Synchronization of clients to maximize multicast opportunities

• US 8,656,042 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glasser, Alan L., Gauld, Andrew G., Gopalakrishnan, Vijay, Lucas, John F., Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/404,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709217-219, 709227-237, 709/223, 709/248, 370/229, 370/235
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A content monitor includes a processor that at least receives requests from a plurality of clients for content, instructs each client to retry their respective request at a first later time if the request is received before a first time, counts the requests to determine if a number of the requests exceeds a threshold if the request is received before a second time, instructs each client to retry their respective request at a second later time if the counted number of requests does not exceed a first threshold, instructs each client to join a multicast group to receive the content when the number of requests exceeds the first threshold, and counts a number of late clients joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

Claims

1. A computer readable device comprising instructions, which when loaded and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving requests for content from a plurality of client systems;

counting the requests to determine if the number of requests exceeds a first threshold;

instructing each client system to retry their respective request at a later time if the counted number of requests does not exceed the first threshold;

instructing each client system to join a multicast group to receive the content if the counted number of requests exceeds the first threshold; and

counting a number of late client systems joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

2. The computer readable device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise instructing each client system to receive the content from a unicast content delivery module if the counted number of requests does not exceed the first threshold.

3. The computer readable device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise instructing the late client systems to join a second multicast group to receive the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds a second threshold.

4. The computer readable device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise instructing a multicast content delivery module to extend a current multicast session to provide the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds the second threshold.

5. The computer readable device of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise increasing a count of the plurality of client systems waiting for the content when the current multicast session has not been recently started.

6. The computer readable device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise extending a current multicast session when the number of late client systems exceeds a second threshold.

7. The computer readable device of claim 1, wherein the content is a software update.

8. A content monitor comprising:

a memory that stores instructions;

a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving requests from a plurality of clients for content;

instructing each client to retry their respective request at a first later time if the request is received before a first time;

counting the requests to determine if a number of the requests exceeds a threshold if the request is received before a second time;

instructing each client to retry their respective request at a second later time if the counted number of requests does not exceed a first threshold;

instructing each client to join a multicast group to receive the content when the number of requests exceeds the first threshold; and

counting a number of late clients joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

9. The content monitor of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise instructing each client to receive the content from a unicast content delivery module if the counted number of requests does not exceed the first threshold.

10. The content monitor of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise instructing the late clients to join a second multicast group to receive the first portion of the content when the number of late clients exceeds a second threshold.

11. The content monitor of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise instructing a multicast content delivery module to extend the current multicast session to provide the first portion of the content when the number of late clients exceeds the second threshold.

12. The content monitor of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise increasing a count of the plurality of clients waiting for the content when the current multicast session has not been recently started.

13. The content monitor of claim 8, wherein the extending a current multicast session when the number of late clients exceeds a second threshold.

14. The content monitor of claim 8, wherein the content is a software update.

15. A method of delivering content, comprising:

receiving, at a content monitor, requests from a plurality of client systems for content;

instructing, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor of the content monitor, each client system to retry their respective request at a first later time if the request is received before a first time;

counting at the content monitor the requests to determine if a number of the requests exceeds a threshold if the request is received before a second time;

instructing each client system to retry their respective request at a second later time if the counted number of requests does not exceed a first threshold;

instructing each client system to join a multicast group to receive the content when the number of requests exceeds the first threshold; and

counting a number of late client systems joining the multicast group after a first portion of the content has been sent to the multicast group.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising instructing each client system to receive the content from a unicast content delivery module if the counted number of requests does not exceed the first threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising instructing the late client systems to join a second multicast group to receive the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds a second threshold.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising instructing a multicast content delivery module to extend the current multicast session to provide the first portion of the content when the number of late client systems exceeds the second threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising increasing a count of the plurality of client systems waiting for the content when the current multicast session has not been recently started.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising extending a current multicast session when the number of late client systems exceeds a second threshold.