Patent ID: 6996624

Claim:
In a computer network having at least one client and at least one server, said client and said server being selectively in communication with each other over said network, said server streaming into said network a plurality of Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, packets addressed for said client at a normal streaming rate commensurate with a rate of reading said packets at said client, each of said RTP packets including at least a sequence number and a timestamp, a reliable RTP method comprising: acknowledging to said server each of said RTP packets received by said client; re-transmitting from said server to said client any of said RTP packets that remain unacknowledged subsequent to expiration of a predetermined time duration subsequent to said timestamp; continuously determining a maximum number of bytes that may be contained in said RTP packets streaming into said network and, in the event a number of bytes in said RTP packets exceeds said maximum number, discontinuing streaming of said RTP packets until said determining step indicates said number of bytes is less than said maximum number; and continuously determining a present streaming rate at which said RTP packets are streamed into said network wherein said present streaming rate exceeds said normal streaming rate.