Systems and methods for reducing multicast traffic over a network

• US 8,457,127 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Eastham, W. Bryant, Simister, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US13/078,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20110176546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains

Abstract

A method for reducing multicast traffic over a network is described. A control request is received. A first ranking indicator associated with the control request is compared with a second ranking indicator associated with a node that received the control request. A first response to the control request is generated. The first response is stored in a queue. A second response associated with the control request is received. The first response is removed from the queue without being sent to the network.

Claims

1. A method for reducing multicast traffic over a network, the method comprising:

receiving a control request at a node of the network, wherein the control request comprises a request to recognize the node that sent the request as a controlling node that manages other nodes in the network;

comparing a first ranking indicator associated with the control request with a second ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

generating a first response to the control request, wherein the first response is generated if the ranking indicator associated with the control request is less than the ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

storing the first response in a queue; and

receiving another first response, which another node sends in response to the control request, regarding the another first response as a second response, and removing the first response from the queue so as not to send duplicate first responses on the network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the second response; and

removing the first response from the queue not to send the duplicate first responses to the another node when the second response is authenticated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising randomly storing the first response in the queue.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising randomly selecting the first response from the queue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over a network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over the network if the second response is not authenticated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a data packet includes the control request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the control request is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the second response is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a data packet includes the second response.

11. A computer system that is configured to reduce multicast traffic over a network, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive a control request at a node of the network, wherein the control request comprises a request to recognize the node that sent the request as a controlling node that manages other nodes in the network;

compare a first ranking indicator associated with the control request with a second ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

generate a first response to the control request, wherein the first response is generated if the ranking indicator associated with the control request is less than the ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

store the first response in a queue; and

receive another first response, which another node sends in response to the control request, regarding the another first response as a second response, and removing the first response from the queue so as not to send duplicate first responses on the network.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

authenticate the second response; and

remove the first response from the queue not to send the duplicate first response to the other node when the second response is authenticated.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to randomly store the first response in the queue.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to randomly select the first response from the queue.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over a network.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over the network if the second response is not authenticated.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine if a data packet includes the control request.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein

the control request is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

19. The computer system of claim 11, wherein

the second response is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

20. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine if a data packet includes the second response.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for reducing multicast traffic over a network, the instructions being executable to:

receive a control request at a node of the network, wherein the control request comprises a request to recognize the node that sent the request as a controlling node that manages other nodes in the network;

compare a first ranking indicator associated with the control request with a second ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

generate a first response to the control request, wherein the first response is generated if the ranking indicator associated with the control request is less than the ranking indicator associated with the node that received the control request;

store the first response in a queue; and

receive another first response, which another node sends in response to the control request, regarding the another first response as a second response, and removing the first response from the queue so as not to send duplicate first responses on the network.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

authenticate the second response; and

remove the first response from the queue not to send the same duplicate first response to the other node when the second response is authenticated.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to randomly store the first response in the queue.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to randomly select the first response from the queue.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over a network.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein

the first response is multicast to the other nodes over the network if the second response is not authenticated.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine if a data packet includes the control request.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein

the control request is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein

the second response is multicast to a plurality of nodes over the network.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine if a data packet includes the second response.