Condensed message multicast method and a system employing same

A device comprising:

• a memory;
• a network interface functionally connectable to a network;
• and
• a processing structure functionally coupled to the memory and the network interface;
• wherein the processing structure is configured for performing at least one of a message-transmission process and a message-receiving process;
• wherein the message-transmission process comprises:
• obtaining a plurality of first multicast IDs for a plurality of first devices in the network;
• losslessly encoding the first multicast IDs into one or more first codewords, the total length of the one or more first codewords being shorter than that of the first multicast IDs;
• generating a first message by encapsulating at least the one or more first codewords into a first payload of the first message;
• and
• transmitting the generated first message via the network interface to the network;
• and
• wherein the message-receiving process comprises:
• receiving a second message;
• extracting a second payload from the second message;
• extracting one or more second codewords from the second payload;
• processing the extracted one or more second codewords to obtain a representation of a plurality of second multicast IDs;
• comparing the representation with a listener multicast ID of the device to determine whether or not the device is a recipient of the second message;
• further processing the second message if the device is a recipient of the second message;
• and
• discarding the second message if the device is not a recipient of the second message.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions, the instructions, when executed, causing a processor to perform at least a first set of actions and a second set of actions;

• wherein the first set of actions comprises:
• obtaining a plurality of first multicast identifications (IDs) for a plurality of first devices in a network;
• losslessly encoding the first multicast IDs into one or more first codewords, the total length of the one or more first codewords being shorter than that of the first multicast IDs;
• generating a first message by encapsulating at least the one or more first codewords into a first payload of the first message;
• and
• transmitting the generated first message to the network;
• and
• wherein the second set of actions comprises:
• receiving a second message;
• extracting a second payload from the second message;
• extracting one or more second codewords from the second payload;
• processing the extracted one or more second codewords to obtain a representation of a plurality of second multicast IDs;
• comparing the representation with a listener multicast ID of a second device to determine whether or not the second device is a recipient of the second message;
• further processing the second message if the second device is a recipient of the second message;
• and
• discarding the second message if the second device is not a recipient of the second message.