Rapid media channel changing mechanism and access network node comprising same

1. A method, comprising:

storing packets of a media stream in a buffer of an access node, wherein said packets are stored based on decision information used to determine whether or not to temporarily store all received packets of the media stream as the buffer receives them and wherein said decision information includes at least one of a particular number of requests for receiving the media stream received at the access node within a specified period of time and a number of recipients presently viewing the video stream when such media stream is received by the buffer;

receiving from a decoder a request for reception of the media stream; and

unicasting at least a portion of said packets of the media stream from the access node directly to the decoder in response to receiving the request for reception; and

performing said unicasting such that packet transmission of said unicasting is in temporal alignment with packet transmission of a corresponding media stream being provided to a plurality of other decoders via multicasting from the access node, wherein unicasting said packets such that packet transmission of said unicasting is in temporal alignment with packet transmission of said corresponding multicast media stream includes selectively discarding a portion of said unicast packets;

providing the media stream to the decoder via said multicasting after said packet transmission of said unicasting is brought into temporal alignment with packet transmission of the corresponding media stream; and terminating said unicasting.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: assessing storage decision information upon which a determination for storing said packets of the media stream in the buffer is made, wherein said storing is performed in response to said storage decision information indicating that said packets of the media stream should be stored in the buffer and wherein said storage decision information includes at least one of a number of requests for receiving the media stream received at the access node within a specified period of time, and a number of recipients presently viewing the video stream, and historic viewership information for the media stream.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: forwarding the request for reception from the access node for reception by a more centrally located network element in response to determining that none of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: assessing information upon which a determination is made for storing said packets of the media stream in the buffer, wherein said storing is performed in response to said information indicating that said packets of the media stream should be stored in the buffer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: assessing information for determining whether said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to a media stream designated identifier in the request for reception, wherein said unicasting is performed in response to determining that at least a portion of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception; and forwarding the request for reception from the access node for reception by a more centrally located network element in response to determining that none of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.

6. A method, comprising:

multicasting a media stream for reception by a plurality of requesting decoders; storing packets of the media stream in a buffer of an access node, wherein said packets are stored based on decision information used to determine whether or not to temporarily store all received packets of the media stream as the buffer receives them and wherein said decision information includes at least one of a particular number of requests for receiving the media stream received at the access node within a specified period of time and a number of recipients presently viewing the video stream when such media stream is received by the buffer; and

unicasting at least a portion of said packets of the media stream from the access node for reception by a new requesting decoder in response to receiving from the new requesting decoder a request for reception designating a media stream identifier corresponding to the media stream; and

providing the media stream to the new decoder via said multicasting after bringing packet transmission of said unicasting into temporal alignment with packet transmission of said multicasting, wherein unicasting said packets such that packet transmission of said unicasting is in temporal alignment with packet transmission of said corresponding multicast media stream includes selectively discarding a portion of said unicast packets.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: forwarding the request for reception from the access node for reception by a more centrally located network element in response to determining that none of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.

8. An access network element, comprising:

at least one data processing device;

a buffer connected to said at least one data processing device;

memory connected to said at least one data processing device;

a network-facing network interface connected to said at least one data processing device;

a CPE-facing network interface connected to said at least one data processing device and instructions accessible from said memory and processable by said at least one data processing device, wherein said instructions are configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate: storing packets of a media stream in the buffer, wherein said packets are stored based on decision information used to determine whether or not to temporarily store all received packets of the media stream as the buffer receives them and wherein said decision information includes at least one of a particular number of requests for receiving the media stream received at the access node within a specified period of time and a number of recipients presently viewing the video stream when such media stream is received by the buffer; receiving from a decoder a request for reception of the media stream; and

unicasting at least a portion of said packets of the media stream from the access node for reception by the decoder in response to receiving the request for reception;

wherein said instructions are further configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate: performing said unicasting such that packet transmission of said unicasting is in temporal alignment with packet transmission of a corresponding media stream being provided to a plurality of other decoders via multicasting from the access node, wherein unicasting said packets such that packet transmission of said unicasting is in temporal alignment with packet transmission of said corresponding multicast media stream includes selectively discarding a portion of said unicast packets; and providing the media stream to the decoder via said multicasting after said packet transmission of said unicasting is brought into temporal alignment with packet transmission of the corresponding media stream.

9. The access network element of claim 8 wherein: said instructions are further configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate determining whether said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to a media stream identifier designated in the request for reception; and said unicasting is performed in response to determining that at least a portion of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.

10. The access network element of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate forwarding the request for reception from the access node for reception by a more centrally located network element in response to determining that none of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.

11. The access network element of claim 8 wherein said instructions are further configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate determining whether said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to a media stream identifier designated in the request for reception; said unicasting is performed in response to determining that at least a portion of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception; and said instructions are further configured for enabling said at least one data processing device to facilitate forwarding the request for reception from the access node for reception by a more centrally located network element in response to determining that none of said packets of the media stream stored in the buffer correspond to the media stream identifier designated in the request for reception.