Patent ID: 8185143

Claim:
In a server that operates in a communication network in which communication sessions are established between devices, a method for buffering voice data such that the voice data can be selectively replayed on a device, the method comprising: during a communication session of a connectionless protocol, simultaneously transmitting packets of voice data via the communications network from a sender device to a recipient device and buffering the packets of the voice data at the server such that the buffered packets can be resent upon receipt of an appropriate request; receiving a request for missing packets from the recipient device, the request having been sent from the recipient device in response to the recipient device determining that at least some of the packets are missing and receiving input from a recipient requesting the voice data to be replayed at the recipient device; and in response to the request for the missing packets, sending the missing packets to the recipient device such that the recipient device can: combine the missing packets with already received packets and replay the voice data including both the missing packets and the already received packets; replay the voice data associated with the missing packets until the voice data associated with the missing packets catches up to voice data being received at the device in real time; and resuming playing the voice data being received at the device.