Importance

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Abstract

A computer-implemented method for tunneling content across a network in which the content has been configured into a digital format compatible with a player. Prior to starting a broadcast session, an announcement is transmitted across the network which contains control information concerning the broadcast session. The control information permits controlled reception of the configured content and includes a start-time. The configured content is encapsulated into a format that supports multicast distribution and controlled reception at particular machines. The configured content is multicast across the network in the encapsulated format to a multiplicity of machines in accordance with the start-time included in the announcement. The control information is used to selectively permit reception at particular ones of the multiplicity of machines, and the encapsulation is stripped from the multicast transmission at the particular machines. As a result, the multicast of the encapsulated data is compatible with the players on the particular machines. A system for implementing UDP tunneling multicasting method is also disclosed.

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First Claim