Patent ID: 8144632
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for communicating streaming data between a plurality of users participating in a real-time communications event over a packet based data network, the method comprising the steps of: a source using a locator table that correlates a plurality of requests to a plurality of different sinks to identify a first sink corresponding to a request to join a video conference, said request including at least a method, one or more method parameters, and a time to live value; said source using a sink data repository to identify a first sink address corresponding to said first sink, said sink data repository comprising sink addresses and associated latency values for a plurality of different sinks, wherein said identified first sink address is selected so that said latency value associated with said identified first sink address satisfies said time to live value; said source communicating said request to said first sink; said first sink returning an error message if said time to live has expired, and if said time to live has not expired said first sink processing said request through one or more steps of: said source transmitting a reserve request to one or more of said first sinks, said reserve request including a maximum amount of latency and a time frame; and said one or more first sinks receiving said reserve request and returning a success response if said sink can provide a latency that satisfies said maximum latency value for said time frame, and otherwise returning a failure response.