Patent ID: 7817632

Claim:
A method for access control in a multicast system in which data is sent from a source over a common link to an arbiter node associated with a plurality of users, wherein the arbiter node distributes the data to at least two users, the method comprising the steps of: assigning a weight to each user associated with the arbiter node, wherein the weights indicate a percentage of an available bandwidth on the common link each user is provisionally allowed to use; receiving at the arbiter node, a request to join a new multicast session from a first user; determining by the arbiter node, an actual bandwidth that the first user would utilize if the request to join the new multicast session is granted, wherein the actual bandwidth for the first user is calculated as the sum of the first user's bandwidth part of each currently ongoing session in which the first user is a participant plus the first user's bandwidth part of the new multicast session, wherein the first user's bandwidth part of any given session is calculated as the bandwidth required for the given session divided by the total number of users participating in the given session; determining by the arbiter node, an allowed bandwidth for the first user, wherein the allowed bandwidth for the first user is calculated as the available bandwidth on the common link multiplied by the weight assigned to the first user; comparing by the arbiter node, the actual bandwidth for the first user with the allowed bandwidth for the first user; granting the request when the actual bandwidth for the first user is less than or equal to the allowed bandwidth for the first user; and denying the request when the actual bandwidth for the first user is greater than the allowed bandwidth for the first user.