System and method for transmitting audio or video data using multiple levels of protection

1. A method for transmitting a series of payloads each of which is formed from bits of audio or video information, wherein different levels of protection are applied to different sets of bits in each payload, comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing the bits associated with each payload into high priority bits and low priority bits;

(b) forming a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm only to bits from the high priority bits in the payload;

(c) forming each payload from a first set of bits from the high priority bits, the check bits, a redundant set of bits from the high priority bits and the check bits, and only a single set of bits from the low priority bits, wherein the check bits formed in step (b) are the only check bits included in the payload; and

(d) transmitting the payloads formed in step (c).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the error correction algorithm is a forward error correction algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein data information is included in the high priority section and the redundant section.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises:

(b) forming a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm only to a subset of the high priority bits in the payload.

5. A method for transmitting a series of payloads each of which is formed from bits of audio or video information, wherein different levels of protection are applied to different sets of bits in each payload, comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing the bits associated with each payload into high priority bits and low priority bits;

(b) forming a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm to the high priority bits in the payload;

(c) forming each payload from a first set of the high priority bits, the check bits, the low priority bits and a redundant set of the high priority bits and the check bits; and

(d) transmitting the payloads formed in step (c);

wherein each payload is divided into a high priority section, a redundant section, and a center section positioned between the high priority section and the redundant section; and wherein the first set of high priority bits and the check bits are placed in the high priority section, the low priority bits are placed in the center section, and the redundant set of high priority bits are placed in the redundant section of the payload.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the check bits are also placed in the redundant section.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the center section of each payload includes multiple data frames.

8. A method for transmitting a series of payloads each of which is formed from bits of audio or video information, wherein different levels of protection are applied to different sets of bits in each payload, comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing the bits associated with each payload into high priority bits and low priority bits;

(b) forming a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm to the high priority bits in the payload;

(c) forming each payload from a first set of the high priority bits, the check bits, the low priority bits and a redundant set of the high priority bits and the check bits; and

(d) transmitting the payloads formed in step (c);

wherein step (b) further comprises dynamically scaling the size of each payload in response to errors detected at a receiver.

9. A data transmission and distribution system comprising:

a series of payloads, each of the payloads formed from bits of audio or video information, wherein different levels of protection are applied to different sets of bits in each payload;

wherein the data transmission and distribution system divides the bits associated with each payload into high priority bits and low priority bits, forms a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm only to bits from the high priority bits in the payload, forms each payload from a first set of bits from the high priority bits, the check bits, a redundant set of bits from the high priority bits and the check bits, and only a single set of bits from the low priority bits, wherein the check bits formed by applying the error correction algorithm only to bits from the high priority bits are the only check bits included in the payload; and transmits the payloads formed from the first set of the high priority bits, the check bits, the low priority bits and the redundant set of the high priority bits and the check bits.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the data transmission and distribution system forms the group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm only to a subset of the high priority bits in the payload.

11. A data transmission and distribution system having a series of payloads each of which is formed from bits of audio or video information, wherein different levels of protection are applied to different sets of bits in each payload, comprising:

means for dividing the bits associated with each payload into high priority bits and low priority bits;

means for forming a group of check bits for each payload by applying an error correction algorithm only to bits from the high priority bits in the payload;

means for forming each payload from a first set of bits from the high priority bits, the check bits, a redundant set of the high priority bits and the check bits, and only a single set of bits from the low priority bits, wherein the check bits formed by applying the error correction algorithm only to bits from the high priority bits are the only check bits included in the payload; and

means for transmitting the payloads formed from the first set of the high priority bits, the check bits, the low priority bits, and the redundant set of the high priority bits and the check bits.