Patent ID: 7688858

Claim:
A method, comprising: transmitting a first group of data packets from a source device to a destination device according to a first data transmission window and a second group of data packets from the source device to an intermediate device according to a second data transmission window, wherein the first group of data packets and the second group of data packets together provide a stream of data destined for the destination device, wherein the intermediate device is selected based on one or more of: a relative position of the intermediate device in a path from the source device to the destination device, power requirements and power availability at the intermediate device, size and availability of a data buffer at the intermediate device, and a level of security and data privacy provided by the intermediate device; receiving the first group of data packets with the destination device according to a first data reception window; receiving the second group of data packets with the intermediate device according to a second data reception window; transmitting the second group of data packets from the intermediate device to the destination device; receiving the second group of data packets with the destination device according to a third data reception window; finding a path from the source device to the destination device, a path from the source device to the intermediate device, and a path from the intermediate device to the destination device; dividing data at the source device into the first group of data packets and the second group of data packets; and ordering and assembling the first group of data packets and the second group of data packets.