Patent ID: 8259721
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a packet switching device, the packet switching device including an interface, the method comprising: receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast group message on the interface of the packet switching device, the IP multicast group message specifying an IP multicast group address of an IP multicast subscription service; determining, by the packet switching device, based on said specified IP multicast group address a subscription policy, the subscription policy defining one or more time-based restrictions from a group of time-based elements which allows participation in the multicast group for a limited portion of time greater than zero and less than all time; wherein the subscription policy defines a duration of time authorized for the IP multicast subscription service; and in response to determining that the IP multicast subscription service currently conforms to said determined subscription policy, the packet switching device: forwarding packets identified with the IP multicast subscription service out of the packet switching device via the interface, and performing a scheduling operation to cause the termination of the forwarding of packets belonging to the IP multicast subscription service from the interface in response to the expiration of the duration of time; wherein the duration of time is an amount of time, not a specified time period.