Patent ID: 6967963

Claim:
A method for forwarding packets to a network, comprising the steps of: providing a packet forwarding system with a memory, said packet forwarding system being connected to the network; receiving an analog signal and generating local audio packets; receiving packets at the packet forwarding system including local audio packets and storing the packets in the memory of the packet forwarding system; attempting to forward packets stored in the memory to the network; establishing one or more time limit within which to forward packets stored in the memory to the network with the time limit linked to the type of the data included in the packet; monitoring an elapsed period of time while attempting to forward packets stored in the memory to the network; canceling said attempting to forward a packet stored in the memory to the network, when the elapsed period of time exceeds the time limit associated with the type of the data included in the packet; and allowing transmission of the packet stored in the memory to be completed when that packet is currently being transmitted over the network.