PRIVATE MULTICAST NETWORKS

• US 20150063186A1
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: KAKADIA, Deepak, Tan, Thomas H., Draznin, Sagiv
• Granted Patent: US 10,349,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• 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: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A device is configured to receive registration information associated with a set of user devices, and to determine a group based on the registration information. The device is configured to generate a group identifier to transport a message through a network. The device is configured to determine a set of active user devices, of the set of user devices, associated with the group, and to determine a set of device identifiers associated with the set of active user devices. The device is configured to determine an association between the group identifier and the set of device identifiers, and to provide the association to a network device to cause the network device to deliver a message from a first user device, of the set of active user devices, to one or more other active user devices of the set of active user devices.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive registration information associated with a plurality of user devices;

determine a group, based on the registration information, associated with the plurality of user devices;

generate a group identifier based on determining the group,

the group identifier including an identifier to transport a message through a network;

determine a plurality of active user devices, of the plurality of user devices, associated with the group,

the plurality of active user devices being logged in to receive messages for the group;

determine a plurality of device identifiers associated with the plurality of active user devices;

determine group information,

the group information including an association between the group identifier and the plurality of device identifiers; and

provide the group information to a network device to cause the network device to deliver a message from a first user device, of the plurality of active user devices, to one or more other active user devices of the plurality of active user devices.

2. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when receiving registration information, are further to:

receive information indicating that a user device, of the plurality of user devices, is to be associated with a preexisting group; and

where the one or more processors, when determining the group, are further to;

determine the preexisting group.

3. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the plurality of active user devices, are further to:

determine an account associated with a user device of the plurality of user devices;

determine that the user device is logged into the account; and

determine that the user device is an active user device based on determining that the user device is logged into the account.

4. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the plurality of active user devices, are further to:

determine an account associated with a user device of the plurality of user devices;

determine that the user device is logged out of the account; and

determine the plurality of active user devices based on determining that the user device is logged out of the account.

5. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the group, are further to:

determine that a storage device is to be associated with the group;

where the one or more processors, when determining the plurality of active user devices, are further to;

identify the storage device as an active user device;

where the one or more processors, when determining the plurality of device identifiers, are further to;

determine a storage device identifier associated with the storage device;

where the one or more processors, when determining group information, are further to;

determine that the group information includes an association between the group identifier and the storage device identifier; and

where the one or more processors, when providing the group information, are further to;

provide the group information to the network device to cause the network device to deliver the message to the storage device.

6. The device of claim 5, where the one or more processors, when providing the group information, are further to:

provide the group information to the network device to cause the network device to deliver the message to the storage device to permit the storage device to store the message with a history of messages sent to the plurality of active user devices.

7. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when providing the group information, are further to:

receive updated group information; and

provide the updated group information to the network device.

8. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive registration information associated with a plurality of user devices;

determine a group, based on the registration information, associated with the plurality of user devices;

determine a group identifier for the group,

the group identifier including an identifier to transport a message through a network;

determine a plurality of active user devices, of the plurality of user devices, associated with the group,

the plurality of active user devices being logged into the group;

determine a plurality of device identifiers associated with the plurality of active user devices;

determine group information,

the group information including an association between the group identifier and the plurality of device identifiers; and

provide the group information to a network device to cause the network device to deliver a message from a first user device, of the plurality of active user devices, to one or more other active user devices of the plurality of active user devices.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to receive the registration information, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive information indicating that a user device, of the plurality of user devices, is to be associated with a preexisting group; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the group, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine the preexisting group.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the group identifier is a multicast address;

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the group information, further cause the one or more processors to;

provide the group information to cause the network device to deliver the message using broadcast multicasting.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the plurality of device identifiers, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a plurality internet protocol addresses associated with the plurality of active user devices;

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the group information, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine an association between the group identifier and the plurality of internet protocol addresses; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the group information, further cause the one or more processors to;

provide the association between the group identifier and the plurality of internet protocol addresses.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the group, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine group attribute information associated with the group,

the group attribute information including at least one of;

a group name associated with the group;

a group identification number associated with the group;

or

a plurality of group members associated with the group; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the group information, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine the group information based on the group attribute information.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where the plurality of group members is a first plurality of group members;

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine group attribute information associated with the group, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine modified group attribute information associated with the group,

the modified group attribute information identifying at least one of;

a modified group name associated with the group;

a modified group identification number associated with the group;

or

a second plurality of group members associated with the group; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the group information, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine the group information based on the modified group attribute information.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the group information, further cause the one or more processors to:

provide the group information to cause the network device to deliver the message using a multimedia broadcast multicast services network.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, registration information associated with a plurality of user devices;

determining, by the device, a group, based on the registration information, associated with the plurality of user devices;

determining, by the device, a multicast address based on determining the group,

the multicast address including an identifier to transport a message through a multicast broadcast network;

determining, by the device, a plurality of active user devices, of the plurality of user devices, associated with the group,

the plurality of active user devices being logged into the group;

determining, by the device, a plurality of device identifiers associated with the plurality of active user devices;

determining, by the device, group information,

the group information including an association between the multicast address and the plurality of device identifiers; and

providing, by the device, the group information to a network device to cause the network device to deliver a message from a first user device, of the plurality of active user devices, to one or more other active user devices of the plurality of active user devices.

16. The method of claim 15, where determining the plurality of active user devices further comprises:

determining the plurality of active user devices based on determining that the plurality of user devices are connected to the multicast broadcast network.

17. The method of claim 15, where determining the group information further comprises:

storing the group information in a data structure associated with the device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the device, updated registration information associated with a user device of the plurality of user devices;

determining a second device based on the updated registration information,

the second device being associated with the user device; and

providing the updated registration information to the second device.

19. The method of claim 15, where providing the group information further comprises:

receiving updated group information; and

providing the updated group information to the network device.

20. The method of claim 15, where determining the plurality of active user devices further comprises:

determining an account associated with a user device of the plurality of user devices;

determining that the user device is logged into the account; and

determining that the user device is an active user device based on determining that the user device is logged into the account.