Distributed automatic multicast address assignment device and method

1. A device for automatic multicast address assignment and conflict resolution for audio-visual (AV) streams multicast over a networked AV system, the device associated with a source for generating an AV stream, the device comprising:

a controller; and

a memory in communication with the controller, the memory comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the controller to:

monitor the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;

build a table in the memory, the table having a multicast address associated with each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;

automatically randomly select a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses;

compare the preliminary multicast address selected to the multicast addresses in the table;

repeat automatically randomly select a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses when the preliminary multicast address selected conflicts with a multicast address in the table; and

automatically assign the preliminary multicast address selected for association with the AV stream generated by the source associated with an encoder when the preliminary multicast address selected does not conflict with a multicast address in the table.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is the encoder.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by other encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with the encoder.

4. A method for automatic multicast address assignment and conflict resolution for audio-visual (AV) streams multicast over a networked AV system, the method performed by a device associated with a source for generating an AV stream, the device having a controller and an associated memory, the method comprising:

monitoring the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;

building a table in the memory, the table having a multicast address associated with each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;

automatically randomly selecting a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses;

comparing the preliminary multicast address selected to the multicast addresses in the table;

repeating automatically randomly selecting a preliminary multicast address from a defined range of addresses when the preliminary multicast address selected conflicts with a multicast address in the table; and

assigning the preliminary multicast address selected for association with the AV stream generated by the source associated with an encoder when the preliminary multicast address selected does not conflict with a multicast address in the table.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the device is the encoder.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by other encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with the encoder.

7. A device for automatically joining an audio-visual (AV) stream multicast over a networked AV system, the device associated with a destination for receiving an AV stream, the device comprising:

a controller; and

a memory in communication with the controller, the memory comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the controller to:

monitor the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;

build a list in the memory, the list including a name and an associated multicast address for each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;

automatically join an AV stream having a name found in the list based on the associated multicast address;

store the name of the AV stream automatically joined in the memory as a previously joined AV stream; and

automatically join the previously joined AV stream after a reboot of the device.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the device is a decoder.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with an encoder.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is manually selected by a user from the list.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is automatically selected from the list based on a selection criterion.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the controller to:

detect a change in the multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream; and

automatically move to the changed multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream to continue decoding the automatically joined AV stream.

13. A method for automatically joining an audio-visual (AV) stream multicast over a networked AV system, the method performed by a device associated with a destination for receiving an AV stream, the method comprising:

monitoring the networked AV system for messages associated with AV streams multicast over the networked AV system;

building a list including a name and an associated multicast address for each AV stream multicast over the networked AV system based on the messages associated with the AV streams;

automatically join an AV stream having a name found in the list based on the associated multicast address;

storing the name of the AV stream automatically joined as a previously joined AV stream; and

automatically joining the previously joined AV stream after a reboot of the device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the device is a decoder.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the messages associated with AV streams comprise Session Announcement Protocol messages broadcast by encoders, each message comprising information about a stream name and an associated multicast address for an AV stream generated by a source associated with an encoder.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is manually selected by a user from the list.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the name of the AV stream automatically joined is automatically selected from the list based on a selection criterion.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting a change in the multicast address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream; and

automatically moving to the changed address associated with the name of the automatically joined AV stream to continue decoding the automatically joined AV stream.