Abstract: A UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) core network supports a compression framework that provides for header compression of General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP)-Encapsulated Packets. In particular; the GTP/UDP(User Datagram Protocol)/IP(Internet Protocol) header is compressed. In addition, the UMTS core network also supports RTP(Real Time Protocol)/UDP/IP header compression independent of the GTP/UDP/IP header compression.

Abstract: A Network Access Server incorporates a “hand-off” feature that allows the NAS to transfer an existing PPP connection from one NAS to another NAS. In particular, 3 new control messages are defined for use in the NAS. Namely: (i) Continued Call Request, (ii) Continued Call Reply, and (iii) Continued Call Connect. These 3 new control messages comprise a L2TP control message header, message identifier (e.g., continued call request, etc.), and a number of fields.

Abstract: A Quality of Service (QoS) provision for voice and other delay sensitive call connections established over the Internet and other packet-based networks is achieved by generating a QoS performance parameter value corresponding to the performance of one or more packet-based call connections utilizing common packet network resources, comparing the QoS performance parameter value to an acceptable range of QoS values, and terminating one or more call connections utilizing common packet network resources if the QoS performance parameter value does not fall within the acceptable range of QoS values.

Abstract: Local mobility within a subnet is supported by classifying wireless base stations, and the routers used to forward packets to those base stations, within defined domains. Domains are defined to incorporate a subnet having a plurality of base stations. Base stations are used by mobile devices to attach to the wired portion of a packet-based network, such as the Internet, and exchange packets thereover with a correspondent node. Packets sent from the correspondent node to the mobile device have a packet destination address corresponding to the mobile device. The mobile device retains this address for the duration of time it is powered up and attached to the Internet via any base station within a given domain. Host-based routing is utilized to update routing table entries corresponding to the mobile device at routers incorporated within a single domain.

Abstract: Overhead is reduced and packet transport efficiency is increased for a flow of switched packets from a router by identifying a plurality of packets having a common destination node within a network and transmitting at least one control message to establish the flow of switched packets; the at least one control message including: (i) a label mapping message corresponding to the flow of switched packets and (ii) a header removal field. Packet headers corresponding to packets of a switched packet flow are not parsed, therefore either the entire header, or a portion of the header, may be removed from each packet assigned a label. A header removal field is shared among routers while signaling to establish a labeled flow. The header removal field is used to provide header structure information to those routers which will be utilized for transport of the subsequent labeled flow.

Abstract: Efficient transmission and fairness guarantees for upstream traffic in ATM-PONs are achieved using a partial back pressure (PBP) technique for traffic generated from user network interface (UNI) cards, e.g. Ethernet UNI cards or other network interface cards for non-constant bit rate sources. The PBP technique utilizes a feedback flow control mechanism between priority queues and UNI cards in a customer-side interface device, e.g. an Optical Network Termination unit, to achieve improved transmission efficiency and fairness guarantees of incoming traffic. The peak upstream rate of the UNI cards is dynamically controlled based on feedback information from the interface device where a queue status monitor observes the traffic level in the priority queue. Upon reaching a designated threshold level in the priority queue, the status monitor triggers activation of rate controllers in the upstream output of the UNI cards. The rate controllers reduce the peak output of the UNI cards to a controlled peak rate.

Abstract: In a multicast network, a method is employed for selecting a low cost multicast conference tree subject to an end-to-end delay constraint for transmissions between any two nodes in the tree that terminate conference participants. The method employs a constrained minimum cost Steiner tree selection technique that integrates facilities costs and a delay constraint into a single objective function to be minimized as the tree is incrementally configured. The method also incorporates a unique path delay metric (delta diameter) that indicates the effect on end-to-end delay resulting from the incremental addition of a next node to the Steiner tree.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP)-based network incorporates an application level switching server and a number of packet endpoints. A packet endpoint multiplexes application sessions destined for different packet endpoints into one multiplexed session that is terminated with the application level switching server. The latter extracts each application session (or packets associated therewith) and repackages, or switches, them into other multiplexed sessions such that at least two switched packets are transmitted to different packet endpoints. The multiplexed sessions utilize either RTP/UDP/IP or UDP/IP encapsulation.

Abstract: Arrangements and methods for improving the probability of finding a connection path that meets user specified delay requirements. The improvements offer packet switches enhanced path selection that will improve the resource utilization of networks, both flat networks and hierarchical networks incorporating such switches. The latter type of networks run the path selection algorithm in the PNNI v1.0 standard where the packet switches are asynchronous transfer mode switches. Two modes of enhanced delay-based path selection are based on two different accumulation methods, namely an additive method and an asymptotic method.

Abstract: Domains are defined to incorporate a subnet including a plurality of base stations and routers. Base stations are used by mobile devices to attach to the wired portion of a packet-based network, such as the Internet, and exchange packets thereover with a correspondent node. Local mobility between domain base stations is provided by including and updating routing table entries at domain routers and base stations for forwarding packets having a mobile device's address as a destination address to the mobile device. Packets are delivered to the mobile device regardless of the domain base station to which the mobile device is attached. When a mobile device is attached to a base station included within a foreign domain, a care-of address is assigned, and packets are tunneled for delivery of packets to the mobile device. Only one care-of address is required per mobile device per foreign domain.

