Paper on Multicast Support over "next-generation" DVB-based satellite systems

Hi,

I would like to announce you our work on multicast support over 
DVB-based satellite systems that will appear in JSAC Journal which I 
guess may interest some of you:

Title:
Efficient Support of IP Multicast in the Next-Generation of GEO Satellites

Abstract:

The satellites are expected to have an important role in providing the 
IP multicast service to complementing next generation terrestrial networks.
In this paper, we focus on the deployment of IP multicast over the 
next-generation of DVB-based GEO satellites supporting multiple 
spot-beams and on-board switching technologies. We propose a new 
encapsulation scheme optimized for IP multicast which has two distinct 
modes enabling two alternative on-board switching approaches: the 
self-switching and the label-switching. We also detail a set of 
mechanisms and protocols for ground stations as well as for the on-board 
processor to allow an efficient multicast forwarding in such type of 
environment, while reducing the load of control and data messages in the 
satellite segment, and building efficient multicast delivery trees 
reaching only the spot beams containing at least one member of the 
corresponding multicast session.
To integrate satellite links in the terrestrial Internet, we present 
SMAP (Satellite Multicast Adaptation Protocol), a protocol which is 
implemented in satellite stations to process incoming PIM-SM messages 
sent by terrestrial nodes to the satellite system. SMAP helps to update 
the tables required for the mapping between IP packets and MPEG-2 data