Multipath overlay network and its multipath management protocol

1. A source apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

support a multimedia communication session for sending a plurality of distinct portions of data within a same communication session over separate respective paths of a plurality of paths from the source apparatus to an aggregator to reassemble the plurality of distinct portions of data, a first path of the plurality of paths comprising at least one helper node selected by the source apparatus or the aggregator, and

receive a source join request from the aggregator to setup a second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator during the same multimedia communication session.

2. The source apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send a source helper join request to a source helper to setup the second path.

3. The source apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a source helper join response from the source helper indicating an availability of the source helper to setup the second path.

4. The source apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send, in response to the source join request, a source join response to the aggregator to indicate an establishment of the second path comprising the source helper.

5. The source apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to establish the second path from the source apparatus to the aggregator, the second path comprising the source helper.

6. The source apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a release request indicating to release the first path; and

release the first path.

7. The source apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one helper node comprises a source helper, and wherein the release request comprises a helper release notification from the source helper indicating to release the first path between the source apparatus and the aggregator.

8. The source apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

seek a second source helper to replace the source helper; and

send a source helper join request to the second source helper to request the second source helper to setup a second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

9. The source apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a source helper join response from the second source helper indicating an availability of the second source helper to setup the second path.

10. The source apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send a source helper release command to the source helper to release the first path.

11. The source apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send an aggregator switch request to the aggregator to request the aggregator to switch to the second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

12. The source apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an aggregator switch response from the aggregator; and to establish the second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

13. The source apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one helper node comprises a source helper, and wherein the release request comprises an indication from the aggregator indicating to release the first path.

14. The source apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send a source helper release command to the source helper to release the first path.

15. The source apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send a source release notification to the aggregator to release the first path.

16. The source apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one helper comprises a source helper, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a source switch request from the aggregator to request to switch the first path to a second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator;

send a source helper switch request to the source helper to switch the first path to the second path;

receive a source helper switch response from the source helper in response to the source helper switch request;

send a source switch response to the aggregator in response to the source switch request; and

establish the second path between the source apparatus and the aggregator, the second path comprising the source helper.

17. A method of communication from a source, the method comprising:

supporting a multimedia communication session for sending a plurality of distinct portions of data within a same communication session over separate respective paths of a plurality of paths from the source to an aggregator to reassemble the plurality of distinct portions of the data, a first path of the plurality of paths comprising at least one helper node selected by the source or the aggregator; and

receiving a source join request from the aggregator to setup a second path between the source and the aggregator during the same multimedia communication session.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

sending a source helper join request to a source helper to setup the second path.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving a source helper join response from the source helper indicating an availability of the source helper to setup the second path.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

sending, in response to the source join request, a source join response to the aggregator to indicate an establishment of the second path comprising the source helper.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

establishing the second path from the source to the aggregator, the second path comprising the source helper.

22. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving a release request indicating to release the first path; and

releasing the first path.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least one helper node comprises a source helper, and wherein the release request comprises a helper release notification from the source helper indicating to release the first path between the source and the aggregator.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

seeking a second source helper to replace the source helper; and

sending a source helper join request to the second source helper to request the second source helper to setup a second path between the source and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

receiving a source helper join response from the second source helper indicating an availability of the second source helper to setup the second path.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

sending a source helper release command to the source helper to release the first path.

27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

sending an aggregator switch request to the aggregator to request the aggregator to switch to the second path between the source and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

receiving an aggregator switch response from the aggregator; and to establish the second path between the source and the aggregator, the second path comprising the second source helper.

29. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one helper node comprises a source helper, and wherein the release request comprises an indication from the aggregator indicating to release the first path.

30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

sending a source helper release command to the source helper to release the first path.

31. The method of claim 30 , further comprising:

sending a source release notification to the aggregator to release the first path.

32. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one helper comprises a source helper, the method further comprising:

receiving a source switch request from the aggregator to request to switch the first path to a second path between the source and the aggregator;

send a source helper switch request to the source helper to switch the first path to the second path;

receive a source helper switch response from the source helper in response to the source helper switch request;

send a source switch response to the aggregator in response to the source switch request; and

establish the second path between the source and the aggregator, the second path comprising the source helper.