Coordination and control of data streams that terminate at different termination units

摘要

A method for coordinating and controlling multiple data streams representing a data transmission session that terminate in different termination units (such as network access servers). The data streams are transmitted over two or more links, collectively forming a "bundle". The termination units are linked together preferably over a local area network. One of the termination units that receives a data stream is designated as the termination unit to receive and reconstruct the call. The designated termination unit is the "owner" of the bundle. The termination unit broadcasts an advertisement consisting of a bundle mapping update packet software structure with an identification header to alert the other termination units that it is to reconstruct the call. The identification header in the advertisement notifies the other termination units that if they should receive a portion of the data stream in the bundle, they should forward their packets of data to the designated termination unit. The sharing of bundle information between the termination units gives a great deal of flexibility in the design and type of termination units that may be employed.