Patent ID: 7898998
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A multicast distribution apparatus comprising: a layered coding section that prepares layered data for each of a plurality of layers having a layer relationship; a selection section that selects, per receiving node, layered data to be transmitted to a receiving node; an address list generation section that, for each of the plurality of layers, generates an address list by adding a first set of addresses of receiving nodes to an address list comprised of a second set of addresses of receiving nodes, the first set including addresses of receiving nodes for layered data belonging to each layer, the second set including addresses of receiving nodes for layered data belonging to an immediately higher layer; a packet generation section that generates a packet in which the generated address list is assigned to the layered data belonging to said each layer; and a packet transmission section that transmits the packet, wherein: the layered coding section generates layered data for each of a plurality of layer bandwidths each corresponding to a different communication rate, the address list generation section generates, for each layer bandwidth, an address list of receiving nodes that each have an established communication rate encompassing the layer bandwidth's communication rate, the apparatus further comprising a receiving node sorting section that arranges, within the address list of each layer, the order of the addresses of the receiving nodes in accordance with the communication rate of each receiving node such that each receiving node identified in the address list has an equal or higher communication data rate than all preceding receiving nodes identified in the address list, and wherein: the first-to-last order of the addresses within the address list of each layer bandwidth identifies the order in which the receiving nodes receive the layered data of the layer bandwidth through unicast communication.