Abstract: An edge device is used to support a backbone provider bridging network to facilitate interconnection of a plurality of networks. The edge device is coupled between the backbone and a first one of the networks, and is operable to encapsulate data units received from the first network with a header, and to forward the encapsulated data unit to the backbone. The header is indicative of a tunnel that is used to support traffic from the first network to a second network over the backbone. The edge device also de-encapsulates data units received from the backbone that are destined for the first network.

Abstract: The invention relates to enabling differential forwarding in address-based carrier networks such as Ethernet networks. There is described a method of and connection controller for establishing connections (76, 77) in a frame-based communications network comprising nodes (71-75 and 78) such as Ethernet switches. The connections are established by configuring, in various of the nodes, mappings for forwarding data frames, such as Ethernet frames. The mappings are from a combination of a) a destination (or source) address corresponding to a destination (or source) node (73) of the connection and b) an identifier, such as a VLAN tag. The mappings are to selected output ports of the various nodes. By using the combination of destination (or source) address AND identifier, the mappings enable data frames belonging to different connections (76, 77) to be forwarded differentially (ie forwarded on different output ports) at a node (75) despite the different connections having the same destination node.

Abstract: According to a commercial method of the present invention, a merchant forwards transaction data to a consumer. If the consumer accepts the transaction, a payment command is forwarded to a service provider. The service provider selectively applies authentication before approving payment. Once payment is approved, the service provider forwards a payment instruction, including consumer account information, to a payment service. The payment service forwards payment to the merchant and a payment confirmation is returned to the service provider and, through the service provider, to the consumer. The service provider stores information about each transaction performed by each subscriber. Consumer identity is protected because it is only exchanged between the service provider and the payment service, and is not made available to the merchant. In addition, the storage of the transaction information by various devices facilitates the return process and adds marketing capability to the service provider.

Abstract: An XML accessible network device is capable of performing functions in response to an XML encoded request transmitted over a network. It includes a network data transfer service, coupled to a network, that is capable of receiving XML encoded requests from a client also connected to the network. A service engine is capable of understanding and parsing the XML encoded requests according to a corresponding DTD. The service engine further instantiates a service using parameters provided in the XML encoded request and launches the service for execution on the network device in accordance with a command design parameter. A set of device APIs interacts with hardware and software on the network device for executing the requested service on the network device. If necessary, a response is further collected from the device and provided to the client in a response message.

Abstract: Ethernet OAM MEPs are automatically configured in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network. A node operating in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network receives a Link State PDU (LSP) containing a TLV having a MEP associated with the Ethernet MAC node ID of a second node in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, where the path between the first and second node includes a plurality of links. The node updates a forwarding table to indicate an association between the MEP ID and a Ethernet MAC node ID of the second node. An Ethernet OAM maintenance endpoint is produced in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network by hashing a Sys-ID to produce a MEP; storing the MEP in a TLV; and forwarding the TLV over the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network in an LSP.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: Routers in a communications network mark packets of a multi-priority stream to establish a drop precedence of the packets during network congestion. For each packet received, a router employs one of two types of packet-marking mechanisms to associate low drop precedence with a high-priority, out-of-profile packet. One type, called “token bucket with loan bucket,” uses a token bucket to determine whether a packet is in conformance, i.e., in-profile, with a traffic profile and at least one loan bucket to determine whether a high priority, out-of-profile packet may borrow bandwidth. Another mechanism type, called “token bucket with color-exchange queue,” uses a color-exchange queue to delay packet forwarding for a fixed period. During this delay, a high-drop-precedence marking of an out-of-profile, high-priority packet may be exchanged with a low-drop-precedence marking of an in-profile, low-priority packet. The packet-marking mechanisms are useful in improving the quality of video viewing.

Abstract: A multi-hop wireless, for example cellular, communications system is provided comprising a source equipment which may be one of a base station or an end user terminal for transmitting signals towards a destination equipment which may be the other of a base station or an end user terminal via at least one relay equipment. The relay equipment receives a plurality of signals transmitted from one or more source equipments of the system and from this plurality of signals selects a signal to relay. In this way the decision about which relays are included in which communication paths in the system is distributed to the relay equipments of the system, thus reducing the signalling overhead as compared with link state protocols which are typically used for routing in such multi-hop systems.

Abstract: A flow admission control module for IP traffic types monitors network topology and usage. A new flow is not admitted if it is determined that the flow would push the utilization of available bandwidth reserved for the traffic type on a link in the associated path beyond a predetermined threshold. The admission control module may, as a result of dynamic changes to network topology capacity, re-compute the link utilization for effected active flows The admission control module may also account for protection regimes in flow admission calculations.

Abstract: A method of providing frequency dependent signal attenuation. An RF input signal is split into a first signal portion and a second signal portion. Discrete time filtering, a negative group delay and bandstop filtering are applied to the first signal portion to provide a filtered signal portion. The second signal portion is applied to a component, and a component output signal portion is received from the component. The component output signal portion is combined with the filtered signal portion to provide an RF output signal having frequency dependent attenuation.

