Patent ID: 8681680
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: H04H,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: receiving, by a gateway device, a multicast listing identifying content items available for multicast reception; receiving a content request from a consumption device, the content request being a request to establish a unicast session to obtain requested content; determining that the requested content is listed in the multicast listing; joining a multicast group identified in the multicast listing; supplying the requested content from the multicast group to the consumption device in response to the consumption device's content request; receiving a content request for a second item of content from the consumption device; determining that a requested version of the second item of content is not listed in the multicast listing; determining that a similar version of the second item of content is listed in the multicast listing; transmitting a message to the consumption device, informing the consumption device that the similar version is available; and receiving approval from the consumption device to supply the similar version of the second item of content instead of the requested version of the second item of content.