Patent ID: 9025507
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for facilitating changing the receiving of program streams at a subscriber communication device, comprising: receiving an association table for a plurality of program streams at a subscriber device, each program stream being associated with a bonded group of channels in a given MAC domain, and having an identifier, wherein each bonded group is associated with one or more downstream channels having a channel frequency and a multicast address; receiving a request to change to a different program from a current program at the subscriber device; determining from the association table at the subscriber device whether the different program is delivered from a new MAC domain comprising a second bonded group different from a current MAC domain comprising a first bonded group associated with the current program; sending a message to a current MAC domain associated with the first bonded group that the subscriber device is ending the current session with the first bonded group within the current MAC domain; tuning the subscriber device to the second bonded group comprising one or more downstream channels associated with a channel carrying the different program; and receiving streams comprising the different program from the tuned second bonded group comprising one or more downstream channels based on the identifier associated in the association table with the different requested program; and registering with the new MAC domain comprising the second bonded group that services the newly selected program streams after the stream packets of the newly selected program have begun.