초록 ▼

Unicast endpoint clients (110, 111, 115) on an IP Unicast network (107, 108) are provided access to Multicast sessions on an IP Multicast network (101) through a Multicast-Unicast gateway server (120, 121). The server obtains information about sessions on the Multicast network and makes such informa

Unicast endpoint clients (110, 111, 115) on an IP Unicast network (107, 108) are provided access to Multicast sessions on an IP Multicast network (101) through a Multicast-Unicast gateway server (120, 121). The server obtains information about sessions on the Multicast network and makes such information available to a Unicast client on the Unicast network upon request by the client. Upon being presented with a list describing the subject matter of each session, the user at the Unicast client selects the session to which he or she wants to join, which causes the Multicast-Unicast server to join the appropriate session on behalf of the requesting client for each media type in which the joining client wants to be a participant. The server then sets a bidirectional Unicast User Datagram Protocol (UDP) stream between itself and the client. All packets then received by the server from the Unicast client are address-translated to the appropriate Multicast session address. In addition, all packets received by the server on the Multicast session address are address-translated and sent to the Unicast client. The Unicast client is then able to participate in the Multicast session as both a sender and a receiver of packets to and from other Unicast and Multicast clients which are active during the session. Further, the Unicast client is capable of creating a new session, recording a session in the network for later retrieval and playback, and creating and accessing low bandwidth versions of existing sessions.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of providing access to a Multicast session on a Multicast network to a Unicast client on a Unicast network comprising:accumulating at a gateway server interconnecting the Multicast network and the Unicast network directory information relating to Multicas

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of providing access to a Multicast session on a Multicast network to a Unicast client on a Unicast network comprising:accumulating at a gateway server interconnecting the Multicast network and the Unicast network directory information relating to Multicast sessions on the Multicast network;supplying the Unicast client with the directory information accumulated by the gateway server;receiving at the gateway server from the Unicast client a request to join a selected session chosen from the directory information;joining the requested-for Multicast session at the gateway server on behalf of the Unicast client;converting at the gateway server an address of Multicast packets received on a Multicast address associated with the requested-for session to a Unicast address of the Unicast client and sending the Multicast packets received by the gateway server on the Multicast address to the Unicast client; andtransmitting packets received at the gateway server from the Unicast client to the Multicast address associated with the requested-for session.