more particular packets of the first stream; and
taking action to ensure that the particular non-addressee sink node receives the one or more particular packets, such that all sink nodes can receive the complete first stream.
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17. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors in a particular sink node of a packet network comprising a source node and a plurality of sink nodes, cause the one or more processors to carry out a method comprising:
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a particular sink node in the source node operating in promiscuous mode including receiving traffic on the network, the traffic including a first data stream of unicast packets addressed to at least another one of the sink nodes not including the particular sink node;
the particular sink node selecting the first data stream from the traffic received;
the particular sink node ascertaining whether the particular non-addressee sink node has successfully received all packets of the first stream; and
in the case that the particular sink node has ascertained that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received one or more particular packets, transmitting a re-transmission request packet to the source node with an indication that the particular non-addressee sink node has not successfully received the one or more particular packets of the first stream, such that the source node can take action to ensure that the particular non-addressee sink node receives the one or more particular not-received packets.
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Specification