System and method for sending packets over a computer network
First Claim
1. A method for sending packets over a computer network, comprising:
- a) receiving a packet sent by a sender to at least one receiver, the packet comprising a parameter relating to a multicast announce address;
b) associating a forwarding rule set with the packet if the parameter has a defined value;
c) using the forwarding rules set to determine if any of the at least one destination addresses associated with the multicast announce address corresponds to a receiver that has a receiver format that must be converted, where the forwarding rules set defines when a packet should be converted from a sender format to a receiver format before forwarding the packet;
d) converting the packet from the sender format to the receiver format for each destination address identified in step (c)(b) as requiring conversion;
e) forwarding the packet in accordance with the forwarding rules set; and
f) configuring the forwarding rules set to be responsive to the addresses and formats of all senders and receivers on the computer network.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The benefits of a multicast-enabled network are realized by a flexible, easy to deploy, software-based solution that does not require reconfiguring of network routers. Systems and methods that implement this solution can perform as follows. A packet is received that was sent by a sender to at least one receiver, and the packet includes a parameter relating to a multicast announce address. A forwarding rules set is associated with the packet if the parameter has a defined value. This forwarding rules set is used to determine whether any of the at least one destination addresses included in the packet corresponds to one of the receivers that has a receiver format that must be converted. In addition, the forwarding rules set defines when a packet should be converted from a sender format to a receiver format before forwarding the packet. The packet is converted from the sender format to the receiver format for each destination address identified as requiring conversion, and forwarded in accordance with the forwarding rules set.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for sending packets over a computer network, comprising:
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a) receiving a packet sent by a sender to at least one receiver, the packet comprising a parameter relating to a multicast announce address;
b) associating a forwarding rule set with the packet if the parameter has a defined value;
c) using the forwarding rules set to determine if any of the at least one destination addresses associated with the multicast announce address corresponds to a receiver that has a receiver format that must be converted, where the forwarding rules set defines when a packet should be converted from a sender format to a receiver format before forwarding the packet;
d) converting the packet from the sender format to the receiver format for each destination address identified in step (c)(b) as requiring conversion;
e) forwarding the packet in accordance with the forwarding rules set; and
f) configuring the forwarding rules set to be responsive to the addresses and formats of all senders and receivers on the computer network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for sending packets over a computer network, comprising:
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a) receiving a first packet sent by a sender to at least one receiver, the packet comprising at least one parameter relating to a multicast announce address;
b) associating a predetermined forwarding rule set with the packet if the parameter has a defined value, the predetermined forwarding rule set responsive to the parameter and to senders and receivers on the network;
c) associating a dynamic session forwarding rule set with the packet that is responsive to the parameter, if the parameter has a defined value;
d) using the forwarding rules set to determine if any of the at least one destination addresses associated with the multicast announce address corresponds to a receiver having a receiver format that must be converted, the forwarding rules set defining when a packet should be converted from a sender format to a receiver format before forwarding the packet;
e) converting the packet from the sender format to the receiver format for each destination address identified in step (b) as requiring conversion;
f) forwarding the first packet to each of the destination addresses included in the packet; and
g) using the session forwarding rules set to determine whether any of the destination addresses associated with the multicast announce address in future packets sent from the sender correspond to receivers having a receiver format that must be converted. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for sending a packet over at least one computer network, comprising:
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a) means for receiving a packet sent by a sender to at least one receiver, the packet comprising a parameter relating to a multicast announce address;
b) means for associating a forwarding rule set with the packet if the parameter has a defined value;
c) means for using the forwarding rules set to determine if any of the at least one destination addresses associated with the multicast announce address corresponds to a receiver that has a receiver format that must be converted, where the forwarding rules set defines when a packet should be converted from a sender format to a receiver format before forwarding the packet;
d) means for converting the packet from the sender format to the receiver format for each destination address identified in step (c)(b) as requiring conversion;
e) means for forwarding the packet in accordance with the forwarding rules set; and
f) means for configuring the forwarding rules set to be responsive to the addresses and formats of all senders and receivers on the computer network.
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Specification