Method and apparatus providing media aggregation in a packet-switched network

A method of efficiently transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• forming the aggregated media payload based on a compressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each compressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the compressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

An apparatus for transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• means for re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• means for forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• means for forming the aggregated media payload based on an uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

An apparatus for transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors coupled to an aggregator for aggregating two or more media packets into an aggregated media packet;
• a memory accessible to the one or more processors;
• and
• one or more sequences of instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• forming the aggregated media payload based on an uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, which sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

• aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• forming the aggregated media payload based on an uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the uncompressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

An apparatus for efficiently transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• means for re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• means for forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• means for forming the aggregated media payload based on a compressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each compressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the compressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

An apparatus for efficiently transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors coupled to an aggregator for aggregating two or more media packets into an aggregated media packet;
• a memory accessible to the one or more processors;
• and
• one or more sequences of instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• forming the aggregated media payload based on a compressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each compressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the compressed Real-Time Protocol segment.

A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for transmitting media information associated with two or more concurrent calls carried in a packet-switched network, which sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

• aggregating, according to an aggregation protocol, two or more media packets from the two or more concurrent calls originating from one or more source end points into an aggregated media payload;
• re-packetizing the aggregated media payload using a single aggregated header to form an aggregated media packet;
• forwarding the aggregated media packet to a next hop in the packet-switched network;
• forming the aggregated media payload based on a compressed Real-Time Protocol segment format for each compressed Real-Time Protocol segment of the two or more media packets that comprises a Real-Time Protocol header extension bit indicating whether a Real-Time Protocol header extension appears in the compressed Real-Time Protocol segment.