Patent ID: 7613979

Claim:
A method for forward error correction of streaming media content in a network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving with a second node a first set of streaming media message packets and one or more check packets from an upstream first node, wherein a node upstream of the first node transmits the streaming media message packets to the first node; using the second node to transmit the first set of streaming media message packets and one or more check packets to a downstream third node; generating with the second node zero or more decoded packets corresponding to zero or more streaming media message packets missing from the first set of streaming media message packets using one or more of the check packets; using the second node to transmit the zero or more decoded packets to the third node before the zero or more streaming media message packets missing from the first set of streaming media message packets are presented by the third node; and receiving at the second node a second set of check packets from the node that is upstream of the first node.