Patent ID: 6115749
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A system for controlling transmission of packets of a multicast in a computer network, comprising:a packet monitor that establishes a token pool for each receiver of said multicast, said token pool initialized with a number of tokens equaling a maximum number associated with said each receiver, said packet monitor removing a token from each of said token pools when a packet is transmitted and replacing a token in one of said token pools when a receiver corresponding to said one of said token pools acknowledges receiving said packet, said packet monitor thereby tracking unacknowledged packets transmitted to said each receiver; anda multicast manager, associated with said packet monitor, that controls transmission of further packets of said multicast based on a number of said tokens in said each of said token pools to prevent said unacknowledged packets transmitted to any of said each receiver from exceeding said maximum number associated with said each receiver.