Fractional threshold encoding and aggregation

Abstract

Fractional encoding of a packet into fractional packets and reconstruction of fractional packets into an original packet is disclosed. A packet is received. A plurality fractional packets is constructed from the received packet such that the received packet is fully reconstructable from a portion of the fractional packets. The portion is fewer than all of the fractional packets. At least one fractional packet is transmitted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 an interface configured to receive a packet; and   an encoder configured to, using a processor:
 construct a plurality of fractional packets from the received packet; and 
 transmit the plurality of fractional packets to a decoder, wherein the decoder is configured to reconstruct the packet from a portion of the plurality of fractional packets that is fewer than all of the fractional packets in the plurality. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is further configured to determine the number of fractional packets that form the plurality of fractional packets. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the encoder is configured to determine the number of fractional packets that form the plurality of fractional packets based at least in part on link performance data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the encoder is configured to determine the number of fractional packets that form the plurality of fractional packets based at least in part on quality of service requirements. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the encoder is configured to determine the number of fractional packets that form the plurality of fractional packets based at least in part on a fractional decision technique. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is configured to construct the plurality of fractional packets using a cryptographic secret sharing technique. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the technique includes Shamir's secret sharing technique. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is configured to construct the plurality of fractional packets using a forward error correction technique. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is further configured to monitor the status of one or more links 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is further configured to receive link performance information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the link performance information includes information obtained from a driver. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fractional packets are of equal size. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is further configured to transmit the plurality of fractional packets over a plurality of available links 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of available links are made available by a plurality of carriers. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the encoder is configured to transmit two fractional packets in the plurality of fractional packets over a first available link and a single fractional packet in the plurality of fractional packets over a second link. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 an interface configured to receive, from an encoder, one or more fractional packets, wherein the encoder is configured to construct the one or more fractional packets from an original packet; and   a decoder configured to, using a processor:
 determine whether a threshold number of fractional packets is received; 
 reconstruct from the received fractional packets the original packet; and 
 transmit the original packet. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the decoder is further configured to store the original packet in a buffer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the decoder is configured to determine whether a threshold number of fractional packets is received based at least in part on a packet ID. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, via an interface, a packet;   constructing a plurality of fractional packets from the received packet; and   transmitting the plurality of fractional packets to a decoder, wherein the decoder is configured to reconstruct the packet from a portion of the plurality of fractional packets that is fewer than all of the fractional packets in the plurality.   
     
     
         20 . A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 receiving a packet;   constructing a plurality of fractional packets from the received packet; and   transmitting the plurality of fractional packets to a decoder, wherein the decoder is configured to reconstruct the packet from a portion of the plurality of fractional packets that is fewer than all of the fractional packets in the plurality.