Patent ID: 7490158

Claim:
A processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions for: sending test data from a server to a client, wherein the test data comprises a first portion of an image sent at a first rate, and a second portion of the image sent at a second rate; varying an amount of the test data sent to balance reliability and cost; receiving the test data, sent by the server, at clients located on a network; calculating a value for R i based at least in part on a rate at which the test data was received by each client; dividing the clients into at least two groups, comprising first and second groups of clients, wherein the first group of clients was able to receive the test data faster than the second group of clients based on the R i values; and opening first and second multicast sessions with the first and second groups, respectively, wherein a transmission rate R 0 of the first session is higher than a transmission rate R 0 of the second session.