Patent ID: 8099512

Claim:
A method for progressively synchronizing stored copies of voice media transmitted over a network during a conversation that may be selectively conducted in a real-time mode and in a time-shifted mode, comprising: (a) progressively receiving voice media transmitted from a sending node to a receiving node as the voice media is persistently stored at the sending node, the voice media transmitted with a packet size and packetization interval sufficient to enable the near real-time rendering of the voice media; (b) progressively and persistently storing the transmitted voice media at the receiving node as the voice media is received; (c) noting any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node; (d) generating requests as needed for any noted voice media; (e) receiving retransmissions of the noted voice media from the sending node to the receiving node in response to the requests; (f) repeating (d) and (e) until the sending node and the receiving node each have complete copies of the voice media maintained in persistent storage; and (g) selectively rendering the transmitted voice media at the receiving node either in the real-time mode as the voice media is received over the network or out of persistent storage in the time-shifted mode.