Patent ID: 7870590
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for multicast streaming of programs over a packet network comprising: a multicast server having a processor that conditions a multicast video bitstream such that packets containing an I-frame are located near program specific information (PSI) packets, the PSI packets include conditional access table (CAT), program association table (PAT), and program map table (PMT) data, the processor marking a random join point (RJP) in the multicast video bitstream immediately preceding the I-frame and the PSI packets, the node outputting the conditioned and marked video bitstream across the packet network; and an edge router or switch device of the network that receives the conditioned and marked video bitstream, the edge device including a buffer that caches packets of the conditioned and marked multicast video bitstream starting at the RJP, the edge device sending the cached packets to a client receiver in a multicast group in response to a request received by the edge device from the client receiver.