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A method of transmitting packets over a network includes steps of partitioning a transmission interval into discrete time slots and reaching agreement between a transmitting node and receiving node as to when the transmitting node will transmit packets. The intended receiving node sends a reception

A method of transmitting packets over a network includes steps of partitioning a transmission interval into discrete time slots and reaching agreement between a transmitting node and receiving node as to when the transmitting node will transmit packets. The intended receiving node sends a reception map to the transmitter indicating time slots that have not yet been allocated. The transmitter proposes a delivery schedule including time slots that it will use for transmission. After agreement by the receiving node, the transmitter transmits packets according to the agreed-upon schedule. Other transmitters can similar arrange to transmit during time slots not already allocated for the receiving node.

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I claim: 1. A method of transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets over a packet-switched computer network, comprising the steps of: (1) from a transmitting network endpoint, transmitting through the packet-switched computer network a query to an intended receiving network endpoint; (2

I claim: 1. A method of transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets over a packet-switched computer network, comprising the steps of: (1) from a transmitting network endpoint, transmitting through the packet-switched computer network a query to an intended receiving network endpoint; (2) receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint a reception map indicating time slots during which transmission to the intended receiving network endpoint would not conflict with other transmitting endpoints and wherein the reception map is generated without schedule coordination among network resources; (3) from the transmitting network endpoint, transmitting to the intended receiving network endpoint a proposed transmission map indicating time slots, compatible with the reception map, during which the transmitting network endpoint intends to transmit packets, wherein the proposed transmission map is generated without schedule coordination among network resources; and (4) from the transmitting network endpoint, synchronously transmitting packets including packet headers to the intended receiving network endpoint through the network according to the proposed transmission map without schedule coordination among network resources. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of, prior to step (4), receiving an agreement from the intended receiving network endpoint and, if no agreement is received, transmitting in step (4) according to an alternative transmission map. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alternative transmission map is proposed by the intended receiving network endpoint. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (4) comprises the step of repeatedly transmitting packets to the intended receiving network endpoint according to the proposed transmission map. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, at the intended receiving network endpoint, generating the reception map on the basis of previously allocated time slots from other transmitting network endpoints. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reception map comprises a bitmap, wherein each bit corresponds to one of a plurality of timeslots, each bit indicating whether that corresponding timeslot has previously been allocated. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of periodically synchronizing, as between the transmitting network endpoint and the receiving network endpoint, a time period on which the proposed transmission map is used in step (4) and without synchronization among network resources. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of using a connection over which a synchronization signal is transmitted, separate and apart from any network connection. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of transmitting synchronization packets over the network. 10. A method of transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets over a packet-switched computer network, comprising the steps of: (1) from a transmitting network endpoint, transmitting a bandwidth requirement to an intended receiving network endpoint; (2) receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint a transmission map indicating time slots during which transmission to the intended receiving network endpoint would not conflict with other transmitting network endpoints, wherein the transmission map is generated without schedule coordination among network resources; and (3) from the transmitting network endpoint, synchronously transmitting packets including packet headers to the intended receiving network endpoint over the computer network according to the transmission map without schedule coordination among network resources. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of, at the intended receiving network endpoint, generating the transmission map based on the bandwidth requirement transmitted from the transmitting network endpoint. 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of synchronizing between the transmitting network endpoint and the intended receiving network endpoint a time period on which the transmission map is used and without synchronization among network resources. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of using an electrical connection over which a synchronization signal is transmitted, separate and apart from any network connection. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of transmitting synchronization packets over the network. 15. A method of transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets over a packet-switched computer network, comprising the steps of: (1) from a transmitting network endpoint, transmitting through the packet-switched computer network a proposed delivery schedule to an intended receiving network endpoint, wherein the proposed delivery schedule indicates time slots corresponding to times during which the transmitting network endpoint proposes to transmit packets to the intended receiving network endpoint and wherein the proposed delivery schedule is generated without schedule coordination among network resources; (2) receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint an indication as to whether the proposed delivery schedule is acceptable to the intended receiving network endpoint; and (3) if the proposed delivery schedule is acceptable, synchronously transmitting packets including packet headers from the transmitting network endpoint to the intended receiving network endpoint according to the proposed delivery schedule and without schedule coordination among network resources. