Methods and apparatus for pooling and depooling the transmission of stream data

A method for transmitting stream data in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, at a first destination in the computer network, a pooled packet of stream data containing a representation of at least two packets of stream data and a pooled packet index for the pooled packet the Pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• detecting if the pooled packet of stream data contains at least one packet of stream data that is to be extracted from the pooled packet of stream data at the first destination, and if the at least one packet of stream data is to be extracted from the pooled packet:
• extracting the at least one packet of stream data from the pooled packet;
• and
• transmitting the extracted at least one packet of stream data to a destination associated with the at least one packet.

A data communications device comprising:

• at least one communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the at least one communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a packet pool controller application that when performed on the processor, produces a packet pool controller process that causes the data communications device to transmit stream data in a computer network by performing the operations of:
• identifying at least two packets of stream data that are destined to a common location in a computer network;
• forming a pooled packet of stream data using the at least two packets of stream data;
• generating a pooled packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• and
• transmitting, via the at least one communications interface, the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network and wherein the step of transmitting the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network includes transmitting the pooled packet index to the common location in the computer network.

A data communications device comprising:

• at least one communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the at least one communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a packet pool controller application that when performed on the processor, produces a packet pool controller process that causes the data communications device to transmit stream data in a computer network by performing the operations of:
• receiving via the at least one communications interface operating as a first destination in the computer network, a pooled packet of stream data containing a representation of at least two packets of stream data and a pooled packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• detecting if the pooled packet of stream data contains at least one packet of stream data that is to be extracted from the pooled packet of stream data at the first destination, and if the at least one packet of stream data is to be extracted from the pooled packet:
• extracting the at least one packet of stream data from the pooled packet;
• and
• transmitting the extracted at least one packet of stream data to a destination associated with the at least one packet.

A computer program product having a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed on a computer system having a coupling of a memory, a processor, and at least one communications interface, causes the computer system to transmit stream data in a computer network by performing the operations of:

• identifying at least two packets of stream data that are destined to a common location in a computer network;
• forming a pooled packet of stream data using the at least two packets of stream data;
• generating a pooled Packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• and
• transmitting the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network, wherein the step of transmitting the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network includes transmitting the pooled packet index to the common location in the computer network.

A computer program product having a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed on a computer system having a coupling of a memory, a processor, and at least one communications interface, causes the computer system to transmit stream data in a computer network by performing the operations of:

• receiving via the at least one communications interface operating as a first destination in the computer network, a pooled packet of stream data containing a representation of at least two packets of stream data and a pooled packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• detecting if the pooled packet of stream data contains at least one packet of stream data that is to be extracted from the pooled packet of stream data at the first destination, and if the at least one packet of stream data is to be extracted from the pooled packet:
• extracting the at least one packet of stream data from the pooled packet;
• and
• transmitting the extracted at least one packet of stream data to a destination associated with the at least one packet via the at least one communications interface.

A data communications device comprising:

• at least one communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the at least one communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a packet pool controller application that when performed on the processor, produces a packet pool controller process that causes the data communications device to transmit stream data in a computer network by providing means including:
• means for identifying at least two packets of stream data that are destined to a common location in a computer network;
• means for forming a pooled packet of stream data using the at least two packets of stream data;
• means for generating a pooled packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• and
• means for transmitting the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network, wherein the means for transmitting the pooled packet to the common location in the computer network includes transmitting the pooled packet index to the common location in the computer network.

A data communications device comprising:

• at least one communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the at least one communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a packet pool controller application that when performed on the processor, produces a packet pool controller process that causes the data communications device to transmit stream data in a computer network by providing means including:
• means for receiving via the at least one communications interface operating as a first destination in the computer network, a pooled packet of stream data containing a representation of at least two packets of stream data and a pooled packet index for the pooled packet, the pooled packet index indicating a location within the pooled packet of each of the at least two packets;
• means for detecting if the pooled packet of stream data contains at least one packet of stream data that is to be extracted from the pooled packet of stream data at the first destination, and if the at least one packet of stream data is to be extracted from the pooled packet:
• means for extracting the at least one packet of stream data from the pooled packet;
• and
• means for transmitting the extracted at least one packet of stream data to a destination associated with the at least one packet.