US Patent 7385933 Synchronised data delivery

A data distribution system provides capability for synchronized delivery of data elements to each of a set of receivers. In the system, a number of forwarding computers are linked together in a predetermined configuration by a communications network. An originating forwarding computer receives a data element from a source and forwards it to one or more predetermined destination forwarding computers of the system for delivery to receivers. Each forwarding computer operates a cyclical monitoring process to measure at least one characteristic known to contribute to delay in transferring a data element between forwarding computers, calculating the maximum expected delay for each cycle. On forwarding a data element, an originating forwarding computer calculates a prescribed time for delivery to a receiver by a destination forwarding computer taking account of the maximum expected delay at that time, writing the prescribed delivery time into the data element being forwarded. The system is adaptive to varying network performance in maintaining synchronized delivery.