Patent ID: 7532622

Claim:
A method of merging first and second internet protocol (IP) multicast groups in a packet switched computer network comprising a plurality of sub-networks, each of said IP multicast groups identified by unique IP multicast addresses, and wherein members of said first and second IP multicast groups have registered to receive multicast packets identified by said first and second IP multicast addresses, respectively, said method comprising receiving a request over said packet switched computer network to merge said first and second IP multicast groups at a computing device, said computing device operable to receive requests to merge multicast groups from multiple hosts on said packet switched computer network; dispatching a request from said computing device over said packet switched computer network to merge said first and second IP multicast groups to an edge router connecting one sub-network to other sub-networks; at said edge router, in response to said request, forming duplicate data packets containing data provided to said first IP multicast group, and having said IP multicast address of said second IP multicast group, thereby providing said data from said first IP multicast group to said members of said second IP multicast group in said one sub-network.