Synchronization of Clients to Maximize Multicast Opportunities

• US 20110106961A1
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gopalakrishnan, Vijay, Gauld, Andrew G., Lucas, John F., Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K., Glasser, Alan L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A content delivery system includes a unicast content delivery module, a multicast content delivery module, and a content monitor module. The unicast content delivery module is configured to provide content using a unicast protocol, and the multicast content delivery module is configured to provide the content using a multicast protocol. The content monitor module is configured to receive requests from a plurality of clients for the content, count the requests to determine if the number of requests exceeds a threshold, and instruct the plurality of clients to receive the content from the multicast content delivery module when the number of requests exceeds the threshold.

Claims

1. A content delivery system comprising:

a unicast content delivery module configured to provide content using a unicast protocol;

a multicast content delivery module configured to provide the content using a multicast protocol; and

a content monitor module configured to;

receive requests from a plurality of clients for the content;

count the requests to determine if the number of requests exceeds a threshold;

instruct each client to retry the request at a later time if the content monitor has not yet determined if the number of requests exceeds a threshold; and

instruct each client to receive the content from the multicast content delivery module when the number of requests exceeds the threshold.

2. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein the content monitor is further configured to instruct the clients to receive the content from the unicast content delivery module when the number of requests does not exceed the threshold.

3. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein the content is a software update.

4. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein the content monitor is further configured to count a number of late client systems joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

5. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein the content monitor is further configured to instruct the late client systems to join a second multicast group to receive the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds a threshold.

6. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein the content monitor is further configured to instruct the multicast content delivery module to extend the current multicast session to provide the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds a threshold.

7. A content monitor comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive requests from a plurality of client systems for content;

count the requests to determine if the number of requests exceeds a threshold;

instruct each client to retry the request at a later time if the content monitor has not yet determined if the number of requests exceeds a threshold; and

instruct each client system to join a multicast group to receive the content when the number of requests exceeds the threshold.

8. The content monitor of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the client systems to receive the content using a unicast protocol when the number of requests does not exceed the threshold.

9. The content monitor of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to count a number of late client systems joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

10. The content monitor of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the late client systems to join a second multicast group to receive the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds a threshold.

11. The content monitor of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to extend the current multicast session when the number of late client systems exceeds a threshold.

12. A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions to manipulate a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions to send a request for content to a content monitor;

instructions to receive a first instruction from the content monitor including a time to send a second request;

instructions to send a second request at the time in response to the first instruction;

instructions to receive a second instruction from the content monitor including an identifier for a multicast group; and

instructions to join the multicast group to obtain the content in response to the second instruction.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions to receive a third instruction from the content monitor including an identifier for a content server.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions to receive the content from the content server using a unicast protocol in response to the third instruction.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the time includes an amount of a delay.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to wait the amount of the delay prior to sending the second request.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to send a request to obtain a first portion of the content when the first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group prior to joining the multicast group.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the content is a software update.

19. A method of delivering content, comprising:

receiving a request for the content from each of a plurality of client systems;

counting a number of requests from the client systems;

determining if the number of requests exceeds a threshold;

instructing the clients to join a multicast group to receive the content when the number of requests exceeds the threshold;

instructing each client to retry the request at a later time if the content monitor has not yet determined if the number of requests exceeds a threshold; and

instructing each client to receive the content using a unicast protocol when the number of requests does not exceed the threshold.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the content is a software update.