INTEGRATED CIRCUITS, SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, PACKETS AND PROCESSES UTILIZING PATH DIVERSITY FOR MEDIA OVER PACKET APPLICATIONS

• US 20110211573A1
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Anandakumar, Krishanasamy, McCree, Alan V., Viswanathan, Vishu, Perkins, Stephen J., Gatherer, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/052 using standardised network management architectures, e.g. telecommunication management network [TMN] or unified network management architecture [UNMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/56 Routing software
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In one form of the invention, a process of sending real-time information from a sender computer (103) to a receiver computer (105) coupled to the sender computer (103) by a packet network (100) wherein packets (111,113) sometimes become lost, includes steps of directing (441) packets (111) containing the real-time information from the sender computer (103) by at least one path (119) in the packet network (100) to the receiver computer (105), and directing packets (113) containing information dependent on the real-time information from the sender computer (103) by at least one path diversity path (117) in the packet network (100) to the same receiver computer (105). Other forms of the invention encompass other processes, improved packets and packet ensembles (111,113), integrated circuits (610), chipsets (DSP 1721, MCU), computer cards (1651), information storage articles (1511,1611), systems, computers (103,105), gateways (191,193), routers (131,133), cellular telephone handsets (181,189), wireless base stations (183,187), appliances (1721,1731,1741), and packet networks (100), and other forms as disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A media over packet networking appliance comprising:

a network interface;

an audio transducer; and

at least one integrated circuit assembly coupling the audio transducer to the network interface, the at least one integrated circuit assembly providing media over packet transmissions and including a processor circuit and a packet network path diversity software stack.

2. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a speech encoder coupled to the packet network path diversity software stack.

3. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a speech encoder and wherein the packet network path diversity software stack includes an interface block and a networking block establishing two or more software objects respectively representing diverse network connections, the interface block coupling the speech encoder concurrently to the two or more software objects.

4. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a voice over packet control coupled to the packet network path diversity software stack.

5. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a feeder software block coupled to the networking block wherein the feeder software block couples to two or more software objects when the software objects are established.

6. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 5 further including a decoder coupled to the feeder software block to receive packets of real time information and dependent packets dependent on the real time information.

7. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 wherein the packet network path diversity software stack includes instructions implementing a process of sending real-time information including generating in the integrated circuit assembly first packets containing the real-time information, and also containing a first particular address of the destination, and further containing a second particular address of a first proxy computer;

generating dependent packets containing information dependent on the real-time information, and also containing the first particular address of the destination, and further containing a third particular address of a second proxy computer; and

sending the first packets and the dependent packets.

8. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit assembly comprises a digital signal processor and the packet network path diversity software stack comprises a block of software instructions executable at least in part by the digital signal processor.

9. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit assembly comprises processor circuitry and a non-volatile memory storing instructions establishing the packet network path diversity software stack for execution by the processor circuitry.

10. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a television set enclosure holding a television electronics and display assembly and a user interface both coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

11. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 wherein the network interface includes a wireless interface unit coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

12. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a set top box enclosure and wherein the network interface includes a cable modem coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

13. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a wearable mobile enclosure holding a user interface coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

14. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a home appliance enclosure holding a tactile user interface coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

15. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including an automotive accessory enclosure holding a user interface coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.

16. The media over packet networking appliance of claim 1 further including a compressed-image packet interface coupled to the integrated circuit assembly and an image display coupled to the integrated circuit assembly.