Abstract: An apparatus, computer readable medium, and method are provided in one example embodiment and include a network device, an analysis module, and a tag module. The analysis module may be configured to perform a number of actions on the network data to identify network information about the network data. The tag module may be configured to determine whether a destination for the network data is within a set of destinations; and responsive to a determination that the destination for the network data is within the set of destinations: generate a metadata tag based on the network information, associate the metadata tag with the network data, and transmit the network information and the metadata tag.

Abstract: A data packet forwarding method including receiving, by a network node, a data packet that comprises a bit string, a BFIR identifier (ID), and a multicast replication path (MRP) ID, wherein the BFIR ID identifies an ingress network node for a multicast group, and wherein the MRP ID identifies the multicast group, identifying an entry in a BIER Replication Path Cache Table (BRCT) using the BFIR ID and the MRP ID, wherein the entry identifies a replication neighbor (NBR) list associated with the BFIR ID and the MRP ID, and forwarding the data packet in accordance with the replication NBR list.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: Method and system to include a TETRA member (subscriber) in an ongoing PS-LTE group call using SS-LE, by mapping a plurality of specific SS-LE messages is disclosed. The embodiments herein enable TETRA SS-LE service to interwork with PS LTE GCS. The process involves the steps of queuing the TETRA call leg at the PS LTE GCS AS, informing the TETRA SwMI to activate SS-LE for a TETRA member, embedding a SS-LE PDU as a payload in the SIP messaging module, defining and interrogating a SS-LE service on a GCS AS via the authorized user on the TETRA SwMI or on the PS-LTE network. The TETRA member is connected to the ongoing group call through a gateway. The TETRA SwMI works as the TETRA core and the LTE to TETRA Gateway facilitates the process of message mapping and protocol conversion.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive, at a first end point station, information exchange packets from all end point stations in a virtual network having a specified VNID, process each received information exchange packet to retrieve information about connections at each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID, and assemble a Tunnel Information Base (TIB) for a selected tunnel end point. Each of the information exchange packets include a MAC address for all member VMs in the virtual network having the specified VNID connected to each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID. In addition, the TIB includes a Tunnel ID, the specified VNID, and MAC addresses of the member VMs of the virtual network having the specified VNID.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for interconnecting content requesting clients with a content provider platforms offering content. A client interface may be configured for transaction-oriented message exchange with the content requesting clients. A runtime module may be configured to map content-provider-specific data formats and content-provider-specific message flows to data formats and message flows utilized by the client interface. Content-provider-protocol-specific plug-ins may be provided. Each content-provider-protocol-specific plug-in defines rules for a mapping between the content-provider-specific data formats and the content-provider-specific message flows of at least one of the content provider platforms and the data formats and the message flows utilized by the client interface.

Abstract: The method of establishing a multicast data channel in a network virtualization system includes: creating, on a controller, a virtual remote logical interface for an external interface of a remote node; generating, a multicast tree tunnel that uses a core node as a root, and obtaining a multicast protocol packet sent by a device outside the network virtualization system; acquiring, a multicast source address and a multicast group address from the multicast protocol packet, and generating a multicast forwarding table; searching, the multicast forwarding table for an external interface of the core node, searching for an outbound interface of the multicast tree tunnel on the core node according to the multicast tree tunnel, and generating a P2MP PW forwarding table of the core node, and sending the P2MP PW forwarding table of the core node to the core node. The method implements a multicast service in a virtual cluster router.

Abstract: Coordinating gateways for multi-destination traffic across a TRILL fabric and a VXLAN/IP fabric with a plurality of TRILL IS-IS TLVs and a plurality of Layer 3 IS-IS TLVs is provided herein. The plurality of TRILL IS-IS TLVs and the plurality of Layer 3IS-IS TLVs effectuate: grafting an IP multicast share tree with a plurality of TRILL distribution trees at only one of a plurality of gateways in a network interworking a TRILL fabric and a VXLAN/IP fabric; ensuring that multicast traffic traversing from the plurality of TRILL distribution trees is not looped back to the TRILL fabric through the VXLAN/IP fabric; restoring connectivity among a plurality of VXLAN/IP fabric partitions through the TRILL fabric if the VXLAN/IP fabric is partitioned; and restoring connectivity among a plurality of TRILL fabric partitions through the VXLAN/IP fabric if the TRILL fabric is partitioned.

