Abstract: According to the present invention, programs that use signals, such as multi-media signals, received over communication channels from one or more sources are produced in a computing system by executing an application software in one or more servers of the computing system. At least one of the servers has one or more processors that process defined logical entities. A signal used in production of a program is received from a source over a communication channel at a server. An input logical entity having attributes associated with the source of the signal is defined such that the input logical entity is responsive to a user defined predicate comprising a logical expression for accepting or rejecting the signal. Also defined are a stream logical entity that identifies an accepted signal and a routing logical entity that establishes a connection between the stream logical entity and a destination. The accepted signal is routed to the destination based on a routing rule.

Abstract: A packet recovery transmits N requests for retransmission of the transmitted packet to the sender node at N scheduled times upon determining satisfaction of a packet recovery condition associated with a transmitted packet from a sender node at a receiver node. At least one of the N scheduled times includes a receiver waiting time. M retransmissions of the transmitted packet from sender node at M scheduled times is performed upon the first receipt of a request for retransmission of the transmitted packet. At least one of the M scheduled times includes a sender waiting time. N and M are non-zero positive integers, and at least one of N or M is greater than one.