Optimized utilization of streaming bandwidth using multicast

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by one or more computers and from multiple different client devices, separate digital component requests for a supplemental digital component that will be presented in a different multicast stream than a multicast stream that is delivering streaming content to the multiple different client devices;
• determining, by the one or more computers, a number of additional multicast streams that are capable of being distributed to the multiple different client devices over an available bandwidth when the digital component requests are received, wherein the number of additional multicast streams is less than a total number of the multiple different client devices;
• selecting, by the one or more computers, in response to the separate requests, multiple different supplemental digital components to distribute over at least a portion of the additional multicast streams that are capable of being distributed;
• assigning, by the one or more computers, different groups of the multiple different client devices to different ones of the additional multicast streams that transport the multiple different supplemental digital components;
• and
• responding, by the one or more computers and to the multiple different client devices, to each of the separate requests with (i) data that instructs each of the multiple different client devices to tune to one of the additional multicast streams that was assigned to the different groups that includes the different client device that submitted the request, and (ii) a client configurable ping address that includes a placeholder for insertion of a device identifier by the different client device that submitted the request.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by one or more computers and from multiple different client devices, separate digital component requests for a supplemental digital component that will be presented in a different multicast stream than a multicast stream that is delivering streaming content to the multiple different client devices;
• determining, by the one or more computers, a number of additional multicast streams that are capable of being distributed to the multiple different client devices over an available bandwidth when the digital component requests are received, wherein the number of additional multicast streams is less than a total number of the multiple different client devices;
• selecting, by the one or more computers, in response to the separate requests, multiple different supplemental digital components to distribute over at least a portion of the additional multicast streams that are capable of being distributed;
• assigning, by the one or more computers, different groups of the multiple different client devices to different ones of the additional multicast streams that transport the multiple different supplemental digital components;
• and
• responding, by the one or more computers and to the multiple different client devices, to each of the separate requests with (i) data that instructs each of the multiple different client devices to tune to one of the additional multicast streams that was assigned to the different groups that includes the different client device that submitted the request, and (ii) a client configurable ping address that includes a placeholder for insertion of a device identifier by the different client device that submitted the request.