Method for a unicast endpoint client to access a multicast internet protocol (IP) session and to serve as a redistributor of such session
First Claim
1. A method of providing access to a Multicast session on a Multicast network to a requesting client connected to the same sub-network as a client on a Unicast network or to a Multicast-capable sub-network directly connected to the client on the Unicast network, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving at a gateway server packets from the Multicast session on a Multicast address;
re-addressing at the gateway server the Multicast address of the packets from the session to a Unicast address of the client on the Unicast network;
sending the re-addressed packets to the client on the Unicast network;
re-re-addressing the packets received by the client on the Unicast network with a Multicast address; and
re-Multicasting the re-re-addressed packets to the requesting client.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A endpoint client (111-1) on an IP Unicast network (107) that is provided access to a Multicast session on an IP Multicast network (101) through a Multicast-Unicast gateway server (MUS) (120) is enabled to re-Multicast that session to other endpoint clients (111-2) on the network to which it is connected or to endpoint clients (134, 135) on any Multicast-capable sub-network (132) to which it is directly connected. To act as a re-Multicaster, the endpoint client receiving Unicast-addressed packets from the session from the MUS, re-translates these Unicast-addressed packets to Multicast-addressed packets by translating the Unicast address in the distribution field of each packet'"'"'s header into a Multicast address and overwriting the Unicast address in each header with the Multicast address. When an endpoint client on the same or connected sub-network as the re-Multicaster desires to join a session that is being re-Multicast, it needs only connect to that Multicast address. A endpoint client on a Unicast network can elect to be a re-Multicaster of packets from a session as long as that same session is not being re-Multicast by another endpoint client on any sub-network on which the electing re-Multicaster is connected or a Multicast router is not forwarding packets from the session onto the sub-network.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of providing access to a Multicast session on a Multicast network to a requesting client connected to the same sub-network as a client on a Unicast network or to a Multicast-capable sub-network directly connected to the client on the Unicast network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a gateway server packets from the Multicast session on a Multicast address;
re-addressing at the gateway server the Multicast address of the packets from the session to a Unicast address of the client on the Unicast network;
sending the re-addressed packets to the client on the Unicast network;
re-re-addressing the packets received by the client on the Unicast network with a Multicast address; and
re-Multicasting the re-re-addressed packets to the requesting client. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for a first client on a Unicast network, which is receiving Unicast-addressed packets from a Multicast session on a Multicast network from a gateway server, to provide the packets to another client on a same sub-network as the first client is connected on the Unicast network or to another client on a Multicast-capable sub-network directly connected to the first, the method comprising the steps of:
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re-addressing the received packets with a Multicast address; and
re-Multicasting the re-addressed packets on the same sub-network and/or on the directly connected Multicast-capable sub-network. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
determining whether a second client connected on the same sub-network as the first client or on the directly Multicast-capable sub-network is re-Multicasting packets from the session; and
if the second client is re-Multicasting packets from the session, determining whether the first or the second client is to re-Multicast the packets from the session.
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6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:
if the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast determines that the first client will re-Multicast, halting re-Multicasting of the packets by the second client.
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7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:
if the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast determines that the second client will re-Multicast, inhibiting the step by the first client of re-Multicasting the packets.
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8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast comprises the step of determining which client has a lower IP address.
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9. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a router is distributing packets from the session on the locally connected sub-network; and
if it is determined that a router is distributing packets, inhibiting the first client from re-Multicasting packets from the session.
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10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining whether a router is distributing packets comprises listening for packets on a Multicast address on which the session is Multicast.
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11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first client is inhibited from re-Multicasting packets only when the router is distributing packets from the session and the first client resumes re-Multicasting packets when it is determined that the router is not distributing packets from the session.
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12. A method for a first client on a Unicast network, which is receiving Unicast-addressed packets from a Multicast session on a Multicast network from a gateway server, the method comprising the step of:
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re-Multicasting the received packets to another client on a same sub-network on the Unicast network on which the first client is connected or on a Multicast-capable sub-network directly connect to the first client. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
re-addressing the received packets with a Multicast address.
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14. The method of claim 13 wherein the received packets are re-addressed with a Multicast address that is a Multicast address for the session on the Multicast network.
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15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a second client connected on the same sub-network as the first client or on the directly Multicast-capable sub-network is re-Multicasting packets from the session; and
if the second client is re-Multicasting packets from the session, determining whether the first or the second client is to re-Multicast the packets from the session.
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16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
if the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast determines that the first client will re-Multicast, halting re-Multicasting of the packets by the second client.
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17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
if the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast determines that the second client will re-Multicast, inhibiting the step by the first client of re-Multicasting the packets.
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18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining whether the first or second client is to re-Multicast comprises the step of determining which client has a lower IP address.
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19. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a router is distributing packets from the session on the locally connected sub-network; and
if it is determined that a router is distributing packets, inhibiting the first client from re-Multicasting packets from the session.
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20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of determining whether a router is distributing packets comprises listening for packets on a Multicast address on which the session is Multicast.
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21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first client is inhibited from re-Multicasting packets only when the router is distributing packets from the session and the first client resumes re-Multicasting packets when it is determined that the router is not distributing packets from the session.
Specification