The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 10, 2008
Filed:
Sep. 10, 2004
Ishan Wu, Cupertino, CA (US);
Nagarani Chandika, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ramana Mellacheruva, San Jose, CA (US);
Yiqun Cai, Cupertino, CA (US);
Ishan Wu, Cupertino, CA (US);
Nagarani Chandika, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ramana Mellacheruva, San Jose, CA (US);
Yiqun Cai, Cupertino, CA (US);
Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a downstream router to inform an upstream router by use of packets of a new router command protocol that the upstream router is to forward multicast packets of a specified group to the downstream router. First the downstream router transmits a HELLO packet to upstream router to inform the upstream router that the downstream router is a multicast router implementing the invention. Then, in the event that the downstream router receives a packet from an end station requesting multicast packets of a particular group, in response the downstream router sends a JOIN packet to the upstream router. The JOIN packet requests that the upstream router forward the requested group multicast packets to the downstream router. When a multicast group packet arrives at the upstream router, the upstream router forwards the packet to those downstream routers requesting that group.