Patent ID: 9209943
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for transmitting encoded data in a network comprising: grouping packets into a first generation of a plurality of packets; in a source node of a network, encoding the first generation using linearly-independent encoding vectors to produce an encoded first generation; transmitting the encoded first generation as a plurality of packets over a subgraph of nodes over multiple paths to a destination node, wherein the subgraph of nodes is a small group of nodes of the network; determining in a receiving node of the subgraph that an insufficient amount of packets of the encoded first generation have been received in the receiving node in order to decode the encoded first generation; sending a first repair request from the receiving node to nodes which are upstream of the receiving node, wherein the repair request indicates a need for more packets of the encoded first generation without specifying a particular packet; in response to the repair request, sending a packet with encoded first generation data to the receiving node from a first node which is upstream of the receiving node; and while in a fully-reliable mode further comprising: generating a second repair request in at least one node which is upstream of the receiving node and which does not have data of the encoded first generation, wherein the second repair request indicates a need for more packets with data of the encoded first generation without specifying a particular packet; and sending the second repair request from the at least one node to nodes which are upstream of the at least one node until a node with data of the encoded first generation receives the second repair request.