Patent ID: 7433069

Claim:
An image transmission apparatus for use with at least two transmission paths having different transmission rates from one another, said apparatus comprising: image input means for receiving an image signal; a coding processing unit for encoding the image signal; a protocol control unit for packetizing the data encoded in said coding processing unit for transmission; and transmitting means for transmitting the data packets created by said protocol control unit, wherein said protocol control unit having at least one timer processing unit which is configured to control a transmission interval at which said data packets are individually transmitted corresponding to the transmission rate of a particular transmission path based on data packet discard ratio information of said transmission path and a trigger pulse generation interval, wherein said protocol control unit further includes a trigger generator which is configured to generate a trigger pulse for re-setting said timer processing unit at predetermined time intervals, thereby defining the trigger pulse generation interval, wherein said timer processing unit, in accordance with the trigger pulse generated by said trigger generator, controls delayed data packet transmission processing in accordance with a delay time corresponding to a particular discard ratio of said data packet discard ratio information to return to an original transmission interval.