Abstract: A multicast rule is represented in a hierarchical linked list with N tiers. Each tier or level in the hierarchical linked list corresponds to a network layer of a network stack that requires replication. Redundant groups in each tier are eliminated such that the groups in each tier are stored exactly once in a replication table. A multicast replication engine traverses the hierarchical linked list and replicates a packet according to each node in the hierarchical linked list.

Abstract: A method of sending data to a switch fabric includes assigning a destination port of an output module to a data packet based on at least one field in a first header of the data packet. A module associated with a first stage of the switch fabric is selected based on at least one field in the first header. A second header is appended to the data packet. The second header includes an identifier associated with the destination port of the output module. The data packet is sent to the module associated with the first stage. The module associated with the first stage is configured to send the data packet to a module associated with a second stage of the switch fabric based on the second header.

Abstract: A mobile broadcast service center and a mobile wireless network to deliver broadcast video to mobile wireless devices is described. When the mobile broadcast service center receives a request to deliver a broadcast video channel to a target mobile wireless device, it designates as target an intermediate node in the network that serves the target mobile wireless device. The mobile broadcast service center first determines if an existing channel bundle is routed to the target intermediate node. If this first determination is negative, the mobile broadcast service center routes a new channel bundle to the target intermediate node, including the requested broadcast video channel. If the first determination is positive, the mobile broadcast service center then determines if the requested broadcast video channel is in the existing channel bundle. If this second determination is negative, then it adds the requested broadcast video channel to the existing channel bundle.

Abstract: A system for communicating a multi-destination packet through a network switch fabric is described. The system receives the multi-destination packet at an input port of the network switch fabric, wherein the multi-destination packet is directed to multiple output ports, and wherein the network switch fabric has a virtual output queue (VOQ) architecture, wherein each input port maintains a separate VOQ for each output port. The system sends the multi-destination packet by inserting the multi-destination packet into VOQs associated with the multiple output ports. While inserting the multi-destination packet in each VOQ, if the VOQ is empty, the system inserts the multi-destination packet at a head of the VOQ. Otherwise, if the VOQ is not empty and if the VOQ contains an end of a last complete packet received by the VOQ, the system inserts the multi-destination packet into the VOQ at the end of the last complete packet.

Abstract: An atlas application enables an electronic display device to receive touch input from a user on a screen of the display device to access an atlas database to obtain graphic map information representative of a portion of the surface of the earth and to display the obtained graphic map information on the screen of the display as a graphic map showing a plurality of points of interest on the portion of the surface of the earth. The user is able to manipulate the graphic map by touch to locate and select a particular point of interest for detailed examination. The atlas data may contain at least one of descriptive textual information and graphic map information representative of particular points of interest selected by the user. A position of the device may be selected or determined to assist in presenting various points of interest for perusal.

Abstract: A method for routing forwarding is provided. The method includes: a controller sends pre-generated routing flow tables to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) NodeB (eNB) and an Access Gateway (AGW) respectively; and the eNB and the AGW distribute data according to the received routing flow tables respectively. The controller sends the routing flow tables to the eNB and the AGW, so that the extended OpenFlow protocol can be applied to an Evolved Packet System (EPS), network upgrading cost is lowered, network upgrading can be simplified, and a network upgrading period can be shortened.

