System and method for interleaving compressed audio/video (A/V) data forms

Abstract

Streaming audio and video (A/V) transmissions have become commonplace due to increasing data rates available over modem computer networks, and should occur at real-time or near real-time so that the user perceives an intelligible audio or video image. Lost or late frames can result in interference or distortion, and may be perceived as a “blip” or “pop” in the output sound or image. Wireless networks are particularly susceptible to such interference. Interference can be reduced by receiving a stream of symbols, arranging the symbols in a series of frames, and interleaving the symbols in one of the frames with symbols in an adjacent one of frames in the series of frames. In this manner, a frame that is dropped or arrives late over the wireless communication link will result in less distortion because some of the symbols will be available from the adjacent frames.

1 . A method for transmitting data signals in a wireless network comprising: 
 receiving data signals, each of the data signals corresponding to a particular symbol;    arranging the symbols in a series of frames; and    interleaving the symbols in one of the frames with symbols in an adjacent one of the frames in the series of frames, each frame having a respective bitmap stored with the frame, the bitmap indicating a symbol position that is to be interleaved.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 transmitting each of the frames to a remote receiver; and    de-interleaving the symbols at the remote receiver.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein de-interleaving restores the previous series of frames.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein interleaving further comprises interleaving using a predetermined number of symbols.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined number of symbols to be interleaved are selected according to a predetermined spreading computation.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving the data signals further comprises receiving signals output from a vocoder.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data signals are selected from the group consisting of compressed voice, compressed video, and Voice Over IP (VOIP).  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the frames contain a predetermined number of symbols.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recreating portions of a frame from the interleaved symbols.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data signals comprise audiovisual (A/V) data signals.