# US 12,010,092 B2 · Distributed automatic multicast address assignment device and method

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- Number: US 12,010,092 B2
- Document ID: US12010092B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/828,517
- Filed: 2022-05-31
- Published: 2022-12-29
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-24
- Assignees: Panduit Corp.
- Applicants: Panduit Corp.
- Inventors: Paul A. Krizan; Joshua C. Small; Ronald Cheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010092B2

## CPC

- H04L 61/5046: Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses (testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092)
- H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)}
- H04L 61/5069: for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
- H04L 61/5092: by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
- H04L 65/611: for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06)
- H04L 65/65: Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
- H04N 21/238: Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams {(hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60)}
- H04N 21/2402: {Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available (traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876)}
- H04N 21/26616: {for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth (data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18)}
- H04N 21/438: Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
- H04N 21/44227: {Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network (configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811)}
- H04N 21/4432: {Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server (resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57)}
- H04N 21/633: Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client {(management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06)}
- H04N 21/6405: Multicasting {(data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18)}
- H04L 41/0873: Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A solution is disclosed for providing automatic multicast address assignment and conflict resolution for AV streams multicast over a networked AV system. The solution includes a device for monitoring the system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the system and implementing a conflict resolution protocol when a conflict of multicast addresses is detected, where the conflict resolution protocol utilizes automatically randomly selecting a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for automatic multicast address assignment and conflict resolution for audio-visual (AV) streams multicast over a networked AV system, the device associated with a source for generating an AV stream, the device comprising:
a controller; and
a memory in communication with the controller, the memory comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the controller to:
monitor the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;
build a table in the memory, the table having a multicast address associated with each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;
automatically randomly select a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses;
compare the preliminary multicast address selected to the multicast addresses in the table;
repeat automatically randomly select a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses when the preliminary multicast address selected conflicts with a multicast address in the table; and
automatically assign the preliminary multicast address selected for association with the AV stream generated by the source associated with an encoder when the preliminary multicast address selected does not conflict with a multicast address in the table.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the device is the encoder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by other encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with the encoder.

### Claim 4

A method for automatic multicast address assignment and conflict resolution for audio-visual (AV) streams multicast over a networked AV system, the method performed by a device associated with a source for generating an AV stream, the device having a controller and an associated memory, the method comprising:
monitoring the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;
building a table in the memory, the table having a multicast address associated with each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;
automatically randomly selecting a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses;
comparing the preliminary multicast address selected to the multicast addresses in the table;
repeating automatically randomly selecting a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses when the preliminary multicast address selected conflicts with a multicast address in the table; and
assigning the preliminary multicast address selected for association with the AV stream generated by the source associated with an encoder when the preliminary multicast address selected does not conflict with a multicast address in the table.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the device is the encoder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by other encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with the encoder.

### Claim 7

A device for automatically joining an audio-visual (AV) stream multicast over a networked AV system, the device associated with a destination for receiving an AV stream, the device comprising:
a controller; and
a memory in communication with the controller, the memory comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the controller to:
monitor the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;
build a list in the memory, the list including a name and an associated multicast address for each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;
automatically join an AV stream having a name found in the list based on the associated multicast address;
store the name of the AV stream automatically joined in the memory as a previously joined AV stream; and
automatically join the previously joined AV stream after a reboot of the device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the device is a decoder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with an encoder.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is manually selected by a user from the list.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is automatically selected from the list based on a selection criterion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the controller to:
detect a change in the multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream; and
automatically move to the changed multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream to continue decoding the automatically joined AV stream.

### Claim 13

A method for automatically joining an audio-visual (AV) stream multicast over a networked AV system, the method performed by a device associated with a destination for receiving an AV stream, the method comprising:
monitoring the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;
building a list including a name and an associated multicast address for each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;
automatically join an AV stream having a name found in the list based on the associated multicast address;
storing the name of the AV stream automatically joined as a previously joined AV stream; and
automatically joining the previously joined AV stream after a reboot of the device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the device is a decoder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with an encoder.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is manually selected by a user from the list.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is automatically selected from the list based on a selection criterion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising:
detecting a change in the multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream; and
automatically moving to the changed address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream to continue decoding the automatically joined AV stream.