CONTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

There are described methods and systems for distributing content in a network, in particular a multicast network. One method includes delivering content from a source to a destination in a content delivery network. A request for an item of content is received and a first multicast stream is identified or established, the first multicast stream comprising a first copy of the content. At least one second multicast stream is also identified or established, the second stream comprising a second copy of the content. The second copy of the content is time-shifted by a time, M, from corresponding portions of the first copy of the content. The content is then delivered to the destination using both the first and the second multicast streams.

主权项

1. A method of receiving at a destination a piece of content from a content delivery network, the method comprising:
requesting the piece of content from a source in the network; receiving a communication from the network identifying a plurality of multicast groups for delivery of the piece of content; sending a join request to each of the multicast groups; receiving content from the plurality of multicast groups in a plurality of parallel multicast streams, wherein the content in one stream is time-shifted with respect to content in the at least one other stream so that each stream is delivering a different portion of the piece of content at a particular time.