Group packet encapsulation and compression system and method

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after part B: G. compressing at least a portion of said encapsulation payload, wherein said second node is configured to decompress said encapsulation payload.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload, said method further comprising, prior to part E: G. compressing headers of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload, wherein said second node is configured to decompress said compressed headers in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload, said method further comprising, prior to part E: G. compressing payloads of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload, wherein said second node is configured to decompress said compressed payloads in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , wherein said packets are EP packets having a header chosen from a group comprising: 1) IP header; 2) IP/TCP header; 3) IP/UDP header; 4) IP/UDP/RTP header; 5) IP/UDP/RTCP header; 6) IP/FTP header; 7) IP/TFTP header; 8) IP/HTTP header; 9) EP/SMTP header; 10) IP/POP header; 11) IP/SNMP header; 12) IP/TELNET header; 13) IP/DNS header; 14) IP/IPSEC header; 15) IPINFS header; 16) IPINetBIOS header; and 17) IPIRPC header.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 , wherein said packets are IP packets and said packets include data chosen from a group comprising: 1) static data; 2) audio data; 3) video data; 4) voice over EP data; and 5) video over P data.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , wherein said set of packets includes at least two packets and each packet in said set of packets includes a header and a payload and part B includes: 1) combining at least two of said headers; and 2) combining at least two of said payloads.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 , further comprising compressing said combined headers.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 , further comprising compressing said combined payloads.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , further including computing a size value and a checksum value for said encapsulation packet.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload and wherein said encapsulation packet header is derived from a first packet header.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11 , wherein said method further includes: G. compressing at least a portion of said encapsulation packet payload using a compression algorithm, wherein said encapsulation packet includes a compression identifier, wherein said compression identifier indicates the compression algorithm used by said first node to compress said portion of encapsulation packet payload.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 , wherein said classifying a set of said packets in Part A includes matching a destination address contained in a packet, from said set of packets, with at least one of a plurality of addresses for devices configured to couple to said second node.

Claim 15

The method of claim 2 , wherein said first node and said second node are coupled together via a network that includes at least one of the following: 1) Internet; 2) world wide web; 3) extranet; 4) cable network; 5) private network; 6) LAN; 7) WAN; 8) virtual network; and 9) telephone network.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 , wherein said classifying a set of said packets in Part A includes matching a destination address contained in a packet, from said set of packets, with at least one of a plurality of addresses for devices configured to couple to said second node.

Claim 19

A data communication system having a first node coupled to a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the path between said first node and second node is known to said first node, said system comprising: A. said first node including a storage device having packets queued therein, said first node comprising: 1) a packet analyzer module, configured to group a set of said packets as a function of said second node being in a transmission path of each packet in said set of packets, wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload; 2) an encapsulation module, configured to generate an encapsulation packet including an encapsulation payload derived from said set of packets and a encapsulation packet header; 3) a compression module, configured to compress said headers of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload, wherein said compression module is configured to estimate a compression ratio related to said encapsulation packet; 4) an intelligent adaptive module, configured to estimate the size of said encapsulation packet as a function of said compression ratio and a size of each packet in said set of packets and to determine whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; 5) a first communication module configured to transmit said encapsulation packet to said second node; and B. said second node including a storage device, said second node comprising: 1) a second communication module configured to receive said encapsulation packet; 2) a de-encapsulation module, configured to de-encapsulate said encapsulation packet, wherein said de-encapsulation includes reforming each packet in said set of packets from said encapsulation packet; and 3) a decompression module, configured to decompress said compressed headers in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 20

