Why Multicast?

Multicast is the most cost-effective way to broadcast data or images from any one point to a multitude of receivers. But it has always had several shortcomings: a propensity to have packet loss (poor reliability), lack of a standard for security and the lack of support from Internet Service Providers making IP Multicast unavailable.

Broadband (Unicast) is expensive to create because it requires a one to one broadcast-receiver relationship like a telephone connection.  During the attack of September 11, 2001, the Internet suffered several interesting failures. The news giants CNN.COM, MSNBC.COM and many other news related sites crashed and ceased to function for 12 or more hours owing to high traffic. Had those services (web pages) and their distribution infrastructures used IP Multicast they would not have failed.

It would be impossible using current broadband Unicast technology to create an Internet television broadcast to multiple desktops in a targeted office.  The bandwidth (data space) consumed by such a transmission would saturate the office building’s connection to the Internet. Most businesses have broadband Internet access, even so they are limited by the size of their service. Traditional Internet transmissions are expensive because they utilize “one-to-one” technology.  This means that each end-user receives a single and distinct signal directly from a remote sending station.  Each signal transmission takes up an identical amount of bandwidth (data space allowed). Therefore, depending upon the number of requested viewers, each discreet event broadcasted could take up an enormous amount of bandwidth.  Unlike traditional Internet transmissions (also called Unicast), Multicasting is akin to television or radio, where ONE signal is transmitted, and any number of potential users can access them (as easily as turning a dial) without any additional usage of valuable bandwidth.  In fact, with Multicasting the more end-users who participate in the transmission the greater the efficiency in both cost, speed, and ease of dissemination of information, be it direct, real-time, photographs of the factory floor as seen from a camera, or transmissions of important strategic meetings for those unable to attend.

In short, IP Multicasting is less expensive than broadband Unicasting. 

Why is World Multicast unique among its competitors?

World Multicast holds six patents (3 issued; 3 published/pending) that provide protection for its Multicasting infrastructure network solutions. WMI’s technical staff has over eleven years experience in Multicasting research and development. To sum up, WMI is well endowed with proprietary assets, solutions, and leadership unattainable by its competition.

World Multicast’s Patents

6,870,843  Self implementing multicast level escalation 

A system, method and computer readable medium for allowing multicast receiving at a user computer coupled to a subnetwork that is coupled to a public data network. The present invention determines if a request to receive a multicast signal has occurred, tests a subnetwork for a first multicasting protocol, if it is a request to receive a multicast signal was determined to have occurred, implements the first multicasting protocol, if the result of the test is above a criteria. If the result of the test is below the criteria, the invention tests a subnetwork for a subsequent multicasting protocol and implements the subsequent multicasting protocol if the Ad result of the test is above the criteria. The testing of a subnetwork for a subsequent multicasting protocol and implementing the subsequent multicasting protocol, is repeated until the result of the test is above the criteria.

11 6,731,813  Self adapting frame intervals 

A computer processor implemented video compression method and computer program product for automatically adjusting frame interval during compression of a video signal. The method determines a video motion value from the video signal, determines frame interval according to the determined video motion value, and automatically adjusts the frame interval according to the determined frame interval.

6,792,154  Video compression system and method using time 

A system and method for compressing a video image. The system includes an object database and a compression processor coupled to the object database for receiving video image information from a video source. The compression processor includes an image analyzer for determining status of one or more pixels of the video image over time, a shape determiner for determining a shape that defines a group of pixels that are determined to have the same status over a period of time, an object retriever for retrieving an object from the object database that corresponds to the determined shape from a stored set of objects, and a saving component for saving information relating to the selected object and dimensional information of the determined shape.

2007,0025,373 METHOD FOR SECURE RELIABLE POINT TO MULTI-POINT BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS 

Systems and methods for sending secure reliable point to multi-point communication on any communication infrastructure. The infrastructure is not required to conform to any specifications of this invention other than be capable of point to point communications. The system consists of a protocol that allows for Secure Reliable point to multi-point communications irregardless of the support for such communications. This invention does not rely on the Internet or ATM or any other point to point or point to multi-point communications infrastructure.

ASN# 10/085,524 -  2003,0163,690 Method for secure multicast repeating on the public Internet 

A system and method for sending a secure multicast transmission. The system includes a computer system coupled to a public network and configured to generate a multicast broadcast, and encrypt the generated multicast broadcast. The system also includes a router coupled to the public network, and a user system configured to request to join a multicast broadcast, wherein the user system is associated with the router. The router is configured to retrieve the encrypted multicast broadcast from the computer system over the public network, decrypt the sent multicast broadcast, and send the decrypted multicast broadcast to the user system requesting to join. 

