System, device, and method for receiver access control in a multicast communication system

• US 20060034281A1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bradley Cain, Thomas P. Hardjono
• Inventors: Cain, Bradley, Hardjono, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A system, device, and method for receiver access control in a multicast communication network uses a policy service to determine whether a subscriber device can be admitted to a multicast group. The subscriber device accesses the multicast communication network via an access device. The access device uses a policy service to obtain a policy decision from a policy server, where the policy decision indicates whether or not the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group. The access device enforces the policy decision by admitting the subscriber device to the multicast group if and only if the policy decision indicates that the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group.

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62. An apparatus comprising:

a policy database containing policy information; and

policy service logic operably coupled to determine a policy decision indicating whether a subscriber device can be admitted to a multicast group based upon the policy information contained in the policy database.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the policy service logic comprises:

connection establishment logic operably coupled to establish a policy service connection with the access device;

receiving logic operably coupled to receive a policy service request message from an access device indicating at least a multicast group associated with the subscriber device;

policy determination logic operably coupled to determine a policy decision indicating whether the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group based upon the policy information contained in the policy database and at least the multicast group indicated in the policy service request message; and

sending logic operably coupled to send a policy service decision message to the access device including the policy decision indicating whether the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the policy service request message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) request message indicating at least the multicast group.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the COPS request message comprises:

an address for the incoming interface;

an index for the incoming interface; and

an address for the multicast group.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the policy service decision message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) decision message indicating the policy decision for the subscriber device.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the COPS decision message comprises a command code indicating whether to admit (install) the subscriber device or reject (remove) the subscriber device.

68. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the connection establishment logic is operably coupled to receive from the access device a client open message and send to the access device a client accept message.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the client open message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) client-open message including a client type indicating that the access device is a multicast access point device, and wherein the client accept message comprises a COPS client-accept message.

70. A computer program for controlling a computer system, the computer program comprising:

policy service logic programmed to determine a policy decision indicating whether a subscriber device can be admitted to a multicast group based upon policy information contained in a policy database.

71. The computer program of claim 70, wherein the policy service logic comprises:

connection establishment logic programmed to establish a policy service connection with the access device;

receiving logic programmed to receive a policy service request message from an access device indicating at least a multicast group associated with the subscriber device;

policy determination logic programmed to determine a policy decision indicating whether the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group based upon the policy information contained in the policy database and at least the multicast group indicated in the policy service request message; and

sending logic programmed to send a policy service decision message to the access device including the policy decision indicating whether the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group.

72. The computer program of claim 71, wherein the policy service request message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) request message indicating at least the multicast group.

73. The computer program of claim 72, wherein the COPS request message comprises:

an address for the incoming interface;

an index for the incoming interface; and

an address for the multicast group.

74. The computer program of claim 71, wherein the policy service decision message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) decision message indicating the policy decision for the subscriber device.

75. The computer program of claim 74, wherein the COPS decision message comprises a command code indicating whether to admit (install) the subscriber device or reject (remove) the subscriber device.

76. The computer program of claim 71, wherein the connection establishment logic is programmed to receive from the access device a client open message and send to the access device a client accept message.

77. The computer program of claim 76, wherein the client open message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) client-open message including a client type indicating that the access device is a multicast access point device, and wherein the client accept message comprises a COPS client-accept message.

78. A data signal comprising a policy service request message for requesting a policy decision in a multicast communication system, the policy service request message comprising at least a multicast group indicator.

79. The data signal of claim 78, wherein the policy service request message comprises a Common Open Policy Service (COPS) request message including at least the multicast group indicator.

80. The data signal of claim 79, wherein the COPS request message comprises:

an address for the incoming interface;

an index for the incoming interface; and

an address for the multicast group.