Monitoring and correcting upstream packet loss

A computer-readable memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

• monitoring a primary multicast group comprising multiple receivers for receiving a native media stream, wherein the multiple receivers are connected to a media source through a plurality of network nodes;
• detecting, at a repair point, packet losses in the native media stream prior to the loss being detected by the multiple receivers, wherein detecting, at the repair point, packet losses in the native media stream comprises detecting at the repair point the packet losses wherein the repair point is configured to receive the native media stream prior to the multiple receivers;
• identifying, by the repair point, a group of receivers which were configured to receive the lost packets;
• creating a second multicast group comprising the identified group of receivers which were configured to receive the lost packets;
• joining the second multicast group;
• sending, by the repair point, out suppression notices in the second multicast group for the identified lost upstream packets that keep the receivers from sending back lost packet notices;
• dynamically selecting, by the repair point, different types of correction or retransmission schemes for correcting or replacing the lost packets based on a number lost packet notices that would have normally been received from the receivers if the suppression notices were not sent;
• identifying a backup data associated with the identified lost packets;
• and
• multicasting the identified backup data to the receivers in the second multicast group for repairing the lost packets, based on the selected type of scheme, wherein the identified backup data is sent to the at least one repair point through a repair channel which is separate from a native media channel.

A system comprising:

• a primary multicast group comprising multiple receivers for receiving a native media stream, wherein the multiple receivers are connected to a media source through a plurality of network nodes;
• and
• a repair server configured to:
• identify lost packets in the native media stream prior to the loss being detected by the multiple receivers, wherein the repair point is configured to receive the native media stream prior to the multiple receivers;
• identify a group of receivers which were configured to receive the lost packets;
• create a second multicast group comprising the identified group of receivers which were configured to receive the lost packets;
• send out suppression notices in the second multicast group for the identified lost upstream packets that keep the receivers from sending back lost packet notices;
• dynamically select, different types of correction or retransmission schemes for correcting or replacing the lost packets based on a number lost packet notices that would have normally been received from the receivers if the suppression notices were not sent;
• identify a backup data associated with the identified lost packets;
• and
• multicast the identified backup data to the receivers in the second multicast group for repairing the lost packets, based on the selected type of scheme, wherein the identified backup data is sent to the at least one repair point through a repair channel which is separate from a native media channel.