Abstract: A method of improving the performance of an access network for coupling one or more user devices to an application server, said method comprising encoding, using one of one or more encoders, data using a network performance enhancing coding (NPEC); transmitting the encoded data; receiving the encoded data; decoding, using one of one or more decoders, the encoded data using said NPEC; and receiving the decoded data at either of said application server or said one or more user devices.

Abstract: A method or system for efficiently routing a file located on two or more sources to one or more file recipients connected by a plurality of paths in one or more networks. For each file recipient, one or more predetermined utility functions are evaluated to select the most efficient one of the plurality of paths to use for routing the file to the one or more file recipients, and the file is routed to the one or more file recipient using the selected path. The predetermined utility function may be the estimated operating expense associated with the routing of the file to the one or more file recipients, or the estimated return on investment for improving the routing of said file to the one or more recipients, or is related to an estimated file transfer time to the one or more file recipients.

Abstract: A network arbiter and associated method for linking and controlling the rate of data transmission between a sender on a connected network and a client with an advertised receive window are disclosed. The network arbiter comprises a downstream temporary storage for temporarily storing data in transmission from the sender to the client, an upstream temporary storage for temporarily storing data in transmission from the client to the sender and a processor operatively connected to the downstream temporary storage and the upstream temporary storage. The processor is configured to alter the advertised receive window in order to modulate the rate of data transmission.

Abstract: A system transports a plurality of UDP datagrams from a sending application to a receiving application by creating a TCP tunnel between a TCP sending-end and a TCP receiving-end, encapsulating the datagrams in TCP packets at the TCP transmitting-end, transmitting the TCP packets via the TCP tunnel to the TCP receiving-end over a network using a TCP/IP protocol, and extracting the datagrams from the TCP packet and forwarding the extracted datagrams to the receiving application. The TCP tunnel may provide the same delay and responsiveness as UDP protocol. The TCP receiving-end may detect when a packet is missing and request retransmission when a packet is missing, so that the TCP sending-end retransmits the missing packets. The transmitting of TCP packets to the TCP receiving-end continues when the receiving-end detects a missing packet, so that there is no lag in the forwarding of the extracted datagrams. Retransmitted packets may be discarded.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.

Abstract: A method of reducing the bandwidth usage of a network comprises intercepting traffic between a TCP server and a TCP client using TCP protocols that use client acknowledgements; identifying client acknowledgements from the TCP protocols; identifying the sequence number of a last received client acknowledgements from the intercepted traffic; identifying the sequence number of a last sent client acknowledgement from the intercepted traffic; calculating an unacknowledged byte value based on the difference between the last received client acknowledgement sequence number and the last sent client acknowledgement sequence number; comparing the calculated unacknowledged byte value with a predetermined threshold value, to determine whether the calculated unacknowledged byte value is at least as great as the predetermined threshold value; and transmitting the identified client acknowledgements into the network when the compared unacknowledged byte value is at least as great as the predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transporting data between two endpoints over an encoded channel are disclosed. Data transmission units (data units) from the source network are received at an encoding component logically located between the endpoints. These first data units are subdivided into second data units and are transmitted to the destination network over the transport network. Also transmitted are encoded or extra second data units that allow the original first data units to be recreated even if some of the second data units are lost. These encoded second data units may be merely copies of the second data units transmitted, parity second data units, or second data units which have been encoded using erasure correcting coding. At the receiving endpoint, the second data units are received and are used to recreate the original first data units.

Abstract: A system located on either side of a wireless network for reducing the amount of collisions in the wireless network comprises a TCP server in communication with a TCP client using TCP protocols that use client acknowledgements, and an acknowledgement-summarizing device adapted to summarize at least one client acknowledgement from the TCP protocols in a summarizing acknowledgement, and to transmit the summarizing acknowledgement into the wireless network. The acknowledgement-summarizing device may be replaced or combined with an acknowledgement-aggregating device located on either side of the wireless network and adapted to aggregate one or more client acknowledgements from the TCP protocols into an encoded packet and to transmit the encoded packet into the wireless network.

