Multicasting method and arrangement
US6625151B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 23, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/203
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for multicasting, i.e. point to multipoint transmission of a data packet. A packet is copied and transmitted to multiple addresses. In the multicasting arrangement, switch core and input and output port are connected to input and output links, respectively, for transmitting data packets. According to the invention, the input port is adapted to detect a multicasting packet received on an input link or from an output port and send the multicasting packet to an output port. The output port is adapted to detect the multicasting packet, copy the data packet, modify an address portion of the multicasting packet, send one packet on the output link and return one packet with the modified address portion to an input port. Preferably, the input port and the output port are integrated in a link interface having a direct channel for returning the data packet. The present invention improves the efficiency of multicasting by distributing copying of the data packets on several output ports of the switch core (e.g. an ATM switch).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.