Launch delay offset data flow protection

Abstract

A signal protector utilizes a dual data path delay offset enabling signal recovery on both paths following simultaneous data loss on both paths.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data protection method comprising the steps of:
 providing data path A and data path B;   paths A and B transporting the same data; and,   offsetting the data transported by path A from the data transported by path B by a time “t” such that following a simultaneous data loss on both paths during a time interval that is less than or equal to “t” an uninterrupted data flow can be recovered using a combination of information from both data paths.   
     
     
         2 . The data protection method of  claim 1  wherein data lost from path A is replaced by data from path B and wherein data lost from path B is replaced by data from path A. 
     
     
         3 . A lost data recovery method comprising the steps of:
 providing data path A for transporting data packets;   providing data path B for transporting data packets;   paths A and B transporting the same data packets; and,   offsetting the data transported by path A from the data transported by path B by a time “t” such that following a simultaneous data loss on both paths during a time interval that is less than or equal to “t” an uninterrupted data flow can be recovered by combining data from both data paths;   wherein packets lost from path A are replaced by packets from path B and wherein packets lost from path B is replaced by packets from path A.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein paths A and B are implemented in the same media using VLAN separation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein t is at least 50 milliseconds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein path A interconnects with the first and second stations and path B interconnects with the first and second stations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein:
 the first station is an encoder and the second station is a decoder; 
 path A interconnects the encoder with a decoder SIPS; 
 path B interconnects an encoder NAT and delay block with the decoder SIPS; and, 
 data paths A and B transport multi-channel audio.