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Multicast enabled mail

  • US 7,870,183 B1
  • Filed: 10/25/2000
  • Issued: 01/11/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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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:

  • 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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