A data communication system having a first node coupled to a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the path between said first node and second node is known to said first node, said system comprising: A. said first node including a storage device having packets queued therein, said first node comprising: 1) a packet analyzer module, configured to group a set of said packets as a function of said second node being in a transmission path of each packet in said set of packets, wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload; 2) an encapsulation module, configured to generate an encapsulation packet including an encapsulation payload derived from said set of packets and a encapsulation packet header; 3) a compression module, configured to compress said headers of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload, wherein said compression module is configured to estimate a compression ratio related to said encapsulation packet; 4) an intelligent adaptive module, configured to estimate the size of said encapsulation packet as a function of said compression ratio and a size of each packet in said set of packets and to determine whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; 5) a first communication module configured to transmit said encapsulation packet to said second node; and B. said second node including a storage device, said second node comprising: 1) a second communication module configured to receive said encapsulation packet; 2) a de-encapsulation module, configured to de-encapsulate said encapsulation packet, wherein said de-encapsulation includes reforming each packet in said set of packets from said encapsulation packet; and 3) a decompression module, configured to decompress said compressed headers in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 21

The system of claim 17 , wherein said intelligent adaptive module is configured to eliminate at least one packet in said set of packets if said MTU is exceeded.

Claim 22

A data communication system having a first node coupled to a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU.) of the path between said first node and second node is known to said first node, said system comprising: A. said first node including a storage device having packets queued therein, said first node comprising: 1) a packet analyzer module, configured to group a set of said packets as a function of said second node being in a transmission path of each packet in said set of packets; 2) an encapsulation module, configured to generate an encapsulation packet including an encapsulation payload derived from said set of packets and a encapsulation packet header; 3) a first communication module configured to transmit said encapsulation packet to said second node; and 4) an intelligent adaptive module, configured to estimate the size of said encapsulation packet as a function of a size of each packet in said set of packets and determine whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; and B. said second node including a storage device, said second node comprising: 1) a second communication module configured to receive said encapsulation packet; and 2) a de-encapsulation module, configured to de-encapsulate said encapsulation packet, wherein said de-encapsulation includes reforming each packet in said set of packets from said encapsulation packet.

Claim 23

A data communication system having a first node coupled to a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU.) of the path between said first node and second node is known to said first node, said system comprising: A. said first node including a storage device having packets queued therein, said first node comprising: 1) a packet analyzer module, configured to group a set of said packets as a function of said second node being in a transmission path of each packet in said set of packets; 2) an encapsulation module, configured to generate an encapsulation packet including an encapsulation payload derived from said set of packets and a encapsulation packet header; 3) a first communication module configured to transmit said encapsulation packet to said second node; and 4) an intelligent adaptive module, configured to estimate the size of said encapsulation packet as a function of a size of each packet in said set of packets and determine whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; and B. said second node including a storage device, said second node comprising: 1) a second communication module configured to receive said encapsulation packet; and 2) a de-encapsulation module, configured to de-encapsulate said encapsulation packet, wherein said de-encapsulation includes reforming each packet in said set of packets from said encapsulation packet.

Claim 24

The system of claim 19 , wherein said encapsulation module includes: i. a payload module, configured to encapsulate said set of packets as said encapsulation payload; ii. a packet header module, configured to derive said encapsulation packet header from said encapsulation payload, said encapsulation packet header including a destination address; and iii. a combiner module, configured to combine said encapsulation payload and said encapsulation packet header.

Claim 25

The system of claim 19 , wherein: said first node further includes: 4) a compression module, configured to compress at least a portion of said encapsulation payload; and said second node further includes: 3) a decompression module, configured to decompress said compressed portion of said encapsulation payload.

Claim 26

The system of claim 19 , wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload, wherein: said first node further includes: 4) a compression module, configured to compress headers of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload; and said second node further includes: 3) a decompression module, configured to decompress said compressed headers in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 27

The system of claim 19 , wherein each packet in said set of packets comprises a header and a payload, wherein: said first node further includes: 4) a compression module, configured to compress payloads of a plurality of packets in said set of packets in said encapsulation payload; and said second node further includes: 3) a decompression module, configured to decompress said compressed payloads in said encapsulation payload.

Claim 28

The system of claim 19 , wherein, if said MTU is exceeded, said intelligent adaptive module is configured to eliminate at least one packet in said set of packets.

Claim 29

The system of claim 19 , wherein said second communication module is further configured to route each packet in said set of packets to a next destination, wherein for each packet in said set of packets said next destination is derived from a content of said packet.

Claim 30

The system of claim 19 , wherein said first node and said second node are coupled together via a network that includes at least one of the following: 1) Internet; 2) world wide web; 3) extranet; 4) cable network; 5) private network; 6) LAN; 7) WAN; 8) virtual network; and 9) telephone network.

Claim 31

The system of claim 19 , wherein said packets are IP packets including data from a group comprising: 1) static data; 2) audio data; 3) video data; and 4) voice over IP data.

Claim 32

The method of claim 19 , wherein said packet analyzer module is configured to match a destination address contained in a packet, from said set of packets, with at least one of a plurality of addresses for devices configured to couple to said second node.

Claim 33

A GIEC protocol for conducting data communications between a first node having a plurality of IP packets queued thereat, at least some of said IP packets including an IP header and an IP payload, and a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the path between said first node and second node is known, said protocol comprising: A. classifying a set of said IP packets as a function of having said second node in a transmission path of each IP packet in said set of IP packets; B grouping said set of IP packets to form a sequence of IP packets; C. encapsulating said sequence of IP packets as an encapsulation payload; D. deriving an IP encapsulation packet header from said encapsulation payload, said encapsulation packet header including a destination address; E. combining said EP encapsulation packet header and said encapsulation payload as an IP encapsulation packet; F. determining whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; G. if said MTU is exceeded, eliminating one or more IP packets from said set of IP packets to form a new set of IP packets and repeating parts B through G; H. transmitting said IP encapsulation packet from said first node to said second node; I. receiving said IP encapsulation packet at said second node; and J. de-encapsulating said IP encapsulation packet at said second node, thereby reforming each IP packet in said set of IP packets.

Claim 34

A GIEC protocol for conducting data communications between a first node having a plurality of IP packets queued thereat, at least some of said IP packets including an IP header and an IP payload, and a second node, wherein a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the path between said first node and second node is known, said protocol comprising: A. classifying a set of said IP packets as a function of having said second node in a transmission path of each IP packet in said set of IP packets; B grouping said set of IP packets to form a sequence of IP packets; C. encapsulating said sequence of IP packets as an encapsulation payload; D. deriving an IP encapsulation packet header from said encapsulation payload, said encapsulation packet header including a destination address; E. combining said EP encapsulation packet header and said encapsulation payload as an IP encapsulation packet; F. determining whether said encapsulation packet exceeds said MTU; G. if said MTU is exceeded, eliminating one or more IP packets from said set of IP packets to form a new set of IP packets and repeating parts B through G; H. transmitting said IP encapsulation packet from said first node to said second node; I. receiving said IP encapsulation packet at said second node; and J. de-encapsulating said IP encapsulation packet at said second node, thereby reforming each IP packet in said set of IP packets.

Claim 35

The GIEC protocol of claim 29 , wherein said IP headers are chosen from a group comprising: 1) IP header; 2) IP/TCP header; 3) IP/UDP header; 4) IP/UDP/RTP header; 5) IP/UDP/RTCP header; 6) IP/FTP header; 7) IP/TFTP header; 8) IP/HTTP header; 9) IP/SMTP header; 10) IP/POP header; 11) IP/SNMP header; 12) IP/TELNET header; 13) IP/DNS header; 14) IP/IPSEC header; 15) IP/NFS header; 16) IP/NetBIOS header; and 17) IP/RPC header.

Claim 36

The GEC protocol of claim 29 , wherein said first node and said second node are coupled together via a network that includes at least one of the following: 1) Internet; 2) world wide web; 3) extranet; 4) cable network; 5) private network; 6) LAN; 7) WAN; 8) virtual network; and 9) telephone network.

Claim 37

The GEEC protocol of claim 29 , wherein said IP packets include data from a group comprising: 1) static data; 2) audio data; 3) video data; and 4) voice over IP data.

Claim 38

The GIEC protocol of claim 29 , wherein said classifying a set of said packets in Part A includes matching a destination address contained in packet, from said set of packets, with at least one of a plurality of addresses for devices configured to coupled to said second node.