Control of multicast content distribution

摘要

A local router stores a content distribution map that specifies a plurality of permitted multicast groups. The local router receives communications from user devices on an access-network side of the local router. Those received communications identify multicast groups for which user devices wish to receive data. The local router ascertains if those identified multicast groups are permitted multicast groups specified by the stored content distribution map. For multicast groups ascertained to be permitted multicast groups, the local router sends communications across a network-side interface requesting membership in those multicast groups. The local router may then receive data for those multicast groups and forward that data to user devices. For multicast groups identified in user device communications ascertained not to be permitted multicast groups, the local router sends no communications across the network-side interface requesting membership.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device from one or more devices in communication with the computing device via an access network, one or more request communications requesting access to a multicast group; identifying, by the computing device, a bandwidth requirement for the multicast group from information specifying multicast groups to which the one or more devices are permitted access; using the bandwidth requirement and information describing current data traffic levels for the access network to determine whether there is sufficient bandwidth on the access network to begin transmitting data of the multicast group to the one or more devices; and conditioned upon determining that there is sufficient bandwidth on the access network to begin transmitting data of the multicast group to the one or more devices, transmitting, by the computing device, one or more communications requesting membership in the multicast group.