Patent ID: 8732327

Claim:
A method in a fast channel change, FCC, server for handling channel change of channels distributing media transmitted via multicast distribution from a streaming server, comprising the steps of: receiving from a client a request for a channel change from a first channel to a second channel, wherein the first channel carries a first media stream and the second channel carries a second media stream containing different media than the first media stream; determining a load associated with the FCC server; comparing the load to a first threshold and a second threshold; in response to the load being above the second threshold but below the first threshold, selecting a first source as a selected source for assigned multicast distribution of a buffered version of the second channel by multicast from a buffer associated with the FCC server; in response to the load being above the first threshold, selecting a second source as the selected source for multicast distribution of the second channel; in response to the load being below the second threshold, selecting a unicast source as the selected source for unicast distribution of a buffered version of the second channel by unicast from a buffer associated with the FCC server; sending a reply to the request that requests distribution of the second channel from the selected source; and in response to the selected source being the first source, controlling the buffer of the first source to delay distribution of the buffered version of the second channel to the client a predetermined time, and further responsive to receiving other requests for the second channel from other clients during the predetermined time, associating the client and the other clients with a multicast address to receive the assigned multicast distribution of the buffered version of the second channel.