Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A first voice channel transmits voice signals into a second voice channel through a plurality of network nodes and data links. Preferably the voice signals are in packets each having a plurality of bits containing voice information and each having at least one additional bit to indicate whether a congestion has been encountered at any of the nodes. Preferably the voice signals in each packet have a particular bandwidth and a particular compression. When a congestion of a packet is encountered at one of the nodes, the node produces at the additional bit in the packet an indication that congestion has occurred. The packet with this indication then passes through the nodes to the second channel. The second channel then produces and sends to the first channel signals acknowledging the reception of the packets and the encountering of congestion. The first channel then reduces the bandwidths of the signals in the packets transmitted to the second channel and increases the compression of the signals in the packets. When the second channel receives these packets without encountering any congestion for at least a particular period of time, it sends a congestion clear signal to the first channel. The first channel then increases the bandwidth of the voice signals in the packets to the particular value and decreases the compression of these signals to the particular value. The second channel decompresses the voice signals in the packets and restores the voice signals to their original values.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim