Wireless network system and method

Abstract

A method of communications over a network is specially adapted for improved transmission performance with reduced bandwidth requirements in communications networks which are low quality or have widely varied physical channel performance, for example, wireless networks. The method includes steps of packetizing a payload into a series of data packets, inserting header packets at the beginning, middle, and towards the end of the series, transmitting the series, together with the header packets, receiving at least some of the data packets of the series and at least one of the header packets, and sending an acknowledgement. The acknowledgement is either that all data packets and at least one header packet were received; that not all data packets were received and at least one header packet was received; or that some data packets were received, but no header packet was received. Re-transmissions of data packets and the header packet, when such packets are not received, is minimized in order to limit the number of communications necessary to deliver an entire data payload.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of communications over a network, comprising the steps of: 
 packetizing a payload into a series of data packets;    inserting header packets at the beginning, middle, and towards the end of the series;    transmitting the series, together with the header packets;    receiving at least some of the data packets of the series and at least one of the header packets; and    sending an acknowledgement selected from the group consisting of: all data packets and at least one header packet received; not all data packets received and at least one header packet received; and some data packets received, but no header packet received.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of: 
 terminating the method if the acknowledgement is that all data packets and at least one header packet are received.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 identifying the data packets not received if at least one header packet is received but not all data packets received;    wherein the acknowledgement of the step of sending includes identifiers of the data packets not received; and    re-transmitting only the data packets not received.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 identifying that some data packets, but not any header packet, is received;    wherein the acknowledgement of the step of sending includes identifiers of the data packets received;    determining which data packets were not received, based on the identifiers in the acknowledgement;    re-transmitting only the header packet and the data packets not received.