Abstract: A system and method for providing guaranteed channels in a switched digital video network using multicast adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming. In one implementation, when a request for a guaranteed channel is received from a subscriber station (e.g., a set-top box or STB), a determination may be made as to which edge QAM device the requested channel is assigned to. A bandwidth pipe modeling may be performed for the assigned edge QAM to determine an optimal bitrate of a particular MABR stream that may be packed into the edge QAM's bandwidth pipe. Thereafter, the particular MABR stream may be joined to facilitate streaming of the requested channel via the QAM serving the subscriber station.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile network communications method, communications apparatus, and communications system. The method includes: receiving, by a transport packet data network gateway, a data packet to be sent to a mobile node, and determining a home packet data network gateway of the mobile node according to IP address information of the mobile node; then sending a data connection establishment request message to the home packet data network gateway, to request to establish a data connection to a base station or a serving gateway at a location of the mobile node; and finally sending the data packet to the base station or the serving gateway through a channel of the data connection, or receiving a data packet that is sent by the base station or the serving gateway through a channel of the data connection.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating channel changes in a multicast adaptive bitrate (MABR) streaming network using a dedicated bandwidth pipe for downloading a requested channel's data in a recovery segment by issuing an HTTP request. A video management agent is configured to stitch the recovery segment's data with the regular channel stream during the channel change to generate a hybrid stream, which is multicast streamed toward the requesting device. Once the data from the regular channel stream is properly joined, recovery segment downloading ceases and the bandwidth consumed for sending recovery data in the dedicated bandwidth pipe is released.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide for collection of statistics relating to network traffic between virtual machines (VMs) in a network. In an example embodiment, a virtual switch hosted on a physical server provides network address information of VMs deployed on the physical server to a virtual switch controller. The controller collects this network address information from each virtual switch under its control, and distributes the aggregate address information to each switch. In this manner, the controller and each switch within the controller's domain can learn the network address information of each VM deployed on physical servers hosting switches under the controller's control. Each virtual switch can determine a classification of a frame passing through the switch (e.g., intra-server, inter-server and intra-domain, or inter-domain traffic), and statistics relating to the traffic.

Abstract: Embodiment systems, methods, and devices enable data streams of a broadcast service to be carried in multiple communication sessions in any transport protocol providing file transport information and the transmission of objects, an example of which is File Delivery Over Unidirectional Transport (“FLUTE”). A session description may include a category attribute indicating the type of data carried in such a protocol session. A schedule fragment may include references to a session description for each such protocol session associated with a service. A common listing of configuration parameters may be generated for all such protocol sessions associated with a service. A different listing of configuration parameters may be generated for each such protocol session associated with a service. A flag setting in a diary file may indicate one or more such protocol session associated with a service over which in-band update fragments may be broadcast.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for a multicast server to group receivers, or user devices, with other receivers having similar characteristics, so that the group can be paired with source-specific multicast channel that is optimized specifically for the receivers of the group. The server receives information regarding hardware and network capabilities from each of the user devices. The server then groups the user devices according to their information, where each group contains user devices having hardware and network information that is similar to one another. The server then receives, at random intervals, network reports that are generated by at least one user device from at least one of the groups, where the network reports include information related to the network performance experienced by a user device. The server then adjusts the SSM channel associated with the group of user devices based on the information in the network report.

Abstract: A collaboration handoff method for seamlessly passing a communication session between devices includes connecting a first device and a second device to enable communication between the first and second devices using an intermediary device to initiate a communication session. A request may be received from one of the first device and a third device to switch to the third device for communication with the second device. Communication session data for the first device may be identified at the intermediary device. The third device may be connected with the second device within the communication session and the communication session data may be transmitted to the third device.

Abstract: A content-dissemination system distributes, publishes, or makes available a content item to one or more target entities based on contextual information associated with the content item. When a user creates a new content item or the system detects a new content item for a local user, the system determines contextual information for the content item, and uses this contextual and previous historical contextual information to generate a set of structured names for the content item. The system also determines security and privacy polices for disseminating the content item from the determined contextual information and the historical contextual information. The system associates the set of structured names and the security and privacy policies with the content item, and can disseminate the content item to one or more target entities based on these structured names, the security and privacy policies, and the requirements and capabilities of the recipients.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a servicing instruction for a plurality of counters that includes determining a counter set based on the servicing instruction, whether access is authorized to the counter set, and a block of storage in a memory based on the service instruction. In response to the determining that the access is authorized, the system and method extracts the plurality of counters within the counter set in response to the determining that the access is authorized and storing the plurality of counters in the block of storage.

Abstract: Session continuity may be maintained when communication devices transition from communicating through network infrastructure (e.g., through a cellular network) to direct mode communications (e.g., a communication path directly between two communication devices). For example, in switching from an infrastructure mode communication path to a direct mode communication path, a method may include: determining a public-facing address corresponding to the infrastructure path; replacing, for a packet that is to be transmitted over the direct mode communication path to a second communication device, a source address field of the packet with the determined public-facing address; and encapsulating the packet with source and destination address fields corresponding to the first and second communication device through the direct mode communication path respectively.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a multi-tenant over-the-top multicast solution that integrates the per user stream customizability of unicast with the large scale streaming efficiencies of multicast. The solution involves an application, different multicast groups streaming an event with different customizations, and a manifest file or metadata identifying the different groups and customizations. The solution leverages the different multicast groups in order to provide different time shifts in the event stream, different quality level encodings of the event stream, and different secondary content to be included with a primary content stream. The application configured with the manifest file or metadata dynamically switches between the groups in order to customize the experience for a user or user device on which the application executes. Switching from multicast to unicast is also supported to supplement available customizations and for failover.

Abstract: A method for transferring data among communication devices. The method includes a first communication device receiving, from a second communication device, data to be transferred and a condition defining a range of data transfer. The first communication device then determines whether a third communication device satisfies the condition defining the range of data transfer. On condition that the first communication device determines that the third communication device satisfies the condition, the first communication device directly transfers the data and the condition to the third communication device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) snooping for a Shortest Path Bridging Multicast (SPBM) Network is presented. An ingress Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) device of a Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) network having at least one egress BEB coupled to at least one PIM network performs the following operations. The egress BEB, snoops join and prune messages for a multicast stream in the SPB network. A multicast tree is built in the SPB network for the multicast stream in accordance with the join and prune messages. The multicast stream is forwarded through the SPB network in accordance with the multicast tree.

Abstract: A wireless device includes a scheduler, arranged for setting a packet de-queue scheduling of a packet queue device having packets of a plurality of groups which are queued therein. Each of the plurality of groups includes at least one wireless communications client. The scheduler includes an information acquisition circuit, an airtime controller and a scheduling controller. The information acquisition circuit is arranged to obtain an airtime utilization or a throughput utilization of at least one group of a plurality of groups. The airtime controller is arranged to assign a plurality of airtime quota settings to the plurality of groups based on the airtime utilization or the throughput utilization of the at least one group of the plurality of groups. The scheduling controller is arranged to set the packet de-queue scheduling according to at least the airtime quota settings.

Abstract: A computing resource service receives a request from a customer to assign a domain name to a computing resource. The computing resource service may submit a query to a domain name system service to determine whether the domain name has been reserved for the customer. The domain name system service may provide an encrypted alias record corresponding to the requested domain name and specifying one or more identifiers of customers for whom the domain name has been reserved. The computing resource service may decrypt the alias record and determine whether the customer corresponds to one of the one or more identifiers within the alias record. If the customer does correspond to one of the one or more identifiers within the alias record, the computing resource service may assign the domain name to the computing resource.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an estimation apparatus includes first to fourth obtainers and an estimator. The first obtainer obtains, for each slave node, a piece of synchronization information in a network configuration including: nodes including a master node serving as a time synchronization source, one or more slave nodes serving as time synchronization destinations, and relay nodes; and paths connecting the nodes. The second obtainer obtains, for each path, a piece of band information. The third obtainer obtains, for each path, a piece of traffic information. The fourth obtainer obtains, for each relay node, a piece of path information. The estimator estimates a predetermined relay node causing reduction of accuracy of time synchronization between the master node and the one or more slave nodes, based on the one or more pieces of synchronization information, the pieces of band information, the pieces of traffic information, and the pieces of path information.

Abstract: Assignment of directionality to interfaces, ports, receptacles, antennas and other input/output (I/O) employed by network devices to facilitate multi-device networking is contemplated. The directionality assignments may be used to facilitate assigning directionless and/or configurable router directionality in order to automatically, adaptively, dynamically or other otherwise facilitate inter-router connections within a multi-router network.

