TELECOMMUNICATION AND MULTIMEDIA MANAGEMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

An apparatus for reliably transferring media over a network from a sending node to a receiving node. The sending node includes a media ascertaining element configured to ascertain if media to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive. The sending node also includes a transmission element that is configured to (i) transmit the non time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node by adjusting the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media at the sending node based on network conditions and (ii) transmit the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node. The receiving node includes a media loss ascertaining element configured to ascertain at the receiving node if a predetermined acceptable network transmission loss level is met. The receiving node also includes a receipt report generator configured to (iii) generate one or more low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during transmission if the predetermined acceptable network transmission loss level is met and (iv) generate one or more low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing non time-sensitive media lost during the transmission. The transmission element of the sending node retransmits the missing time-sensitive media in response to the low priority requests when bandwidth on the network becomes available in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media.