Abstract: A method of improving the performance of an access network for coupling one or more user devices to an application server, the method comprising encoding, using one of one or more encoders, data using a network performance enhancing coding (NPEC); transmitting the encoded data; receiving the encoded data; decoding, using one of one or more decoders, the encoded data using the NPEC; and receiving the decoded data at either of the application server or the one or more user devices.

Abstract: A method of reducing the bandwidth usage of a network comprises intercepting traffic between a TCP server and a TCP client using TCP protocols that use client acknowledgements; identifying client acknowledgements from the TCP protocols; identifying the sequence number of a last received client acknowledgements from the intercepted traffic; identifying the sequence number of a last sent client acknowledgement from the intercepted traffic; calculating an unacknowledged byte value based on the difference between the last received client acknowledgement sequence number and the last sent client acknowledgement sequence number; comparing the calculated unacknowledged byte value with a predetermined threshold value, to determine whether the calculated unacknowledged byte value is at least as great as the predetermined threshold value; and transmitting the identified client acknowledgements into the network when the compared unacknowledged byte value is at least as great as the predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.

Abstract: A group video messaging method stores user information identifying authorized users of a video messaging system, and provides a user interface to the video messaging system. The user interface permits authorized users to transfer video files to the video messaging system for storage and retrieval, and to identify criteria for other authorized users to access each transferred video file. The method also stores in the video messaging system the video files transferred to the system by the authorized users; stores information identifying the user that transferred each stored video file to the video messaging system, and the criteria for authorized users to access the stored video files; and stores information identifying different groups of the authorized users and which of the stored video files are to be accessible to each of the authorized users or authorized user groups.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transporting data between two endpoints over an encoded channel are disclosed. Data transmission units (data units) from the source network are received at an encoding component logically located between the endpoints. These first data units are subdivided into second data units and are transmitted to the destination network over the transport network. Also transmitted are encoded or extra second data units that allow the original first data units to be recreated even if some of the second data units are lost. These encoded second data units may be merely copies of the second data units transmitted, parity second data units, or second data units which have been encoded using erasure correcting coding. At the receiving endpoint, the second data units are received and are used to recreate the original first data units.

Abstract: A system is provided for improving the performance of an access network for coupling user devices to an application server. The system includes a user device coupled to an intermediate server via the access network. The user device has a processor adapted to encode data using a network performance enhancing coding (NPEC), and to transmit the encoded data via the access network to the intermediate server. The intermediate server is adapted to receive the encoded data and has a processor adapted to decode the encoded data using the NPEC, and to transmit the decoded data to the application server.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.

Abstract: A group video messaging method stores user information identifying authorized users of a video messaging system, and provides a user interface to the video messaging system. The user interface permits authorized users to transfer video files to the video messaging system for storage and retrieval, and to identify criteria for other authorized users to access each transferred video file. The method also stores in the video messaging system the video files transferred to the system by the authorized users; stores information identifying the user that transferred each stored video file to the video messaging system, and the criteria for authorized users to access the stored video files; and stores information identifying different groups of the authorized users and which of the stored video files are to be accessible to each of the authorized users or authorized user groups.

Abstract: A system located on either side of a wireless network for reducing the amount of collisions in the wireless network comprises a TCP server in communication with a TCP client using TCP protocols that use client acknowledgements, and an acknowledgement-summarizing device adapted to summarize at least one client acknowledgement from the TCP protocols in a summarizing acknowledgement, and to transmit the summarizing acknowledgement into the wireless network. The acknowledgement-summarizing device may be replaced or combined with an acknowledgement-aggregating device located on either side of the wireless network and adapted to aggregate one or more client acknowledgements from the TCP protocols into an encoded packet and to transmit the encoded packet into the wireless network.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.

Abstract: A system for congestion control of traffic in a network that uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) includes a plurality of TCP congestion control programs having one or more parameters, a plurality of TCP congestion control units running the TCP congestion control programs, and a TCP mapper adapted to map incoming TCP traffic flow from a plurality of incoming TCP traffic flows to the TCP congestion control units based on at least one of (a) the type of application program from which the incoming TCP traffic flow originated (b) the type of network for which the incoming TCP traffic flow is destined, (c) parameters related to network performance (d) network constraints (e) source of the incoming TCP traffic flow, and (f) destination of the incoming TCP traffic flow.