Patent ID: 7787436

Claim:
A method for improving throughput in a communications network, the method comprising: receiving into an access point of the communications network a multicast or broadcast packet from a source; determining a first physical data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to a first station associated with the access point; determining a second physical data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to a second station associated with the access point; determining a lowest common denominator rate, wherein determining the lowest common denominator rate includes determining the lower of the first physical data rate and the second physical data rate; determining if an effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate; determining if the lowest common denominator rate is greater than a minimum available physical data rate when the effective unicast data rate does not exceed the lowest common denominator rate; transmitting over the communications network the multicast or broadcast packet to the first station and the second station at the lower of the first physical data rate and the second physical data rate when the lowest common denominator rate is greater than the minimum available physical data rate and when the effective unicast data rate does not exceed the lowest common denominator rate; converting a multicast or broadcast packet into a first unicast packet when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate; transmitting the first unicast packet to a first receiving node when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate; converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a second unicast packet when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate; and transmitting the second unicast packet to a second receiving node when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate.