Multiple packet routing system (MPRS)

Abstract

A method and system for Multiple Packet Routing is disclosed. A call signal is broken into a string of data packets and sent from a first endpoint device to a second endpoint device using at least two streams in parallel, each stream including the string of data packets. The streams are received at the second endpoint device, received data packets are identified from a first stream, and at least one of the data packets missing from the first stream is identified. A replacement data packet corresponding to the missing data packet from at least one second stream is identified. A complete string of data packets are reassembled from the received data packets from the first stream and the at least one replacement data packet from the at least one second stream. The complete string is converted back into the call signal.

1 . A method of communication comprising: 
 breaking down a call signal into a string of data packets;    sending, from a first endpoint device to a second endpoint device, at least two streams in parallel, each said stream including said string of data packets;    receiving said streams at said second endpoint device;    identifying received data packets from a first stream;    identifying at least one of said data packets missing from said first stream;    identifying a replacement data packet corresponding to said missing data packet from at least one second stream;    reassembling a complete string of data packets from said received data packets from said first stream and said at least one replacement data packet from said at least one second stream; and    converting said complete string back into said call signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first endpoint device breaks down said call into said string of data packets.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each said data packet includes information associating said packet with said packet's position in said string.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said identification of said received data packets is based at least in part on said position information.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said identification of said missing data packets is based at least in part on said position information.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each said packet includes information associating said packet with said call signal.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second endpoint device stores said data packets from said parallel streams in a buffer memory.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second endpoints device identifies said at least one missing data packet.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second endpoint device reassembles said complete string of data packets.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second endpoint device converts said complete string into said call signal.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending said call signal from a first input/output device to said first endpoint device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending said call signal from said second endpoint device to a second endpoint device.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first stream and said at least one second stream are routed through the same network.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending of said at least one second stream is delayed with respect to said first stream.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first stream is routed through a first network and said at least one second stream is routed through at least one second network.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first stream is routed through a first network and said at least one second stream is routed through at least one second network.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the performance of at least one network to be used for sending said streams.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selecting at least one network to be used for sending said streams based at least in part on said performance.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selecting a delay for said at least one second stream based at least in part on said performance.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selecting a number of second streams based at least in part on said performance.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selecting a number of networks based at least in part on said performance.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising terminating the sending of said at least one second stream based at least in part on said performance.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each said data packet includes routing information.  
     
     
         24 . A communication method, comprising: 
 transforming a signal including voice information into a first packet;    adding sequence data to the first packet; and    transmitting the first packet and a duplicate packet to a receiver.    
     
     
         25 . The communication method of  claim 24 , wherein the first packet is transmitted to a first address of the receiver and the duplicate packet is transmitted to a second address of the receiver.  
     
     
         26 . The communication method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 receiving one of the first packet and the duplicate packet at the receiver; and    transforming the received packet into the signal including voice information.    
     
     
         27 . A communication method, comprising: 
 transforming a first signal including voice information into a string of packets;    transmitting the string of packets in a first stream and a second stream of packets to a receiver;    receiving a first received stream of packets and a second received stream of packets at the receiver;    creating a combined string of packets using the first received stream of packets and the second received stream of packets; and    transforming the combined string of packets into a second signal including voice information.    
     
     
         28 . The communication method of  claim 27 , wherein the first stream of packets are transmitted to a first address of the receiver and the second stream of packets are transmitted to a second address of the receiver.  
     
     
         29 . The communication method of  claim 27 , wherein the first stream of packets are transmitted to the receiver over a first network and the second stream of packets are transmitted to the receiver over a second network.  
     
     
         30 . The communication method of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 adding sequence data to the string of packets.    
     
     
         31 . The communication method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of creating a combined string of packets includes using the sequence data to identify a packet missing from the first received stream of packets and using the sequence data to insert a duplicate packet from the second received stream of packets.  
     
     
         32 . The communication method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of creating a combined string of packets includes selecting available packets from the first and second received streams of packets and using sequence data from the first and second received stream of packets.  
     
     
         33 . The communication method of  claim 27 , wherein the second signal is an approximation of the first signal.  
     
     
         34 . The communication method of  claim 27 , wherein there is a predetermined delay time between transmitting the first stream of packets and transmitting the second stream of packets to the receiver.  
     
     
         35 . The communication method of  claim 34 , wherein the predetermined delay time is based on a characteristic of a communication network.  
     
     
         36 . A communication system, comprising: 
 a first endpoint connected to a sound input/output device and a network, the first endpoint capable of breaking a call signal sent from the input/output device into a stream of packets and sending two or more duplicate streams over the network;    a monitor connected to the network and the transmitter, the monitor capable of monitoring a network characteristic and controling a number of duplicate streams sent by the first endpoint based on the network characteristic; and    a second endpoint connected to the network, the second endpoint capable of receiving at least a portion of each of the two or more duplicate streams and recreating the call signal using the received portions of each of the two or more duplicate streams.    
     
     
         37 . The communication system of  claim 36 , wherein the network monitor is capable of controlling a delay between duplicate streams sent by the transmitter based on the network condition.  
     
     
         38 . The communication system of  claim 36 , wherein each stream is sent over a different network path.  
     
     
         39 . The communication system of  claim 36 , wherein each stream is sent to a different IP address associated with the second endpoint.  
     
     
         40 . The communication system of  claim 36 , wherein the monitor is connected to the second endpoint and the monitor is capable of controlling the number of duplicate streams sent by the first endpoint based on the portions of the two or more duplicate streams received at the second endpoint.  
     
     
         41 . A network monitoring method, comprising: 
 monitoring a characteristic of a network; and    controlling a number of redundant call streams sent from a first endpoint to a second endpoint based on the characteristic.    
     
     
         42 . The network monitoring method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of controlling is performed during a call.  
     
     
         43 . The network monitoring method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of controlling includes changing the number of redundant call streams sent based on a number of lost call packets determined at the second endpoint.  
     
     
         44 . The network monitoring method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 selecting a delay time for transmission of one of the number of redundant call streams from the first endpoint based on a number of lost call packets determined at the second endpoint.    
     
     
         45 . A network monitoring method, comprising: 
 monitoring a characteristic of a network; and    controlling a network path of two or more redundant call streams sent from a first endpoint to a second endpoint based on the characteristic.    
     
     
         46 . The network monitoring method of  claim 45 , wherein the step of controlling is performed during a call.  
     
     
         47 . The network monitoring method of  claim 45 , wherein the step of controlling includes changing the network path of redundant call streams sent based on a number of lost call packets determined at the second endpoint.  
     
     
         48 . The network monitoring method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 selecting a delay time for transmission of one of the number of redundant call streams from the first endpoint based on a number of lost call packets determined at the second endpoint.