Patent ID: 6724761
Filing Date: 2004-04-20
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method for implementing multicast in a satellite communication system, the method comprising:(a) receiving a received data packet to be multicast, wherein said received data packet includes a data packet priority indicator for said received data packet; (b) storing said received data packet in a buffer, wherein said buffer includes a plurality of queues, wherein each of said queues has a queue priority indicator, wherein said received data packet is inserted into one of said plurality of queues based on the data packet priority indicator of said received data packet; (c) extracting an extracted data packet from one of said plurality of queues, wherein said extracting step is based on quality-of-service parameters, wherein said quality-of-service parameters include at least one of cell error ratio and cell misinsertion rate, (d) storing an information payload of said extracted data packet in a holding buffer; (e) addressing a header memory to determine new headers for said information payload in said holding buffer; and (f) generating replicated data packets by individually merging each of said new headers with said information payload; wherein at least said generating step is performed on board a satellite.