Abstract: Traffic on a connectionless (CL) network, such as IP packets, can be routed onto a connection a connection oriented (CO) network, such as an ATM telephony network, when it is advantageous to do so from a user or service provider viewpoint, without affecting the ability of users to continue to use existing applications. Routing is controlled by nodes called CL-CO gateways, with connectivity to both the CL network and the Co network. When CL traffic originating at a source reached these gateway nodes, a decision is made whether to continue carrying the information in the CL mode, or to redirect the traffic to a CO network.

Abstract: A protective tape used to protect an electrical connection from the effects of ultraviolet radiation. The protective tape comprises a silicone gel that contains a UV inhibitor such as zinc oxide. The protective tape is used to wrap a connection, such as a coaxial connection, in order to provide a long lasting, secure environment for the connection and to shield against the effects of UV radiation that can otherwise cause a deterioration of tape. As one embodiment, the silicone gel is a two layer gel with each layer having a different hardness. The tape is formed by casting the silicone gel on a suitable backing and that backing is removed from the tape at the time the tape is used to wrap around the electrical connection.

Abstract: A tunneling optimization is described in which packets are forwarded from a home agent to a mobile device by co-locating a foreign agent corresponding to a mobile device at the mobile device. When a mobile device acquires a new foreign agent, the mobile device notifies the home agent as to the corresponding foreign agent address. A packet received at the home agent having the mobile device as a packet header destination address is parsed and the foreign agent address is substituted for the mobile device address, and the packet is forwarded to the foreign agent. The foreign agent, upon receiving the packet, removes the foreign agent address and replaces the mobile device address as the packet header destination address. The packet is then forwarded to the mobile device.

Abstract: The management of a telephone network is enhanced by arranging an associated operations system so that it correlates related messages, e.g., alarm messages, that may be received from different elements forming the network. Advantageously, then, related messages may be displayed together on the display of a terminal, rather than intermingling those messages on the display with other unrelated messages in some predetermined order, such as the order in which the messages are received. In this way a user may view and readily determine the underlying cause which prompted the generation of displayed correlated messages.

Abstract: An ATM network element receives a stream of data associated with a particular user. This data stream is further partitioned into frames and ATM cells. A predefined traffic set is associated with the user. The ATM network element evaluates the received data stream for conformance to the user's traffic set at every frame boundary. If a particular frame is conforming, the ATM network element provides a predefined quality of service (QoS) to the user. If a particular frame is non-conforming (and hence there is no commitment to the user of the corresponding QoS), the next (future) frame is evaluated only on the basis of the traffic characteristics of past conforming frames and the future frame. That is, past non-conforming user generated traffic is not used to determine any QoS commitments to future user generated traffic.

Abstract: A virtual dial-up service is provided via multiple Internet Service Provides (ISPs). In particular, a remote user accesses the virtual dial-up service by establishing a connection to a serving ISP. The Serving ISP establishes a first tunnel to an anchor ISP. The latter establishes a tunnel to, e.g., a private intranet. As a result, a virtual private network (VPN) service is provided that enables remote access, via multiple tunnels, to a private network.

Abstract: The number of packet routing addresses utilized within a wired subnet offering wireless services via subnet base stations is reduced by assigning a packet routing address to a wireless device accessing a wired subnet upon power up of the wireless device. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is utilized to assign the packet routing addresses, and supplies addresses either directly or indirectly via a node acting as a DHCP relay for a DHCP server. If the assigned packet routing address is a care-of address for a foreign domain, the address is released upon wireless device power down or upon handoff of the wireless device to a new domain. If the assigned packet routing address is an address for the wireless device within a home domain, the address is released upon wireless device power down.

Abstract: Local area networks are dynamically connected to one another by a switching system only when there is a packet to be exchanged between the two local area networks, otherwise the local area networks operate as separate and independent local area networks. The switching system can concurrently interconnect multi-pairs of local area networks together. The overall capacity of the local area networks interconnected via the switching system is increased since the local area networks operate free of other local area networks except when directly exchanging packets with another local area network. The switching system comprises a space switching unit and switch interface units with each switch interface unit interconnecting an individual local area network to the space switching unit.

Abstract: A multi-fiber optical delay line incorporates a plurality of optical fibers nestedly positioned and affixed to a planar substrate. The fibers include input portions that are linearly and proximately positioned on the substrate, and of equivalent length. The fibers also include output portions that are linearly and proximately positioned on the substrate, and of equivalent length. The input and output portions of each fiber are interconnected by a u-shaped connecting portion, and each connecting portion is positioned to have a unique and predetermined length. The predetermined lengths are selected such that differences in length between a shortest fiber and another fiber in the plurality of fibers are equivalent to a fiber length that would be traversed by the input signal during a time period required for the transmission of a predetermined number of bits in the digital signal.