Abstract: A base station apparatus includes a receiver, a transmitter, a determiner, and an instruction sender. The receiver receives a multicast signal. The transmitter transmits the multicast signal to a mobile station apparatus. The determiner determines, in accordance with a status of communication with the mobile station apparatus, whether the transmission of the multicast signal is needed. The instruction sender transmits, in accordance with a result of the determination, an instruction signal indicating whether to join a group of destinations of the multicast signal to a distribution apparatus for distributing the multicast signal.

Abstract: A method for transferring data among communication devices. The method includes a first communication device receiving, from a second communication device, data to be transferred and a condition defining a range of data transfer. The first communication device then determines whether a third communication device satisfies the condition defining the range of data transfer. On condition that the first communication device determines that the third communication device satisfies the condition, the first communication device directly transfers the data and the condition to the third communication device.

Abstract: A flow-based network switching system includes a memory having a flow table and a packet processor coupled to the memory. The packet processor includes a user-programmable flow-based rule storage that includes a plurality of flow-based rules. A flow-based handler and session manager in the packet processor is operable to retrieve application layer metadata from a first packet received over a network, determine a first flow session associated with the first packet using the application layer metadata from the first packet and the flow table, and retrieve at least one of the plurality of flow-based rules from the programmable flow-based rule storage using the application layer metadata from the first packet. A flow-based rule processing engine in the packet processor is operable to apply the at least one flow-based rule to the first packet. Packets with applied flow-based rules are forwarded through the network.

Abstract: Multicast video program switching architecture. In one embodiment, a user makes a request for service. A controller determines whether the channel is currently broadcast. When the channel is currently broadcast, redirect the user to an address of the channel. When the channel is not currently broadcast, query a storage apparatus to find a currently broadcast channel that has no current viewership, send, a request to a multicast network address translation (MNAT) router comprising a multicast address of the currently broadcast channel and an identifier of the requested channel to modify MNAT settings on the MNAT router and redirect the user to the multicast address, the multicast address associated with the requested channel.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for the delivery of multi-unicast communication traffic. A multimedia router is adapted to analyze and identify contents which it handles and one or more access nodes are adapted to receive one or more of the identified contents, cache contents based on said identification; and use cached contents as substitutes for redundant traffic, received by the same access node.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top-box (STB) having a controller to join a multicast group having an associated multicast address, wherein the multicast address is associated with a first content type of a plurality of content types, access encoded content associated with the first content type from the multicast address, wherein the encoded content is transmitted by at least one source associated with the multicast group to the multicast address, decode the accessed encoded content, and display the decoded content on a channel mapped to the multicast address. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments implement a set of low overhead mechanisms to enable on-demand routing protocols. The on-demand protocols use route accumulation during discovery floods to discover when better paths have become available even if the paths that the protocols are currently using are not broken. In other words, the mechanisms (or “Route Optimizations”) enable improvements to routes even while functioning routes are available. The Route Optimization mechanisms enable nodes in the network that passively learn routing information to notify nodes that need to know of changes in the routing information when the changes are important. Learning routing information on up-to-date paths and determining nodes that would benefit from the information is performed, in some embodiments, without any explicit control packet exchange. One of the Route Optimization mechanisms includes communicating information describing an improved route from a node where the improved route diverges from a less nearly optimal route.

