Multicast enabled mail
First Claim
1. A method for distributing electronic mail efficiently across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes, the method on an information processing unit comprising the steps of:
- receiving a mail message that is created and sent by a user, the user associating the mail message with a plurality of individual destinations; and
sending a single copy of the mail message, in a multicast packet and using a reliable multicast technique, across the network via at least one intermediate node to the plurality of individual destinations, the plurality of individual destinations corresponding to a plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein the multicast packet includes a packet header comprising the plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein at least one of the plurality of individual destination network addresses is a unicast address, and wherein the mail message is destined for reception at the individual destination corresponding to the unicast address as an ordinary unicast packet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for distributing electronic mail efficiently across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes. The method on an information processing unit includes receiving a mail message created by a user with a list of destinations. Also, the method further includes sending a single copy of the mail message across the network via intermediate nodes to addresses corresponding to the list of destinations using a reliable multicast technique. Also, the invention includes receiving a packet on an intermediate node where the packet contains address information for a list of destinations. Also, the invention includes determining at an intermediate node the “next hop” or “next hops” that the packet should be forwarded to and forwarding a copy of the packet to each of those “next hops”.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for distributing electronic mail efficiently across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes, the method on an information processing unit comprising the steps of:
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receiving a mail message that is created and sent by a user, the user associating the mail message with a plurality of individual destinations; and sending a single copy of the mail message, in a multicast packet and using a reliable multicast technique, across the network via at least one intermediate node to the plurality of individual destinations, the plurality of individual destinations corresponding to a plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein the multicast packet includes a packet header comprising the plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein at least one of the plurality of individual destination network addresses is a unicast address, and wherein the mail message is destined for reception at the individual destination corresponding to the unicast address as an ordinary unicast packet. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An information processing unit for distributing electronic mail efficiently across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes, the information processing unit comprising:
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a reception unit for receiving a mail message with addresses corresponding to a plurality of individual destinations; and a transmission unit for sending a single copy of the mail message, in a multicast packet and using a reliable multicast technique, across the network via at least one intermediate node to the plurality of individual destinations, the plurality of individual destinations corresponding to a plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein the multicast packet includes a packet header comprising the plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein at least one of the plurality of individual destination network addresses is a unicast address, and wherein the mail message is destined for reception at the individual destination corresponding to the unicast address as an ordinary unicast packet. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method for distributing electronic mail across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes, the method on an intermediate node comprising the steps of:
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receiving a mail message in a multicast packet including a packet header comprising a plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein at least one of the plurality of individual destination network addresses is a unicast address, and wherein the mail message is destined for reception at the individual destination corresponding to the unicast address as an ordinary unicast packet; determining one or more “
next hops”
corresponding to the plurality of individual destination network addresses in the packet header for forwarding the packet;replicating the packet for each “
next hop”
; andforwarding one copy of the packet to each of the “
next hops”
. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An intermediate node for distributing electronic mail efficiently across a network of information processing units and intermediate nodes, the intermediate node comprising:
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a reception unit for receiving a mail message in a multicast packet including a packet header comprising a plurality of individual destination network addresses, wherein at least one of the plurality of individual destination network addresses is a unicast address, and wherein the mail message is destined for reception at the individual destination corresponding to the unicast address as an ordinary unicast packet; a determination unit for determining the “
next hop”
for each individual destination network address of the plurality of individual destination network addresses in the packet header; anda copying unit for replicating the packet for each of the “
next hops”
. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification