Abstract: Principles of the invention are described for providing multicast virtual private networks (MVPNs) across a public network that are capable of carrying high-bandwidth multicast traffic with increased scalability. In particular, the MVPNs may transport layer three (L3) multicast traffic, such as Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between remote sites via the public network. The principles described herein may reduce the overhead of protocol independent multicast (PIM) neighbor adjacencies and customer control information maintained for MVPNs. The principles may also reduce the state and the overhead of maintaining the state in the network by removing the need to maintain at least one dedicated multicast tree per each MVPN.

Abstract: Empirically derived models are used to relate user perception to objectively measurable characteristics, under a criterion of nearly perfect co-variance between predicted MOS values and the variations in the values of the objectively measurable characteristics. In the example context of evaluating packet switched telephony service, the present invention eliminates the need to perform subjective tests to characterize each combination of codec type and transmission protocol.

Abstract: To automatically determine the availability status of the user of a handheld communication device, various selected conditions of the device may be checked, which imply whether or not the user is likely Available, or Unavailable or the equivalent. Normally, the selected conditions are checked only if the user has not explicitly or semi-explicitly set his or her status to Unavailable. The conditions to be checked can vary widely, but generally include anything from which it might be inferred or implied that the user is likely either Available or Unavailable or the equivalent. Such conditions can include, for example, whether or not a specified timeout for use of a keypad, trackwheel or other mechanical feature of the device has elapsed yet; whether or not a real-time application is in use; and preferably any one or more of a variety of other conditions, one further example being whether or not there are any unattended-to notifications such as an unanswered phone call, or a missed e-mail, SMS or other message.

Abstract: A high data rate system capable of inter-frequency handoffs with little or no interruption in data service. The access network sends data from the first sector to the access terminal at the first frequency. The access terminal measures a parameter of a signal received at the access terminal from the second sector at the second frequency, wherein a pre-active set of the access terminal includes the second sector, and wherein an active set of the access terminal consists of one or more sectors operating in the first frequency. The access terminal then sends a data source control message corresponding to the second sector to the access network, after which the access terminal switches the pre-active set and the active set.

Abstract: A device receives Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) requests that include registration information, and load balances a SIP call based on the registration information of the SIP requests.

Abstract: A method of providing communications can include transmitting a default username and password for a subscriber account from a Digital Subscriber Link (DSL) modem to an authentication server. The subscriber account is authorized based on the default username and password subscriber. A unique username and password for the subscriber account is transmitted to the DSL modem if the subscriber account is authenticated.

Abstract: In a virtual LAN, a packet forwarding apparatus forwards IP packets and L2 packets using a single switch. The packet forwarding apparatus includes a switch that switches a media access control (MAC) packet using a MAC address of the MAC packet, and a packet format converter. The packet format converter converts a packet from an input and output unit into a packet having a MAC address according to information from the input and output unit, and converts a packet output from the switch to the input and output unit to a packet format compatible with the input and output unit according to the information of the input and output unit.

Abstract: A technique avoids Internet Protocol (IP) lookup with Multipoint-to-Multipoint (MP2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) in a computer network. According to the novel technique, end nodes of an MP2MP LSP determine a root node of the MP2MP LSP for a particular IP stream, e.g., based on a rendezvous point (RP) of the IP stream. The root node of the MP2MP LSP allocates an inner-label for the particular IP stream, and informs each of the end nodes of the inner-label for that stream. When any one of the end nodes thereafter sources traffic for the particular IP stream, the sourced traffic contains the allocated inner-label for the stream. Upon receiving the traffic for the particular IP stream, an end node may determine the IP stream to which the received traffic belongs based on the MP2MP LSP (e.g., indicated by an outer-label) and the inner-label, i.e., without performing an IP lookup operation.

Abstract: A method of expediting resource negotiation in a modified Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) reduces the number of messages exchanged for resource negotiation, thereby reducing the latencies involved in session setup. The method entails sending an INVITE message having a modified SIP header containing an indication that the originator's terminal seeks a fast session setup. The INVITE message further contains a list of all codecs available at the originator's terminal and how many of each type of media component are required. These codecs can be provided in an order of preference. The answerer (the called party in the case of VoIP) selects the codecs for the requested media types from the list of available codecs without engaging in a back-and-forth resource negotiation for the codecs. The result is that the session can be set up with merely 7 messages of which only 5 messages contribute to session setup, which provides quicker session setup than in the prior art.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication arrangement for distinguishing between network entities having the same address by translating between the same addresses and surrogate addresses using an intermediary network entity.