Abstract: A controller transmits a data packet to a node in a source routed forwarding network having a plurality of nodes configured to transfer data packets to one another via a plurality of links. The data packet includes a header. The header includes a source routed hop list defining a path of the data packet. The data packet is associated with a flow of data packets from a source to one or more destinations. The hop list includes a sub-tree identifier indicative of a multicast sub-tree.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing communication between terminals (D2D). Specifically, the method is characterized in that when a terminal communicating with another terminal is to perform an additional communication with yet another terminal, the channel sequence of the communicating terminal is determined, and one of the two terminals communicating with each other is defined as the channel synchronization reference terminal performing synchronization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for network management, including adaptively installing one or more monitoring rules in one or more network devices on a network using an intelligent network middleware, detecting application traffic on the network transparently using an application demand monitor, and predicting future network demands of the network by analyzing historical and current demands. The one or more monitoring rules are updated once counters are collected; and network paths are determined and optimized to meet network demands and maximize utilization and application performance with minimal congestion on the network.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums, for use in processing multicast group membership discovery protocol messages in a data center network including a plurality of compute servers. Each compute server in the plurality is capable of running one or more virtual machines. At a multicast group membership discovery protocol proxy located on a compute server in the plurality, a multicast group membership discovery protocol report message is received requesting delivery of data associated with a specified multicast group from a specified multicast data source. It is determined whether the specified multicast data source is hosted by a virtual machine running on the compute server. In response to a positive determination, a request corresponding to the received multicast group membership discovery protocol report message is forwarded to the virtual machine hosting the specified multicast data source on the compute server.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, systems and methods are provided for automating recovery of a networked data storage environment. For instance, a system can generate a data recovery package configured to automatically carry out a process for recovering a data storage environment and/or associated data. The content of the particular workflow depends on the data storage environment, and can be defined by a user.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for issuing information including: an ad hoc network including an information issuing node and a client node is established; when a user to which the information issuing node is attributive desires to issue information, the information issuing node stores information issued by the user, broadcasts the information issued by the user to the ad hoc network and notifies all other nodes of the ad hoc network to update information of the information issuing node. The present disclosure also discloses a system for issuing information and a method and system for acquiring information. The methods and systems make it possible to implement timely and efficient issuing and acquisition of information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and arrangements to optimize load transportation between a P2P live streaming network and an access network. The method comprises steps like: a peer in the access network selects a live channel to use; a request comprising information of the selected channel is sent from the access network to the streaming network a converter node connecting the P2P live streaming network and the access network detects that a number of peers in the access network using the selected channel has reached a predetermined threshold value (T) and chunks that are parts of the selected channel arriving from peers in the streaming network are converted in the converter node from P2P format to multicast format.

Abstract: An apparatus for quantum cryptographic communication includes a light source configured to generate an optical pulse which is transmitted to a plurality of quantum code sending devices, and a quantum entanglement measuring unit configured to receive the optical signal generated from each of the plurality of quantum code sending devices and measure a relation among quantum states of the optical signals received from the plurality of quantum code sending devices; the optical signal being generated by encoding a key to a quantum state of the optical pulse. The apparatus for quantum cryptographic communication may further include a signal direction determining unit, a reflector for reflecting the optical pulse or the optical signal, an arbitrary phase shifter, or a modulator for encoding a digital signal corresponding to the key to the optical pulse.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing multicast message subflows in a switched network includes associating, with a processing device, a first destination identifier corresponding to a multicast message with a first queue that corresponds to a first output port of a switching device, associating, with a processing device, a second destination identifier corresponding to the multicast message with a second queue that corresponds to a second output port of the switching device, pausing the first queue in response to a message counter corresponding to the first queue crossing a first predetermined threshold, and unpausing the first queue in response to the message counter crossing a second predetermined threshold, wherein the message counter indicates a quantity of data that has been forwarded by the first queue but remains to be forwarded by the second queue.

Abstract: Telemetry data from a plurality of peer computers of a peer-to-peer network is aggregated via a computer network. Each of the plurality of peer computers sends telemetry data relating to transfer of a digital content item within the peer-to-peer network. A mitigation operation that modifies transfer of a digital content item between peer computers of the peer-to-peer network is performed according to one or more health metrics of the peer-to-peer network. The one or more health metrics are derived from the telemetry data aggregated from the plurality of peer computers.

Abstract: Various systems, methods and devices adaptively manage the multicast delivery of multiple media programs. Each of the media programs is encoded into multiple media streams, each stream having a different bitrate, frame rate, resolution or other encoding parameter. A computer receives feedback about the delivery of the multiple streams and automatically adapts the number of streams available for at least one of the multiple media programs in response to the received feedback. This allows resources to be applied to those multicast streams having the greatest user demand.

Abstract: An approach to providing a group alarm clock wherein the next group alarm is specified by a group member acknowledging a previous group alarm. The approach allows members to join a group alarm clock and provide alarm preferences to the group alarm clock. When the approach determines that the conditions of activating a group alarm are met, the group alarm is sent to the group members. The first group member to acknowledge the group alarm selects the alarm for the next round and is removed from the group. Iterations of group alarms continue until the group alarm clock no longer has any members.