Using multicasting to concurrently image multiple client devices
First Claim
1. A method, performed by a multicast server, for multicasting an update to a number of client devices, the method comprising:
- multicasting control information which defines a total size of an update and a segment size;
multicasting, to the client devices, a number of segments of the update, each segment comprising application layer data that is provided to a transport layer API for transmission via the multicast;
receiving, from a first client device, a communication that identifies one or more segments of the update that the first client device did not receive; and
in response, multicasting, to the client devices, the one or more segments of the update identified in the communication thereby enabling any other client devices to also receive the one or more segments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An update can be multicast to a number of client devices. By multicasting an update, the update can be concurrently distributed to a large number of client devices using a single network transmission. This greatly reduces the amount of time required to update the client devices as well as the amount of bandwidth that is required to transfer the update over the network. As part of this multicasting process, the client device, which may have missed a segment of the multicast, can request the missed segment. The missed segment can then also be multicast to eliminate or minimize the redundant transmission of the missed segment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, performed by a multicast server, for multicasting an update to a number of client devices, the method comprising:
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multicasting control information which defines a total size of an update and a segment size; multicasting, to the client devices, a number of segments of the update, each segment comprising application layer data that is provided to a transport layer API for transmission via the multicast; receiving, from a first client device, a communication that identifies one or more segments of the update that the first client device did not receive; and in response, multicasting, to the client devices, the one or more segments of the update identified in the communication thereby enabling any other client devices to also receive the one or more segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed by a multicast server implement a method for multicasting an update to a number of client devices, the method comprising:
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multicasting, to the client devices, control information which defines a total size of an update to be multicast and a segment size for segments of the update, each segment comprising application layer data that is provided to a transport layer API for transmission via the multicast; multicasting, to the client devices, the segments of the update; receiving, from a first client device, a communication that identifies one or more segments of the update that the first client device did not receive; and in response, multicasting, to the client devices, the one or more segments of the update identified in the communication thereby enabling any other client devices to also receive the one or more segments. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for updating thin clients comprising:
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selecting one thin client from among the thin clients to function as a multicast server; transmitting a schedule to the thin clients, the schedule defining a time when an update will be multicast to the thin clients; multicasting control information that identifies a total size and a segment size for the update; at the scheduled time, multicasting, by the multicast server, the update to the thin clients; receiving, by the multicast server and from a first thin client, a communication that identifies one or more segments of the update that the first thin client did not receive during the multicast; and in response, re-multicasting the one or more segments. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification