Patent ID: 7788393
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for switching a client from displaying digital video content provided via unicasting to displaying digital video content provided via multicasting, the method comprising: providing digital video content to a client via unicasting at a first rate; increasing the rate at which the digital video content is provided to the client via unicasting to a second rate; and after the digital video content has been provided to the client via unicasting at the second rate for a first time interval, switching to providing the digital video content to the client via multicasting instead of unicasting; wherein the digital video content provided via unicasting and multicasting is related to the same channel; and wherein the first time interval is a time interval that allows the client to buffer enough digital video content to switch to multicasting without skipping a frame of the digital video content for the channel.