US 6961346

Patent Overview: US6961346B1

Title: System and method for converting packet payload size
Patent number: US6961346B1
Application number: US09/449,185
Inventors: Larry G. Michalewicz; Ronald D. Higgins
Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (a California corporation; listed as both original and current assignee)
Filing/priority date: 1999-11-24
Publication (grant) date: 2005-11-01
Legal status (as listed): Expired – Fee Related; anticipated expiration 2019-11-24

Purpose. The patent relates generally to networking and specifically to converting packet payload size, with stated application to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and telephony devices.

Plain-language scope (from the supplied text). A bridge receives incoming packets having a first payload size and outputs packets having a second payload size. Each incoming payload section is divided into one or more data segments. Segments from different telephony devices can be mixed to create an aggregate data segment, and a reassembly buffer constructs an outgoing payload section by linking successively generated aggregate segments. Different-sized payloads from different devices can thus be converted to a common size for mixing, then reconverted to the payload size each device expects for transmission back. The text describes the apparatus as including a queue, a payload segmenter, a mixer, and a reassembly buffer, and describes a corresponding method. Stated benefits include enabling conference calls among devices with differing payload sizes, and letting a non-participating telephony device silently monitor a conference call.

Citations. Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US6961346](/patent/US6961346)/en. Figures referenced in the supplied text: FIG. 1 (communication network), FIG. 2 (conference call via bridge), FIG. 3 (bridge mixing differing payload sizes), FIGS. 4A–4B (packet progression through bridge components), FIG. 5 (silent monitoring).

What this excerpt does not establish. The supplied text is explicitly an excerpt with omitted material; the actual claims, full abstract, detailed embodiments, and any prior-art references are not reproduced here. It also does not establish independent verification of the listed legal status, current assignee accuracy (Google states listed assignees may be inaccurate), classification completeness, or exact priority/date assumptions (noted as assumptions in the source).