Abstract: A call request is sent to establish a telephony session over an Internet Protocol (IP) network between an originating terminal and a destination device. A message responsive to the call request is received from a node connected to the IP network. In response to receiving the message, local generation of a comfort indicator at the originating terminal is performed.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and network communication equipment for low latency loss-free burst switching. Burst-transfer schedules are determined by controllers of bufferless core nodes according to specified bitrate allocations and distributed to respective edge nodes. In a composite-star network, burst schedules are initiated by any core node. Burst formation takes place at source edge nodes and a permissible burst size is determined according to an allocated bitrate of a burst stream to which the burst belongs. The permissible burst size is subject to constraints such as permissible burst-formation delay, a minimum guard-time requirement, and permissible delay jitter. A method of control-burst exchange between each edge node and each bufferless core node enables burst scheduling, time coordination, and loss-free burst switching. Both the payload bursts and control bursts are carried by optical channels connecting the edge nodes and the core notes.

Abstract: In a click-to-call (C2C) communication environment, a web client of a computing terminal is configured to initiate a C2C call when a user selects a call tag provided in a web page being presented to the user. The call is intended to be established between a remote endpoint associated with the call tag and one of either the computing terminal or another terminal associated with the user. If the C2C call is directed to an automated system and placed in a queue or on hold, the present invention allows supplemental content intended for the user to be delivered to the web client from which the C2C call was initiated. The web client may present the supplemental content to the user.

Abstract: A method of brokering a network resource 10 includes providing a service broker processor 12 and a service broker registry 13. On receiving a request at the service broker processor to register a network resource to provide a network service, the service broker processor authenticates the request and authorises registration in the service broker registry. A network client 14 is updated with the availability of the registered network resource so that on receiving a third party request for the network service, the network client requests allocation of the registered network resource. A bearer path 54 is set up between the third party 21 and the network resource 10 to provide the requested network service.

Abstract: A method and system provide a user device with secure access to an enterprise application in an enterprise network through VPN. The enterprise application is accessed from a user device such that it sends and receives data packets through the VPN client. For this, a request to send packets, originating from the user application, is intercepted by a VPN agent associated with the user application. In turn, the VPN agent associates an address of a loop-back interface with the user application. Thereafter, packets sent by the user application, are re-directed to the VPN client through the loop-back interface. Similarly, packets received by the VPN client from the enterprise network are routed through the loop-back interface to the user application.

Abstract: A network architecture enables the data flow of packets to be dynamically modified depending upon the operational needs of the packet being processed. This allows for separate processing of control and data path operations, as well as providing a mechanism for functions that require high computational support, such as encryption functions for example, to be offloaded onto processing devices that can support such functions. Other, less computationally intensive or lower priority functions can be forwarded to PEs having lower operation capacity. With such an arrangement, a dynamic mechanism is provided for customizing the data path of a network device to accommodate the computation needs of any application.

Abstract: A method of enabling extension of a network service of a first domain to a remote customer site hosted by an Access Gateway (AG) in a Provider Ethernet domain. In the first domain, the remote customer site is represented as being hosted by a border gateway (BG) connected to the Provider Ethernet domain, such that subscriber packets associated with the network service are forwarded to or from the remote customer site via the BG. In the Provider Ethernet domain, a trunk connection is instantiated through the Provider Ethernet domain between the host AG and the BG. A trunk cross-connection function is installed in the host AG, for transferring subscriber packets associated with the network service between a respective attachment virtual circuit (AVC) through which the remote customer site is connected to the host AG and an extended AVC tunnelled through the trunk connection.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus to provide remote communication using network telephony. In a transmitter, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent from an activator via a communication medium in response to a telephony call. An information message is transmitted, responsive to the activation command, to a receiver using a communication protocol. In a receiver, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent in response to a telephone call. An information message is received, responsive to the activation command. The information message is sent from a transmitter according to a communication protocol via a communication medium.

Abstract: An optical network and method of protection switching between first and second transceivers where dispersion compensation is effected electrically in the transmitters. The method includes detecting, at the second transceiver, a signal failure of a signal transmitted from the first transceiver and, upon detecting the signal failure, signaling the first transceiver to change its compensation function. The signaling can be done by encoding overhead bits in a signal transmitted from the second to the first transceiver. Another method of protection switching includes both transceivers toggling alternate reception paths upon detecting a signal failure and changing their dispersion compensation function to that of their respective alternate path.

Abstract: A method and system for providing relevant information to a mobile device. An entity structure is provided that includes entity records, each entity record corresponding to an entity that provides a service. Each entity record is associated with a proper subset of regions of a plurality of regions and is categorized into at least one category of a plurality of categories based on the service provided by the entity. A first region category index that is based on the entity structure is provided to a mobile device that is determined to be in a first region of the plurality of regions. The first region category index identifies only those categories in which at least one entity record associated with the first region has been categorized.