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of, upon determining that the proposed delivery schedule is not acceptable to the intended receiving network endpoint, receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint an alternate delivery schedule and using the alternate delivery schedule to transmit the packets in step (3). 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of, at the intended receiving network endpoint, determining whether the proposed delivery schedule is acceptable by comparing time slots proposed to be used by the transmitting network endpoint to previously allocated time slots allocated by other transmitting network endpoints. 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of synchronizing between the transmitting network endpoint and the intended receiving network endpoint a time period on which the delivery schedule is used and without synchronization among network resources. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of using an electrical connection over which a synchronization signal is transmitted, separate and apart from any network connection. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the synchronizing step comprises the step of transmitting synchronization packets over the network. 21. A computer comprising a processor connected to a computer-readable medium, said computer readable-medium having stored therein executable instructions that, when executed, perform the following steps: (1) transmitting from an originating network endpoint over a packet-switched network to an intended receiving network endpoint a proposed delivery schedule, wherein the proposed delivery schedule indicates time slots corresponding to times during which the computer proposes to transmit packets to the intended receiving network endpoint and wherein the proposed delivery schedule is generated without schedule coordination among network resources; (2) receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint an indication as to whether the proposed delivery schedule is acceptable to the intended receiving network endpoint and without schedule coordination among network resources; and (3) if the proposed delivery schedule is acceptable to the intended receiving network endpoint, synchronously transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets includinig packet headers to the intended receiving network endpoint over the cornputer network according to the proposed delivery schedule and without schedule coordination among network resources. 22. The computer according to claim 21, further comprising executable instructions that, when executed, perform the step of receiving from the intended receiving network endpoint an alternative delivery schedule and using the alternative delivery schedule as the basis for transmitting packets in step (3). 23. The computer according to claim 21, further comprising means for synchronizing the proposed delivery schedule with the intended receiving network endpoint without synchronization among network resources. 24. The computer according to claim 23, wherein the means comprises a connection linked to the intended receiving network endpoint, wherein the connection is separate from any network connection to the intended receiving network endpoint. 25. The computer according to claim 23, wherein the means comprises executable instructions that process a synchronization packet transmitted over a network connection with the intended receiving network endpoint. 26. A method of transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet packets over a network comprising at least one network switch, comprising the steps of: (1) from a transmitting network endpoint, transmitting a query to an intended receiving network endpoint over the network; (2) at the intended receiving network endpoint, generating a reception map indicating which of a plurality of discrete time slots have been previously allocated for transmission of packets to that intended receiving network endpoint, wherein each time slot represents a unit of time within a transmission interval over the network, and wherein the reception map is generated without schedule coordination with the at least one network switch; (3) transmitting the reception map from the intended receiving network endpoint to the transmitting network endpoint; (4) from the transmitting network endpoint, transmitting to the intended receiving network endpoint a proposed transmission map indicating time slots, compatible with the reception map, during which the transmitting node intends to transmit packets to the intended receiving network endpoint over the network, wherein the proposed transmission map is generated without schedule coordination with the at least one network switch; (5) from the transmitting network endpoint, synchronously transmitting through the at least one network switch packets including packet headers to the intended receiving network endpoint according to the proposed transmission map; and (6) maintaining time synchronization as to the discrete time slots between the transmitting network endpoint and the receiving network endpoint through the use of an electrical connection that is separate and apart from any network connection between the transmitting network endpoint and the intended receiving network endpoint and without schedule synchronization with the at least one network switch. 27. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (1) through (4) are performed over a packet-switched network comprising a plurality of network switches, and wherein steps (2) through (4) are performed without schedule coordination among the plurality of network switches. 28. The method of claim 10, wherein steps (1) through (3) are performed over a packet-switched network comprising a plurality of network switches, and wherein steps (2) and (3) are performed without schedule coordination among the plurality of network switches. 29. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (1) through (3) are performed over a packet-switched network comprising a plurality of network switches, and wherein steps (2) and (3) are performed without schedule coordination among the plurality of network switches. 30. The computer of claim 21, wherein steps (1) through (3) are performed over a packet-switched network comprising a plurality of network switches, and wherein steps (1) through (3) are performed without schedule coordination among the plurality of network switches. 31. The method of claim 26, wherein steps (2) through (6) are performed over a packet-switched network comprising a plurality of network switches and without schedule coordination among the plurality of network switches.