Patent ID: 7707302
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for transmission of a data stream, especially a reducible data stream, from a producer to a plurality of viewers, wherein producer and viewers are subscribers in a point-to-point network having point-to-point connections, in which; the producer transmits the data stream over a first point-to-point network connection to at least one viewer; the at least one viewer receives the data stream over the first point-to-point network connection and promptly transmits it in identical or reduced form to at least one additional viewer; every viewer is promptly supplied with the data stream in identical or reduced form by either the producer or another viewer over the first or a second point-to-point network connection; and a new viewer, to become a transmission subscriber, sends a subscription request to a relaying entity over a third point-to-point network connection, characterized in that the relaying entity accepts subscription requests both from new viewers whose network identifier is hidden by an access computer (NAT viewers) and from new viewers whose network identifier is not hidden (non-NAT viewers), and integrates each new viewer into the data stream transmission as a new subscriber by relaying a transmission subscriber who is capable of promptly transmitting the data stream to the new viewer, in that the relaying entity sends either to the new viewer or to the relayed transmission subscriber, directly or over the point-to-point network, a request to set up a point-to-point connection with the relayed transmission subscriber or the new viewer, over which the relayed transmission subscriber promptly transmits the data stream in identical or reduced form to the new viewer; wherein any NAT transmission subscriber whose network identifier is hidden by an access computer (NAT subscriber) is relayed to only those new viewers whose network identifier is not hidden (non-NAT subscribers).