Patent ID: 8001261

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a sending node, the sending node including: a media ascertaining element configured to ascertain if media to be sent from the sending node to a receiving node is time-sensitive, the time-sensitivity of the media being ascertained from an intent of a recipient to review the media upon receipt; a transmitter configured to transmit the media ascertained as time-sensitive from the sending node to the receiving node, the media initially transmitted at a first bit rate and at a first packetization interval, the first bit rate and the first packetization interval sufficient for a full bit rate representation of the media to be reviewed upon receipt, the full bit rate representation of the media being derived from when the media was originally encoded; a bandwidth-ascertaining element configured to ascertain at the sending node available bandwidth on the network between the sending node and the receiving node based on receipt reports received from the receiving node, the receipt reports containing parameters indicative of media loss on the network between the sending node and the receiving node; the transmitter further configured to ascertain if the available bandwidth on the network as ascertained by the bandwidth ascertaining element is sufficient to support the continued transmission of the full bit rate representation of the media ascertained as time-sensitive at the first bit rate and the first packetization interval, the transmitter further configured to either: continue the transmission of the full bit rate representation of the media ascertained as time-sensitive at the first bit rate and the first packetization interval when the available bandwidth on the network is sufficient; or transmit a reduced bit rate representation of the media ascertained as time-sensitive when the available bandwidth on the network is not sufficient, the reduced bit rate representation of the media generated by performing one or more of the following: (i) using fewer bits of media per unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the media relative to the full bit rate representation of the media; (ii) adjusting the packetization interval for packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the media; or (iii) adjusting the rate of transmission of the packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the media, whereby the transmission of the reduced bit rate representation of the media ascertained as time-sensitive enhances the timeliness of the delivery of the media so as to increase the ability of the recipient to review the media upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is not sufficient to transmit the full bit rate representation of the media at the first bit rate and the first packetization interval.