External Jitter buffer in a packet voice system

Abstract

A packet voice communication system having a jitter buffer external to a voice processor. The external jitter buffer stores voice packets received from a packet network. In one embodiment, the voice processor extracts voice packets from the jitter buffer and processes the voice packets. A jitter buffer processor places an indicator in each voice packet it holds, the indicator being indicative of a length of time the voice packet was held in the jitter buffer. The voice processor adjusts the rate at which it extracts packets from the jitter buffer based upon the value of the indicator, extracting packets at a higher rate if holding times are high and extracting packets at a slower rate if holding times are low. In another embodiment, the jitter buffer transfers voice packets to the voice processor. The voice processor stores the received voice packets in a packet queue prior to processing the voice packets. The voice processor notifies the jitter buffer of how many packets are in the packet queue. The jitter buffer adjusts the rate at which it provides voice packets to the voice processor based upon how full the voice processor's packet queue is, transferring packets at a higher rate if the packet queue is relatively empty and transferring packets at a slower rate if the packet queue is relatively full.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.