Patent ID: 7801165

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first logical interface configured to receive a file from a content provider; a second logical interface configured to forward said file to one or more hosts as a sequence of data packets in a first file delivery transmission; and a processor configured to perform the following: a) receive a first request for the file from a first host; b) define a multicast delivery group including the first host; c) receive a second request for the file from a second host during the first file delivery transmission of the requested file to the first host; d) determine whether the second host is situated within a locational area of the first host; e) if the second host is situated within the locational area of the first host, add the second host to the multicast delivery group, and cause the transmission of a remaining portion of the first file delivery transmission to both first and second hosts after adding the second host to the multicast delivery group; and f) when a host is added to the group during the first file delivery transmission then, following completion of the sequence of data packets, cause re-transmission of said file to the group as a sequence of data packets in a second file delivery transmission, wherein each host in the group is allocated an amount of bandwidth on a network on which the first file delivery transmission occurs, and the processor is further configured to: share allocated bandwidth of multiple hosts in the group to increase a data transfer rate experienced by the hosts in the group.