Forward error correction (FEC) for packetized data networks
AssigneeNetwork Equipment Technologies, Inc.
InventorsTerry Hardie, Tony Hardie, Jeffrey Sean Connell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for using forward error correction (FEC) to improve transmission reliability for data packets transmitted over packetized data networks, such as voice packets transmitted over an Internet Protocol (IP) network is disclosed. Packets containing error data are transmitted separately from corresponding voice packets. The error packets are transmitted a predetermined number of frames before the voice packets, to increase the probability that either the voice packet or error packet will be received. The error packets are preferably created using a Reed-Solomon algorithmn. The amount of error correction transmitted may be adaptively adjusted based on the reliability of the network connection.
Claims24
A method for transmitting data packets in a network, the method comprising:
- creating a data packet;
- creating separate error correction data corresponding to the data packet;
- and
- transmitting the separate error correction data a predefined number of packets before the data packet.
A communications system comprising:
- at least one source node and at least one destination node;
- and
- a packetized data network connection the nodes;
- wherein the source node sends data packets over the network, and sends at least one error data packet corresponding to each data packet a predetermined number of packets before the data packet.
A method for transmitting voice data over a network using Internet Protocol (IP), the method comprising:
- creating a voice data packet;
- creating at least one separate error correction data packet corresponding to the voice data packet, the error correction data packet containing forward error correction (FEC) data;
- transmitting the at least one separate error correction data packet a predefined number of packets before the voice data packet;
- buffering a sufficient number of packets at a receiving end to determine whether an error packet has been received for a corresponding missing or corrupted voice packet;
- and
- using a received error packet to recreate a missing or corrupted voice packet.
A network interface comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory connected to the processor;
- a system ROM that stored control code connected to the processor;
- and
- a Forward Error Correction Module;
- wherein the Forward Error Correction Module stores execution code for the processor, the execution code comprising:
- execution code for creating a data packet;
- execution code for creating separate correction data corresponding to the data packet;
- and
- execution code for transmitting the separate error correction data a predefined number of packets before the data packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.