Methods and apparatus for selecting multicast IP data transmitted in broadcast streams
US6986155B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 12, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 10, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/6405
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Through the association of an IP address with each data stream, a single system may be used by a network card or a tuner to select multicast IP data. Each data stream is identified by a unique IP address. More particularly, a locator adapted for identifying a data stream is associated with one of a plurality of data streams. The locator is then mapped to an IP address. When it is determined that the IP address corresponds to a data stream locator associated with a data stream, a tuner is instructed to read the data stream associated with the data stream locator. However, when it is determined that the IP address does not correspond to a data stream locator, a network card identified by the IP address is instructed to read data from the associated network. Since each data stream may be associated with a plurality of multicast IP addresses, a multicast group address is specified to identify the appropriate multicast IP data transmitted in the data stream. Packets addressed to the multicast group address may then be received by either a tuner or a network interface card.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.