Video bitstream regeneration using previously agreed to high priority segments

A method of communicating a video bitstream, over a packet network, comprising the steps of

• processing the video bitstream using previously agreed-to high priority information to obtain low priority segments;
• transmitting the low priority partition over the network using a non-guaranteed delivery mechanism of the network;
• receiving the low priority partition at the receiver location;
• and
• interleaving segments of a previously agreed-to high priority partition available at the receiver in real time with associated segments of the received low priority partition to recreate the video bitstream.

Apparatus for transmitting a video bitstream from a transmitter over a facility to a receiver, the video bitstream including a plurality of high priority segments and associated low priority segments, said apparatus comprising

• at the transmitter,
• means for processing the video bitstream using previously agreed-to high priority information to obtain low priority segments, and
• means for transmitting a low priority partition, including the low priority segments, of the video bitstream over the facility in real time using a packet delivery mechanism having a certain probability of success;
• and
• at the receiver,
• means for receiving the low priority partition, and
• means for interleaving high priority segments obtained using previously agreed-to high priority information available at the receiver in real time with associated low priority segments to recreate an interleaved video bitstream.

Apparatus for transmitting a video bitstream over a facility to a receiver, said apparatus comprising

• means for receiving a video bitstream;
• means for processing the video bitstream using previously agreed-to high priority information to obtain low priority segments;
• and
• means for transmitting only a low priority partition, including the low priority segments, of the video bitstream over the facility in real time using a packet delivery mechanism having a certain probability of success.