The whole development flows from our original technology where we combined secure Multicast transmissions with reliable technology.  This data transmission system has been fully developed and thoroughly tested for security and reliability.

World Multicast software solutions:

World Multicast has been able to leap ahead of the industry because all research and development in IP Multicast halted as a result of the high tech crash which began in 2000.  We used the opportunity to develop an entire suite of IP Multicast tools targeted to multiple computer operating systems. The software has graphical user interfaces and command line modes.  Because SMART is software based, as opposed to hardware, the deployment at internet service providers' (ISPs') network operations centers comes with little capitalization. All centers for ISP’s have many computers running and SMART runs on Windows, Linux, and MAC OSX.

How Can World Multicast Help You Apply These New Technologies to Your Business? 

The current Internet Multicast infrastructure fails to provide Availability, Security, and Reliability for IP Multicasts. With World Multicast’s software overcoming the limitations of the current Internet infrastructure, IP Multicast has many cost saving and important applications for business.

Availability

World Multicast’s software SMART enables IP Multicasts even in non-Multicast enabled networks.  The end user does not need to re-configure their network. No change of service is needed. Information technology departments will love the products' ease of use.

Security 

World Multicast, Inc.’s secure SMART  Multicasting begins with your own private “key” encrypting the data to be transmitted from a private network.  The encrypted data is then routed securely to an IP Multicast enabled intranet or Public Internet.  Once on the private intranet (or Public Internet), the information is routed to any number of requesters.  Upon receipt, the encrypted information is then decrypted for use by the authorized end user. 

Reliability

Currently, any Multicast transmission faces the potential of less than 100% data transmission.  World Multicast, Inc. has solved this problem by utilizing a system that “piggy-backs” its Multicast transmission on a single, discrete broadband signal.  By “blending” the signals together, World Multicast, Inc. delivers an intact, real-time data stream to any number of potential end-users.

With these technical hurdles crossed, a whole new world of information availability opens up to business.  If all business information to be disseminated is Multicast, the total amount of bandwidth required can be drastically reduced.

Example of IP Multicast Application to Business

In our example, the CEO’s annual address to employees is to be transmitted by Secure Reliable IP Multicast to all branch offices using approximately 350 kilobits of data per second.

• Video -  240K  30 frames a second w/ 320 x 240 resolution.  (Using properly configured compression de-compression algorithms and interpolation of the final picture this amount of bandwidth can yield a very near Television quality picture.)
• Audio – 40K  44.1 Sample rate Mono.

Since the video is Multicast, the number of branch offices observing the video is irrelevant to the bandwidth consumed by the amount of viewers. There will never be more than one stream of data (video) leaving the corporate headquarters, or any of the other branch offices for that matter. The same stream can be routed to multiple locations. If a branch office had five hundred (500) viewers at their desktops, it would still only take ONE stream of data to feed the whole office (see diagram).

Why World Multicast, Inc?

Before the crash of the “Technology Bubble,” a tremendous amount of research was being done in the area of Multicast; however, World Multicast was well beyond the research phase at this point. World Multicast's Secure Reliable Multicast has been in service since 2001. Since the Technology crash, World Multicast is to our knowledge the only company that continued researching Secure Reliable Multicasting solutions.

We are well ahead of our competitors because our patented Reliable Multicast technology is scalable and secure.  The only other commercially available Reliable Multicast schemes re-multicasts data that is missing at the receiver. Because different receivers would be missing different packets of data, this type of solution is rendered invalid.  In addition, most current Reliable Multicast research has not taken security into consideration.  The only way to solve this problem is by sending the secure replacement information only to where it is needed. World Multicast Inc’s secure reliable multicast technology is the most efficient way to retrieve lost data packets. Like a Multicast VPN (Virtual Private Network), it also provides for a mechanism to keep the data private.

By using World Multicast's patented Secure Reliable (point to multi-point) technology, your business could become more efficient and save money on the exponential costs of bandwidth consumed by current “point to point” technology.

Summary

Current communications technologies are providing substantial increases in bandwidth every year, increasing the capacity to move large volumes of data quickly.  The incredible brawn and speed of these technologies are giving the businesspersons unparalleled control over goods and services and all but eliminating the barriers of time and distance.  However, in light of the ever present, if not increased, pressure to reduce business spending, Mulitcasting is an inexpensive, reliable, and secure alternative to current broadband-based Unicast. These Multicasting technologies must be utilized to adequately and wisely prepare your business in these competitive times.