Patent ID: 8904014

Claim:
A method, with a network node, for optimizing content delivery in a network, the network comprising the network node communicatively coupled between a plurality of client devices and at least one content service provider, the method comprising: receiving a media streaming service from the content service provider over a first unicast link; transmitting the media streaming service to a first requesting client device in the plurality of client devices via a second unicast link; intercepting a request from a second requesting client device in the plurality of client devices for the media streaming service; determining if a multicast optimization threshold has been at least one of reached and exceeded based on the request from the second requesting device; and based on determining that the multicast optimization threshold has been at least one of reached and exceeded: transmitting the media streaming service to the first requesting client device and the second requesting client device via a single multicast link as the media streaming service is being received from the content service provider over the first unicast link; after transmitting the media streaming service to the first requesting client device and the second requesting client device, determining, if the multicast optimization threshold is no longer at least one of reached and exceeded; and based on determining that the multicast optimization threshold is no longer at least one of reached and exceeded: re-establishing the second unicast link with the first requesting client device; establishing a third unicast link with the second requestor device; and transmitting the media streaming service to the first requesting client device over the second unicast link and transmitting the media streaming service to the second requesting client device over the third unicast link.