Unicast to multicast conversion
First Claim
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1. A method for managing throughput in a communications network, the method comprising:
- receiving a multicast packet at a node, the multicast packet having been converted from a unicast packet at another node, the unicast packet including a destination network address, wherein the multicast packet is received at a minimum data rate dictated by an 802.1x protocol for multicast packets when a lowest common denominator data rate does not exceed the minimum data rate, and the lowest common denominator data rate is a data rate supported by all nodes addressed by the multicast packet;
passing the multicast packet to a multicast packet handler in the node, wherein;
the multicast packet handler is aware of at least two connections to a MAC layer,the MAC layer is at a higher level of a MAC address assigned to the node,the MAC address assigned to the node corresponds to the destination network address,a first connection at the MAC layer manages the node,a second connection of the at least two connections uses a multicast address that corresponds to the destination network address, andthe second connection to the MAC layer contains video data for a second node; and
processing the packet at the higher level of the MAC architecture.
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Abstract
A method for unicast packet conversion whereby a unicast packet is received at a receiving node followed by a determination as to whether the destination address is identified in the packet. If the address is identified, then the unicast packets are converted to a multicast packet and forwarded to a connected station. If a destination network address is not identified, then the packet is forwarded to the connected station.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for managing throughput in a communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving a multicast packet at a node, the multicast packet having been converted from a unicast packet at another node, the unicast packet including a destination network address, wherein the multicast packet is received at a minimum data rate dictated by an 802.1x protocol for multicast packets when a lowest common denominator data rate does not exceed the minimum data rate, and the lowest common denominator data rate is a data rate supported by all nodes addressed by the multicast packet; passing the multicast packet to a multicast packet handler in the node, wherein; the multicast packet handler is aware of at least two connections to a MAC layer, the MAC layer is at a higher level of a MAC address assigned to the node, the MAC address assigned to the node corresponds to the destination network address, a first connection at the MAC layer manages the node, a second connection of the at least two connections uses a multicast address that corresponds to the destination network address, and the second connection to the MAC layer contains video data for a second node; and processing the packet at the higher level of the MAC architecture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for managing throughput in a communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving a multicast packet at a node, the multicast packet having been converted from a unicast packet at another node, the unicast packet including a destination network address, wherein the multicast packet is received at a least common denominator data rate when the least common denominator data rate exceeds a minimum data rate dictated by an 802.1x protocol for multicast packets, and the lowest common denominator data rate is a data rate supported by all nodes addressed by the multicast packet; passing the multicast packet to a multicast packet handler in the node, wherein; the multicast packet handler is aware of at least two connections to a MAC layer, the MAC layer is at a higher level of a MAC address assigned to the node, the MAC address assigned to the node corresponds to the destination network address, a first connection at the MAC layer manages the node, a second connection of the at least two connections uses a multicast address that corresponds to the destination network address, and the second connection to the MAC layer contains video data for a second node; and processing the packet at the higher level of the MAC architecture. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification