Patent ID: 8422499

Claim:
A method for transmitting multicast IP packets from a multicast router, the method comprising: a) the multicast router receiving from a host via a first network interface multicast routing messages associated with a multicast group address, the multicast routing messages comprising IS_INCLUDE type or TO_INCLUDE type multicast routing messages; b) the multicast router storing an INCLUDE state record for the first network interface, the multicast group address and the host that requests multicast data from the multicast router via the first network interface with an IS_INCLUDE type or a TO_INCLUDE type multicast routing message, the INCLUDE state record comprising identifying data of the first network interface, identifying data of the multicast group address, identifying data of the host, an INCLUDE filter mode designator and an INCLUDE source list comprising source IP addresses, the INCLUDE state record devoid of timers associated with source IP addresses and usable to remove source IP addresses from the INCLUDE source list; and c) the multicast router transmitting, through the first network interface, the multicast IP packets which have as a destination IP address the multicast group address and which have as a source IP address any source IP address included in at least one of the INCLUDE source lists stored in the INCLUDE state records of the first network interface and the multicast group address.