Method and apparatus using ranking to select repair nodes in formation of a dynamic tree for multicast repair

A method for forming a multicast repair tree, performed by a data processor, comprising the steps of:

• determining, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable” and “willing”;
• advertising, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers;
• prioritizing, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• binding, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a repair group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A method for forming a multicast repair tree, performed by a data processor, comprising the steps of:

• (1) determining, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, including
• (a) determining whether the potential head has a static configuration, and
• (b) determining the ranking value of the potential head in accordance with a dynamic configuration if the potential head is not statically configured to be a head;
• (2) advertising, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers;
• prioritizing, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• (3) binding, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a repair group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to form a multicast repair tree, by performing the steps of:

• executing a first computer program to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable”, and “reluctant”;
• executing the first computer program to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• executing a second computer program to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• executing the second computer program to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to form a multicast repair tree, by performing the steps of:

• executing a first computer program to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable”and “willing”;
• executing the first computer program to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• executing a second computer program to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• executing the second computer program to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to form a multicast repair tree, by performing the steps of:

• (1) executing a first computer program to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, including
• (a) executing a computer program to determine whether the potential head has a static configuration, and
• (b) executing a computer program to determine the ranking value of the potential head in accordance with a dynamic configuration if the potential head is not statically configured to be a head;
• (2) executing the first computer program to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• (3) executing a second computer program to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• (4) executing the second computer program to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

An apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree, comprising:

• a circuit configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable” and “reluctant”;
• a circuit configured to advertise, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers;
• a circuit configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• a circuit configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

An apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree, comprising:

• a circuit configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable” and “willing”;
• a circuit configured to advertise, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers;
• a circuit configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• a circuit configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

An apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree, comprising:

• (1) a circuit configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, including
• (a) circuitry configured to determine whether the potential head has a static configuration, and
• (b) circuitry configured to determine the ranking value of the potential head in accordance with a dynamic configuration if the potential head is not statically configured to be a head;
• (2) a circuit configured to advertise, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers;
• (3) a circuit configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• (4) a circuit configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for forming a multicast repair tree that includes one or more systems, the computer program product including:
• first computer readable program code devices configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable” and “reluctant”;
• second computer readable program code devices configured to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• third computer readable program code devices configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads;
• and
• fourth computer readable program code devices configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for forming a multicast repair tree that includes one or more systems, the computer program product including:
• first computer readable program code devices configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, wherein the ranking value is selected from a group including “able”, “unable” and “willing”;
• second computer readable program code devices configured to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• third computer readable program code devices configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads, and
• fourth computer readable program code devices configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for forming a multicast repair tree that includes one or more systems, the computer program product including:
• first computer readable program code devices configured to determine, for each of a plurality of potential heads, a ranking value associated with the potential head, including
• computer readable program code devices to determine whether the potential head has a static configuration, and
• computer readable program code devices to determine the ranking value of the potential head in accordance with a dynamic configuration if the potential head is not statically configured to be a head;
• second computer readable program code devices configured to advertise, by the potential heads, to a plurality of potential receivers;
• third computer readable program code devices configured to prioritize, by a potential receiver, the rankling values from the potential heads;
• and
• fourth computer readable program code devices configured to bind, by a potential receiver to the potential head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the highest ranking potential head is the head.