Abstract: A method and system for querying a plurality of IGMP hosts supported by an IGMP router wherein the IGMP router logically subdivides the plurality of IGMP hosts into groups of hosts. Each group of hosts contains one or more IGMP hosts. The IGMP router sends the GMQ signal to one group of hosts at a time and the GMQs are sent at regularly spaced-apart times throughout a GMQ interval predetermined for the IGMP router. The IGMP router processes the membership report after receiving a membership report from an IGMP host. The time spacing between adjacent GMQs is equal to the length of the GMQ interval divided by the number of groups of hosts. Each group of hosts is maintained to have at least a selected number of hosts.

Abstract: A system and method for performing IGMP at an router, GMQ on homes serviced by the IGMP router or channels. Each channel has a corresponding broadcast group characterized in that a plurality of the counters are provided at the IGMP router. Each counter is associated with the unique host and channel combination and is incremented after a response time interval, which begins when the IGMP router sends a GMQ message to the host, has elapsed and the IGMP router has failed to receive a Join report for the host and channel combination associated with that counter and responsive to a counter being equal to a selected robustness parameter, the host and channel combination associated with the counter is dropped from the broadcast group corresponding to the channel of that host and channel combination.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for configuring an identifier in accordance with a predetermined identification scheme for a particular component within a network, the particular component being incapable of providing one or more value(s) for parameters of the predetermined identification scheme is provided. The apparatus comprises a module for determining that the particular component requires the identifier in accordance with the predetermined identification scheme and a processor for configuring the identifier in accordance with the predetermined identification scheme using one or more parameter value(s) available for components incapable of providing the parameter value(s) in accordance with the predetermined identification scheme. In some embodiments the identifier is assigned to the component.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing electronic content distribution are provided. Transmission of electronic content on a communication link responsive to a request received from a communication device may be precluded by the transmission of other electronic content, due to bandwidth limitations on the communication link, for example. An electronic content query is transmitted to the communication device if termination of transmission of the other electronic content on the communication link is detected, and transmission of electronic content specified in a response to the electronic content query is then initiated. Connections within a communication system may be managed in a similar fashion, with an electronic content query being transmitted to a communication device which has requested a connection when termination of an existing connection for the communication device is detected.

Abstract: A method and system for querying a plurality of IGMP hosts supported by an IGMP router wherein the IGMP router logically subdivides the plurality of IGMP hosts into groups of hosts. Each group of hosts contains one or more IGMP hosts. The IGMP router sends the GMQ signal to one group of hosts at a time and the GMQs are sent at regularly spaced-apart times throughout a GMQ interval predetermined for the IGMP router. The IGMP router processes the membership report after receiving a membership report from an IGMP host. The time spacing between adjacent GMQs is equal to the length of the GMQ interval divided by the number of groups of hosts. Each group of hosts is maintained to have at least a selected number of hosts.

Abstract: A system and method for performing IGMP at an router, GMQ on homes serviced by the IGMP router or channels. Each channel has a corresponding broadcast group characterized in that a plurality of the counters are provided at the IGMP router. Each counter is associated with the unique host and channel combination and is incremented after a response time interval, which begins when the IGMP router sends a GMQ message to the host, has elapsed and the IGMP router has failed to receive a Join report for the host and channel combination associated with that counter and responsive to a counter being equal to a selected robustness parameter, the host and channel combination associated with the counter is dropped from the broadcast group corresponding to the channel of that host and channel combination.