NETWORK BASED SWITCHOVER TO ORIGINAL CONTENT AFTER AD-INSERTION DEVICE FAILURE

• US 20090274042A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khalid, Mohamed, Asati, Rajiv, Shepherd, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,675,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/484 using multiple routing trees

Abstract

In one embodiment, a network device joins a first multicast tree to receive post-ad-inserted video content. The network device also joins a second multicast tree to receive the pre-ad-inserted video content. The content from the first multicast tree is forwarded by the network device to the receiver(s). The network device determines if it does not receive the content on the first multicast tree due to any failure, in which case, it delivers the content from the second multicast tree to the receiver(s). This enables the receiver to receive the original (pre-ad-inserted) content during the failure in first multicast tree. When the failure is resolved, the network device can go back to sending the content from the first multicast tree to the receiver(s).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

joining a first multicast tree for post-inserted content that includes insertion information inserted in the content by an insertion complex in a network;

joining a second multicast tree for pre-inserted content that does not include the insertion information;

adding an outgoing interface to the first multicast tree to allow the post-inserted content to be sent to a receiver when it is received;

adding a non-active interface to the second multicast tree such that the pre-inserted content is not sent to the receiver when it is received;

determining a failure of content on the first multicast tree; and

switching the outgoing interface to the second multicast tree such that the pre-inserted content for the second multicast tree is sent to the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a resolution of the failure such that content is received on the first multicast tree; and

switching the first multicast tree to the outgoing interface such that the post-inserted content for the first multicast tree is sent to the receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending one or more join messages for first and second multicast trees.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a join request from the receiver specifying a first source and a second source for a multicast group;

determining the first and second sources using a source priority specified in the join request;

joining the first multicast tree for the first source and the second multicast tree for the second source; and

sending the content from the first multicast tree to the receiver until the failure of receiving content on the first multicast tree.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a join request from the receiver for a multicast group without specifying source;

determining the first and second sources for the specified multicast group based on a predetermined configuration;

joining the first multicast tree for the first source and the second multicast tree for the second source; and

sending the content from the first multicast tree to the receiver until the failure of receiving content on the first multicast tree.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring traffic for the first multicast tree;

determining if the failure occurs based on the traffic; and

performing the switching to the second multicast tree upon the determination.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring traffic for the first multicast tree determining if traffic received for the first multicast tree indicates the resolution in the failure; and

performing the switching to the first multicast tree upon the determination of the resolution.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast tree is identified by either an IP route or MPLS label.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching is performed without notification from the receiver to switch the multicast trees.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first multicast tree includes an ad that is inserted by the insertion complex that is part of the first multicast tree.

11. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to;

join a first multicast tree for content that includes insertion information inserted in the content;

join a second multicast tree for content that does not include the insertion information;

add an outgoing interface to the first multicast tree to allow the content to be sent to a receiver when it is received;

add a non-active interface to the second multicast tree such that the content is not sent to the receiver when it is received;

determine a failure of content for the first multicast tree on the first multicast route; and

switch the outgoing interface to the second multicast tree such that the content for the second multicast tree is sent to the receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to:

determine a resolution of the failure such that content is received on the first multicast tree; and

switch the first multicast tree to the outgoing interface such that the content for the first multicast tree is sent to the receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to send one or more join messages for first and second multicast trees.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic is further operable to:

receive a join request from the receiver specifying a first source and a second source for a multicast group;

determine the first and second sources using a source priority specified in the join request;

join the first multicast tree for the first source and the second multicast tree for the second source; and

send the content from the first multicast tree to the receiver until the failure of receiving content on the first multicast tree.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to:

monitor traffic for the first multicast tree;

determine if the failure occurs based on the traffic; and

perform the switching to the second multicast tree upon the determination.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to:

monitor traffic for the first multicast tree;

determine if traffic received for the first multicast tree indicates the resolution in the failure; and

perform the switching to the first multicast tree upon the determination of the resolution.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multicast tree is identified by either an IP route or MPLS label.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the switching is performed without notification from the receiver to switching the multicast trees.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first multicast tree includes an ad that is inserted by the insertion complex that is part of the first multicast tree.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for joining a first multicast tree for content that includes insertion information inserted in the content;

means for joining a second multicast tree for content that does not include the insertion information;

means for adding an outgoing interface to the first multicast tree to allow the content to be sent to a receiver when it is received;

means for adding to the second multicast tree to a non-active interface to the second multicast tree such that the content is not sent to the receiver when it is received;

means for determining a failure of content on the first multicast route; and

means for switching the outgoing interface to the second multicast tree such that the content for the second multicast tree is sent to the receiver.