Patent ID: 8467388
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A multicast replicating network device, comprising: an interface coupled to one or more network signal lines; a controller coupled to the interface and configured to: (a) terminate at least one of a plurality of multicast control protocol messages towards a traffic scheduling network device; and (b) report to the traffic scheduling network device information representing bandwidth consumed by multicast services on a line coupled to said controller or representing bandwidth available for unicast services on the line coupled to said controller, said information representing a change in bandwidth from a first service to a second service by a data rate consumed by the multicast services on the line coupled to said controller if changing from the first service to the second service, the termination of at least one of the multicast control protocol messages towards the traffic scheduling network device performed when the second service is available from the controller, and the controller configured to report the traffic scheduling network device information only when the change in bandwidth is greater than or less than zero and the second service is not available from the controller.