Error Control On-Demand

A method for protecting a flow of indexed data packets transmitted towards a receiving unit against data lost or data corruption,

• wherein said method comprises:
• updating a Transmission Status Vector TSV whenever a new outgoing data packet is scheduled for transmission, which TSV matching a corresponding Reception Status Vector RSV similarly updated at said receiving unit whenever a new incoming data packet, the index of which is the next expected data packet index, is validly received,
• upon request from said receiving unit, transmitting at least one current component value for respective ones of at least one vector component of said TSV, which when combined with a lastly updated vector value of said RSV, and with otherwise validly received data packets, allows recovering of at least one missing or corrupted data packet.

A method for recovering a missing or corrupted data packet (Dj) within a flow of indexed data packets received from a transmitting unit,

• wherein said method comprises:
• updating a Reception Status Vector RSV whenever a new incoming data packet, the index of which is the next expected data packet index, is validly received, which RSV matching a corresponding Transmission Status Vector TSV similarly updated at said transmitting unit whenever a new outgoing data packet is scheduled for transmission, getting from said transmitting unit at least one current component value for respective ones of at least one vector component of said TSV,
• recovering said missing or corrupted data packet from said at least one current component value, from a lastly updated vector value of said RSV, and from otherwise validly received data packets.