Patent ID: 7636298

Claim:
A packet error correcting apparatus comprising: a packet receiving unit for receiving a plurality of packets and a number of redundant packets for error correction over a network from a packet transmitting apparatus transmitting packets and redundant packets at the rate of one redundant packet per N packets, where N is a natural number; a packet loss detecting unit for detecting loss of a packet among the plurality of packets received by said packet receiving unit; an error correcting unit for performing an error correcting process to restore the lost packet on the basis of a next redundant packet among said redundant packets to be received next by said packet receiving unit when said packet loss detecting unit detects loss of said packet; a retransmission request transmitting unit being able to transmit a retransmission request for said lost packet to said packet transmitting apparatus; and a retransmission request controlling unit for determining whether or not said lost packet can be restored by said error correcting unit within a predetermined time period based on a timing of reception of one of said redundant packets received by said packet receiving unit, and controlling said error correcting unit to perform said error correcting process after the reception of the next redundant packet upon determination that said lost reception packet can be restored within the predetermined time period while controlling said retransmission request transmitting unit to transmit the retransmission request to said packet transmitting apparatus upon determination that said lost reception packet cannot be restored within the predetermined time period.