Abstract: A method for structuring SONET rings in a network is disclosed, along with a method for redirecting traffic among SONET rings when a fault causing traffic outage on a single SONET ring is detected. First, SONET rings are structured into “families” sharing common offices, with each family containing an additional “protection ring”. When a service-affecting alarm is detected in a SONET ring, it is determined whether there are any service alarms on a protection ring in the SONET ring family. It is also determined whether or not the protection ring is already in use. If the protection ring is not in use and no alarms are detected in the protection ring, the protection ring is marked as being in use. Traffic from the ring in which the service alarm is detected is then re-routed onto the protection ring. A method is also given for directing traffic back to the original SONET ring after the failure is repaired.

Abstract: A telecommunications network in accordance with the principles of the invention includes one or more controllers that automatically determine the physical interconnectivity between at least two ports adjacently situated in different network elements. Each end-point, that is, each port, has a unique identification. In an illustrative embodiment, upon the occasion of a network modification, such as the addition of a port to the network, the initiation of a port, or reconfiguration of a link, the two ports attached to a communications path to form a link exchange their “view” of the link. That is, each port sends an identification message to the other port. Each of these messages includes the identification of the sending port and the presumed identification of the receiving port. If at first the ports don't agree, the receiving port updates its view of the link. This process is repeated until both ports agree on the identification of each port within the link.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating a topology of a network having synchronous optical network (SONET) switches. Switches in the network pass information about itself to other switches in the network so that every switch can maintain a topology of the network. Using this knowledge of the network topology, each switch can generate a communication route within the network and automatically allot bandwidth for the route. Each switch may generate a new route in response to a line failure.

Abstract: A frame configured to transmit information via a network, comprising one or more packets each comprising a header error check portion and a payload error check portion.

Abstract: A time-multiplexed data bus driver circuit includes a plurality of combinatorial circuits, each of the circuits forming a logic combination of a datum value, a datum enable signal and a datum timeslot signal, the plurality of circuits producing a plurality of output signals based thereon, and a wired-OR junction producing a logic OR combination of the plurality of output signals representing a time-multiplexed data stream. Preferably, for each of the combinatorial circuits the enable signal, the timeslot signal and the datum signal (and preferably also a clock signal) are combined in an AND function to produce a gating signal for an active-low datum value, one selected active-low datum value being gated onto the wired-OR junction at a given timeslot when enabled. The common time-multiplexed data channel at the wired-OR junction has a pre-charge circuit for biasing the junction to a positive or ground voltage, thereby representing in an un-driven state a respective logic 1 or 0.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for communicating data using a hub. The method includes determining a first estimated unused capacity left in a first frame in which a second transaction is to be performed between a hub and an agent. The method then includes determining an amount of a first data that can fit into the estimated unused capacity and that is to be sent to the hub during a first transaction and then sent by the hub to the agent during the second transaction. The method also includes sending the first data to the hub during the first transaction.

Abstract: Sending priority of plural stages is statically assigned according to a quality class and an output connection, and the sending priority is dynamically changed according to a state of sending request stacking every sending priority and a state of ATM cell conversion processing of a frame, and ATM cell conversion request means for issuing an ATM cell conversion request is provided every output route, and the cell conversion processing of the frame is selected and performed in the order of higher sending priority every time one cell conversion.

Abstract: Level of service information for a given user of a radio access network (10) is determined at a Packet Data Serving Node (18) and provided to the radio access network for use in determining a particular level of service to provide to the given user. The level of service can comprise an absolute level of service (such as a maximum data rate to be accorded the user) or a dynamic relative level of service (such as information that is used to compare competing users to determine a particular current apportioning of communications resources). In one embodiment, the level of service information is provided to the radio access network via a modified A11 registration update message.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving the performance and efficiency of time sharing wireless networks by reducing collisions, eliminating wasted bandwidth caused by unnecessary gaps between transmissions, and reducing the amount of control information broadcast from the base station. The present invention accomplishes this by synchronizing the actions of the remote units in the wireless network to the control messages sent by the base unit and having the base unit compensate for the inherent system latency in determining when control messages should be sent. The present invention also consolidates the functionality of some of the control messages in order to reduce bandwidth usage.

Abstract: A monolithic shaper-scheduler is used for the efficient integration of scheduling and dual-leaky-bucket shaping in a single structure. By making the evolution of the timestamps of the backlogged flows independent of their shaping parameters, the performance drawbacks of prior-art shaping architectures are overcome. The monolithic shaper-scheduler tests each packet flow as being either “virtually compliant” or “virtually incompliant” when a new packet arrives to the head of its queue. The test for “virtual compliance” is based on traffic profiles associated with the flows. The result of the test is used in conjunction with the timestamp and eligibility flag of each packet flow to efficiently schedule the transmission of packets.

Abstract: Timing information, such as stratum 1 traceable synchronization information, is transmitted in a high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (HDSL) transport frame by timing the transport frame using a corresponding timing reference signal. In an illustrative embodiment, a central office modem maps a DS1 payload at 1.544 Mbps into HDSL transport frames at 1.552 Mbps, using a DS1 timing reference signal generated by, e.g., a building integrated timing supply (BITS) having global positioning system (GPS) capability. The transport frame is transmitted by the central office modem to a customer premises modem which demaps the transport frames to recover the DS1 payload and the DS1 timing reference signal. The recovered timing reference signal is then delivered to an external timing input of a computer, set-top box or other customer premises equipment (CPE). Synchronization status messages (SSMs) may be included in the timing information transmitted between the central office and customer premises modems.

Abstract: A group of wireless APs, including an active primary AP and one or more inactive backup APs, responds to the failure of the active AP. Backup APs passively detect the absence of the primary AP from a coverage area and become active. If more than one Backup AP attempts to assume the role of the primary AP, contention is resolved by applying a conflict resolution algorithm.

Abstract: Mechanisms for use on designated ports in spanning tree protocol entities allow such ports to transition to a forwarding state on the basis of actual communication delays between neighboring bridges, rather than upon expiration of forwarding delay timers. The logic that manages transition of states in the spanning tree protocol entity identifies ports which are changing to a designated port role, and issues a message on such ports informing the downstream port that the issuing port is able to assume a forwarding state. The logic begins the standard delay timer for entry to the listening state and then the learning state, prior to assuming the forwarding state. However, when a reply from the downstream port is received, then the issuing port reacts by changing immediately to the forwarding state without continuing to await expiration of the delay timer and without traversing transitional listening and learning states.

Abstract: An ATM switch with rate-limiting congestion control has a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports operatively associated with one or more data buffers, an output control and a switch fabric for switching data units from any of the input ports to any of the output ports on virtual connections. The ATM switch imposes and enforces transmission rate-limiting policies against the virtual connections when the backlog of data units for delivery to a particular output port reaches a particular level. The ATM switch may be arranged to exempt high priority data units from the imposed rate limitations and has a means to lift the rate limitations when the backlog has been sufficiently reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of managing a virtual private network having a set of network devices maintains a network device memory set for storing a set of network device identifiers that identifies each of the set of network device. More particularly, a request to join the virtual private network is received from a given network device having a given network device identifier that identifies the given network device. The set of network device identifiers then is retrieved from the network device memory set to identify all network devices in the set of network devices. A notify message then is forwarded to each of the set of network devices, and a join message is forwarded to the given network device. The notify message includes the given network device identifier, while the join message includes the set of network device identifiers. The given network device identifier then is stored in the network device memory set.

Abstract: A system and unified method of address resolution in an IP-based network. A Resolver determines whether an input address is a URL/URI, and if so, extracts a domain name. If the input address is an E.164 number, the Resolver converts the E.164 number into a domain name in ENUM format. The Resolver then sends a domain name query to a DNS which, if able, returns the IP address for either a Global MGCF or a destination server along with a supported Application protocol. If the DNS is unable to perform the translation, or the Application protocol returned is not supported by the requesting application, the Resolver sends a domain name query to an extended Location Server (LS) to obtain an IP address of a gateway function capable of interfacing with the destination server.

Abstract: The present invention provides for controlling incoming traffics on the links to an autonomous system. Incoming traffic usage for blocks of IP addresses within an autonomous system and load, congestion and capacity of the links for the incoming traffic is monitored to determine the optimal link for incoming traffic destined for a block of IP addresses. Incoming traffic for a block of IP addresses is biased towards the optimal link by configuring the border routers to announce the block of IP addresses via Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) across the non-optimal links with one or more local AS numbers pre-pended, causing the non-optimal links to look as if they are of a greater routing distance than the optimal link. In addition, outgoing traffic for a session is separately controlled by tagging the packets of the session for a specific link, causing the router to send the packet out the optimal link.

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed provide a manner of transmitting voice information that strikes an improved balance between voice quality and RF capacity in a CDMA dispatch environment. In general, two half-rate vocoder frames (201 and 202) are assembled into a single full rate transmit frame (200) to enable the transmission of alternating full-rate frames. Additionally, an individual CRC (203 and 204) is provided for each half-rate frame within the transmit frame to allow for partial recovery when frame corruption or erasure occurs. In this manner, system capacity is improved, particularly in the CDMA dispatch environment, while preserving voice quality.

Abstract: A CSMA Media Access Control (MAC) scheme for supporting both centralized and distributed shared medium access control in a CSMA network. A master device exchanges connection control messages with a slave during using contention-oriented access to establish a connection and a session of periodic contention-free intervals. Once the session is established, the contention-free intervals alternate with contention-oriented intervals according to the timing parameters specified by the connection control messages.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically monitoring communications networks and for determining network configuration use data stream characterizations. The system comprises a plurality of measurement probes that passively probe the network and collect data packets carried by data streams in the network. The system further comprises characterization computational units that process the collected data packets and produce data stream characterizations from the collected data packets. The data stream characterizations represent individual data streams in an arbitrarily unique manner. The system still further comprises a configuration processing unit that compares data stream characterizations taken at different points in the network and determines data stream paths through the network based on data stream characterization matching.