METHODS FOR MANAGING MULTICAST TRAFFIC BETWEEN SOURCES SENDING DATA AND HOSTS REQUESTING DATA AND NETWORK EQUIPMENT USED TO IMPLEMENT THE METHODS
First Claim
1. A multicast router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to one or more multicast group addresses and one or more hosts that request data from the one or more multicast group addresses and the sources, the multicast router storing executable instructions to read at least a portion of the information contained in one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts that requests multicast data from a multicast group address and to store for each downstream network interface, each multicast group address and each of the one or more hosts at least one record derived from the one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts which include multicast group address and source address information, the multicast router storing executable instructions to update the at least one record and implement the actions according to one of the processes of Table 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device, system and method for controlling the flow of multicast data packets from sources sending data to hosts requesting the data. In one implementation, a router is situated in a data network between sources that send multicast data packets directed to a multicast group and hosts requesting to receive the multicast data packets. The router has one or more network interfaces in the direction of the hosts and stores for each network interface, each multicast group address and each host at least one data record arising from one or more data requests made by the hosts which includes multicast group and source information. The router stores executable instructions to receive messages originating from a host, update the status of the data sources for that host and implement the actions according to one or a combination of Tables 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 disclosed herein.
-
Citations
38 Claims
- 1. A multicast router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to one or more multicast group addresses and one or more hosts that request data from the one or more multicast group addresses and the sources, the multicast router storing executable instructions to read at least a portion of the information contained in one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts that requests multicast data from a multicast group address and to store for each downstream network interface, each multicast group address and each of the one or more hosts at least one record derived from the one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts which include multicast group address and source address information, the multicast router storing executable instructions to update the at least one record and implement the actions according to one of the processes of Table 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
- 16. A multicast router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to one or more multicast group addresses and one or more hosts that request data from the one or more multicast group addresses and the sources, the multicast router storing executable instructions for reading at least a portion of the information contained in one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts that requests multicast data from a multicast group address and for storing for each downstream network interface, each multicast group address and each of the one or more hosts at least one record derived from the one or more data requests made by the one or more hosts which include multicast group address and source address information, the multicast router storing executable instructions to update the at least one record and implement the actions according to one of the processes of Table 6 or Table 7.
- 25. A multicast router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to one or more multicast group addresses and one or more hosts that request data from the one or more multicast group addresses and the sources, the multicast router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least one INCLUDE source record containing information about include source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and at least one EXCLUDE source record containing information about exclude source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts, the multicast router using a host-router multicast routing protocol based on the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) or the MLD (Multicast Listener Discovery) protocol to communicate with the one or more hosts and a router-router multicast routing protocol to communicate with at least one other multicast router situated between itself and the sources, the multicast router transmitting for the downstream network interface and each multicast group address multicast packets to the hosts based on the information of the at least one INCLUDE source record and the at least one EXCLUDE source record, the multicast router storing executable instructions to read at least a portion of the information contained in a data request made by a host that requests multicast data from a multicast group address and to update the status of the sources for the multicast group address and the host and implement the actions according to one of the processes of Tables 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
- 35. A multicast router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to one or more multicast group addresses and one or more hosts that request data from the one or more multicast group addresses and the sources, the multicast router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least one INCLUDE source record containing information about include source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and at least one EXCLUDE source record containing information about exclude source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts, the multicast router using a host-router multicast routing protocol based on the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) or the MLD (Multicast Listener Discovery) protocol to communicate with the one or more hosts and a router-router multicast routing protocol to communicate with at least one other multicast router situated between itself and the sources, the multicast router transmitting for the downstream network interface and each multicast group address multicast packets to the hosts based on the information of the at least one INCLUDE source record and the at least one EXCLUDE source record, the multicast router storing executable instructions for reading at least a portion of the information contained in a data request made by a host that requests multicast data from a multicast group address and for updating the status of the sources for the multicast group address and the host and implement the actions according to one of the processes of Table 6 or Table 7.
Specification