Broadcast communication system with dynamic client-group memberships
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- storing membership data at a client having a client identification, said membership data including a first group identifier corresponding to a first group and a first expiration indicator;
transmitting a group membership file at a host, said group membership file including a second group identifier associated with a member identifier and a second expiration indicator; and
updating the membership data at the client.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an embodiment, a communication system may include a system host that transmits messages to a number of client devices, which may be dynamically grouped. The system host may link the client identifier of a client in a group to a group identifier and an expiration indicator in a client-group database. The membership information in the database may be updated as groups are added, deleted, or modified, or as client memberships expire. The system host may compile a general membership file from information in the client-group database and transmit it at scheduled intervals. Client devices may update their membership files with the transmitted file and by deleting expired membership records. The system host may transmit messages that include a group identifier in a header. A client device may inspect the header and discard the message if the transmitted group identifier is not found in that client device'"'"'s internal membership file.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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storing membership data at a client having a client identification, said membership data including a first group identifier corresponding to a first group and a first expiration indicator;
transmitting a group membership file at a host, said group membership file including a second group identifier associated with a member identifier and a second expiration indicator; and
updating the membership data at the client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article comprising:
a machine-readable medium which stores machine-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine having a client identification to;
store membership data, said membership data including a first group identifier corresponding to a first group and a first expiration indicator;
receive a group membership file from a host, said group membership file including a second group identifier associated with a member identifier and a second expiration indicator; and
update the membership data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver to receive messages and a group membership file including a plurality of membership records, a membership record including a member identifier associated with a first group identifier and a first expiration indicator;
a memory to store an apparatus identification;
a membership file to store a second group identifier and an associated second expiration indicator;
a clock to output a current time; and
receiver controller coupled to the receiver, the memory, the membership file, and the clock, said receiver controller operative to update the membership file in response to one of the group membership file and the current time.
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19. A system host comprising:
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a memory to store a group membership file including data indicative of group memberships;
a group generator to generate membership records in a group membership file, a membership record including a group identifier, a member identifier, and an expiration indicator; and
a group controller to update the group membership file.
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23. A system comprising:
a system host comprising;
a group generator to generate membership records in a group membership file, a membership record including a first group identifier, a membership identifier, and a first expiration indicator; and
a transmitter to transmit the group membership file; and
a client comprising;
a receiver to receive messages and the group membership file;
a memory to store an apparatus identification;
a membership file to store a second group identifier and an associated second expiration indicator;
a clock to output a current time; and
a receiver controller coupled to the receiver, the memory, the membership file, and the clock, said receiver controller operative to update the membership file in response to one of the group membership file and the current time.
Specification