System for terminating multicast channel and data broadcast when at least two second endpoints do not transmit positive acknowledgement message to first endpoint

• Main Author: RIDDLE GUY G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.07.2013
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A method and apparatus for optimizing transmission of data to a plurality of second endpoints in a system wherein a first endpoint is providing data to the plurality of second endpoints each connected by a point-to-point communication channels. This may be useful in teleconferencing applications with a plurality of participants (endpoints) or broadcast server applications. The first endpoint activates a multicast communication channel having a first multicast address and commences broadcast of the data over the multicast communication channel. The first endpoint transmits a request message to each of the plurality of second endpoints in order to query each of the second endpoints whether they can receive transmissions broadcast to the first multicast address. Certain of the plurality of second endpoints transmit an acknowledgment message if they can receive transmissions broadcast to the first multicast address, and the first endpoint receives the acknowledgment message. Then, for each acknowledgment message received from certain of the plurality of second endpoints, the first endpoint deactivates the point-to-point communication channel and the certain of the plurality of second endpoints.