Abstract: Active scanning method in a wireless network for fast determining available access points (106, 806) using inter-AP (Access Point) communication is described. In the scanning method, a mobile station (102, 802) sends Probe Request for Proxy frame to the current AP (104, 804) serving the mobile station (102, 802). In response to the Probe Request for Proxy frame, the current AP (104, 804) send Proxy Probe Request packet to the appropriate APs (106, 806). In response to the Proxy Probe Request packet, the neighbor APs (106, 806) send Probe Response frame to the mobile station (102, 802) on its operating channel. Since the mobile station (102, 802) moves to the channel being examined after sending the Probe Request for Proxy frame, it receives the Probe Response frame if it is in the coverage area of the neighbor AP (106, 806). The content of Probe Response frame provides the mobile station (102, 802) with the information to be used in handoff decision and network join procedures.

Abstract: A method of switching data packets between an input and a plurality of outputs of a switching device. The switching device comprises a memory arranged to store a plurality of data structures, each data structure being associated with one of said outputs. The method comprises receiving a first data packet at said input, and storing said first data packet in a data structure associated with an output from which said data packet is to be transmitted. If said first data packet is intended to be transmitted from a plurality of said outputs, indication data is stored in each data structure associated with an output from which said first data packet is to be transmitted, but said first data packet is stored in only one of said data structures. The first data packet is transmitted from said data structure to the or each output from which the first data packet is to be transmitted.

Abstract: An efficient switching device and a method for fabricating the same using multiple shared memories are provided. The switching device includes: an output time determination unit to determine an output time to an output port; an output time administration unit to administer a possible data output time for each output port; a memory bank selection unit to select a memory bank with an empty data output time position; a memory bank utilization information administration unit to administer utilization information per output time; a connection unit to deliver transmission data to an output time position; a shared memory unit to store the data in the output time position, to administer dispersed shared memory banks according to an output time, and to read and output transmission data; and an output port connection unit receiving output data to read and transmit output port information of the data to a corresponding output port.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating proximity of the electronic device to a wireless local area network (WLAN) involves generating a location where the location is defined by a list of cellular communication access points that is sorted based on signal strength for each access point. The list may be scored against one or more similarly defined reference locations to determine if the electronic device is at a geographic position that is favorable to probe for a WLAN that the electronic device was connected to at a prior time, but is presently not connected.

Abstract: A video data network device arranged to receive a video signal and an associated synchronisation signal and to launch video data packets representing the video signal onto a packet-based data network comprises means for detecting whether the video signal is synchronised with the synchronisation signal; and means for launching data onto the network indicating whether the video signal is synchronised with the synchronisation signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking at least one Layer-2 (L2) resource of a network device is provided. The method includes monitoring software operations on the L2 resource. The method further includes monitoring the state of the L2 resource in a corresponding hardware device (e.g., the network device). The L2 resource may be at least one of a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier, a MAC address, and a VLAN identifier pair.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes a common signal node operable to conduct a first signal, a first circuit coupled to the common signal node to utilize the first signal and a signal-handling element coupled to the common signal node. The signal-handling element includes an isolating circuit coupled to the first conductor, a second conductor operable to conduct an output of the isolating circuit, and a signal-handling circuit coupled to the second conductor. The signal-handling circuit is operable to perform a signal-handling function in response to the output of the isolating circuit. By virtue of the isolating circuit, the signal-handling circuit and the first circuit are isolated from the second conductor and the signal-handling circuit. Preferably, the achieved isolation permits a communication signal included in the first signal to be conducted within a communication apparatus with less capacitance, and producing less return loss of that signal.

Abstract: A networking device connects to a router and to an autonomous system (AS). The networking device receives a routing table from the router, exchanges routing information with the AS, updates the routing table in response to exchanging information with the AS, coalesces the updated routing table into a compressed routing table, and sends the compressed routing table back to the router. The compressed routing table causes the router to forward data in a manner that is identical to the received routing table.

Abstract: A multicarrier communication base station device (1) in accordance with the present invention includes selection unit that selects a subcarrier to be allocated based on transmission rate information in each mobile station (2), evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a reference value of a transmission rate with regard to a subcarrier to be allocated based on transmission rate information in each mobile station (2) and then calculate an evaluation value that is obtained by evaluating a difference between the reference value and a transmission rate of a subcarrier excluded from allocation, and priority determination unit that determines a priority of a mobile station to be assigned to each subcarrier based on an evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit.

Abstract: A packet transmission system enabling VLAN packet forwarding of the MAC layer at the RPR layer. An address translation table associates with a VLAN identifier a MAC address and a flag showing validity of the VLAN identifier. A flag set valid means that an own node belongs to a VLAN domain with the VLAN identifier. In a case where a received packet is a VLAN packet, a first node searches the address translation table based on the VLAN identifier for a MAC address, creates an RPR packet with the MAC address stored as an RPR destination address, and transmits the RPR packet to an RPR network. A second node searches the address translation table based on the MAC address stored in the RPR packet, and if a corresponding flag is a valid flag, regards the packet as being addressed to a VLAN to which the own node belongs, and transmits the packet to the VLAN after deleting the RPR header therefrom.