Patent ID: 8489749

Claim:
A method in a media edge proxy for providing media channels to a media client, said method comprising the steps of: receiving from the media client, a request for media data from a first identified media channel; obtaining the media data from a media server utilizing a temporary unicast connection; entering, in a timer queue, queuing times for JOIN/LEAVE messages when switching from the temporary unicast connection to a multicast router; forwarding to the media client, the media data obtained utilizing the temporary unicast connection; requesting the media data from the multicast router; and upon receiving the media data from the multicast router: forwarding to the media client, the media data received from the multicast router; and releasing the temporary unicast connection with the media server by queuing a LEAVE request for the temporary unicast connection, wherein use of the timer queue prevents the sending of JOIN/LEAVE messages when a user of the media client rapidly changes channels.