Patent ID: 7818448

Claim:
A method for the insertion of broadcast control information for the control of the broadcasting of a data stream in a heterogeneous network, the heterogeneous network including at least one entry sub-network conveying first packets and a basic network conveying second packets, the entry sub-network being connected to the basic network by an entry node configured to form the second packets from at least part of at least one first packet, wherein the entry node performs the method comprising: successively receiving first packets from the entry sub-network; associating an access level with each first packet from a plurality of access levels according to a predetermined policy; forming each second packet by including in each second packet one or more first packets or parts of a first packet associated with a first access level, and inserting into each second packet broadcast control information corresponding to the first access level; and transmitting the second packets formed in the forming step into the basic network, wherein, if the access level changes from the first access level to a second access level between successive first packets of the data stream, the entry node (a) forms a synchronization second packet by inserting a synchronization marker in a second packet, and (b) reduces the size of the second packet preceding the synchronization second packet such that the start of the payload information of the synchronization second packet corresponds to the start of a first packet associated with the second access level.