Cell dependent multi-group hybrid automatic repeat method for multicast in wireless networks

1. A method, said method comprising:

receiving a registration message in unicast;

transmitting a reply to said registration message in unicast;

receiving a recovery request message from a client in a multicast group;

transmitting recovery data in multicast to the multicast group responsive to said recovery request message, wherein said recovery request message includes instructions determining that said recovery data comprises one of forward error correction packets or source data or both forward error correcting data and source data;

transmitting a message to the multicast group to determine status of said recovery multicast group; and

receiving notification that a recovery timeout has occurred.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said registration message has already been joined; and

joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,

determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said recovery request message has already been joined; and

joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a registration message in unicast;

means for transmitting a reply to said registration message in unicast;

means for receiving a recovery request message from a client in a multicast group;

means for transmitting recovery data in multicast to the multicast group responsive to said recovery request message, wherein said recovery request message includes instructions determining that said recovery data comprises one of forward error correction packets or source data or both forward error correcting data and source data;

means for transmitting a message to the multicast group to determine status of said recovery multicast group; and

means for receiving notification that a recovery timeout has occurred.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

means for determining if a device is a member of a recovery multicast group; and

means for leaving said recovery multicast group, and wherein said leaving is performed if no other devices have replied to said recovery multicast group message and a delay time has expired.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

means for determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said registration message has already been joined; and

means for joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,

means for determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said recovery request message has already been joined; and

means for joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.

8. A recovery server, comprising:

a control module in communication with a communcations interface, said control module receiving a registration message;

said control module in communication with said communications interface, transmitting a reply to said registration message;

said control module in communication with said communications interface, receiving a recovery request message;

an automatic repeat request process module in communication with a data receiving and transmiting module which is in communication with said communications interface, transmitting recovery data responsive to said recovery request message, wherein said transmission of said recovery data is retransmission of forward error correction packets or retransmission of source data or retransmission of both said forward error correcting data and said source data;

said automatic repeat request process module in communication with said data receiving and transmiting module which is in communication with said communications interface, transmitting a message to a recovery multicast group to determine status of said recovery multicast group; and

said control module in communication with said communications interface, receiving notification that a recovery timeout has occurred.

9. The recovery server according to claim 8 , further comprising:

said control module determining if a device is a member of a recovery multicast group; and

said control module in communication with said communications interface, leaving said recovery multicast group, and wherein said leaving is performed if no other devices have replied to said recovery multicast group message and a delay time has expired.

10. The recovery server according to claim 8 , further comprising:

said control module determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said registration message has already been joined; and

said control module joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.

11. The recovery server according to claim 4 , further comprising

said control module determining if a recovery multicast group specified in said recovery request message has already been joined; and

said control module joining said recovery multicast group if said recovery multicast group has not already been joined.