Controller providing gradual transition of multiple terminals from unicast transmission
US9374231B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 22, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jun 21, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L65/612
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A controller in a video headend or other transmission element of a signal distribution system is operative to detect a condition in which unicast transmissions of a given content stream to a plurality of terminals meet a specified threshold. The controller starts a multicast transmission of the given content stream in response to the detected condition, and transitions at least one of the terminals to the multicast transmission. In one embodiment, the controller identifies at least one of the terminals as a terminal that will receive the multicast transmission of the given content stream in place of its unicast transmission prior to one or more of the other terminals receiving the multicast transmission. The controller stops the unicast transmission to the identified terminal if that unicast transmission has already been started, starts the multicast transmission, switches the identified terminal to the multicast transmission, and subsequently transitions one or more of the other terminals to the multicast transmission. The identified terminal may be a leading terminal or a trailing terminal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.