Patents by Inventor Benjamin Mack
Benjamin Mack has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8885643Abstract: A network component comprising a memory coupled to a processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions that cause the processor to select a first multicast routing mode from a plurality of multicast routing modes supported by a network comprising the network component, assign the first multicast routing mode to a first multicast flow, and advertise a first information frame to a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first information frame provides the assignment of the first multicast routing mode to the first multicast flow.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Peter Ashwood-Smith
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Publication number: 20140320224Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, comprising: an oscillatable unit, which has a membrane and at least one oscillatable element, wherein the oscillatable element is secured to the membrane at least in a first securement region and in a second securement region. At least one driving/receiving unit, which excites the oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and which produces a received signal dependent on the oscillations of the oscillatable unit; and a control/evaluation unit, which evaluates the received signal with reference to the process variable. The apparatus is distinguished by features including that the driving/receiving unit is embodied in such a manner and arranged on a rear face of the membrane facing away from the oscillatable element that the oscillatable element executes torsional oscillations.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2012Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Benjamin Mack
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Patent number: 8873566Abstract: An apparatus comprising an Edge Virtual Bridging (EVB) bridge coupled with an EVB station wherein the EVB bridge is configured to communicate to the EVB station a Filter Information (Info) field of a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery and configuration protocol (VDP) Associate Response message, and wherein the Filter Info field specifies a default Priority Code Point (PCP) value associated with at least one or all of a plurality of VID values carried by that VDP TLV Response.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.Inventors: Robert Sultan, Yingjie Gu, Yizhou Li, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Publication number: 20140301192Abstract: A data center interconnection (DCI) network may comprise a data center controller (DCC) managing a plurality of data centers (DCs) interconnected by a provider network managed by a network provider controller (NPC). The provider network may be an OpenFlow based software defined networking (SDN) transport network. The DCC may initiate a virtual network service (VNS) negotiation with the NPC to connect the DCs and may specify a network abstraction granularity level. The NPC may respond by computing paths through the provider network accordingly and providing the DCC with one or more virtual networks (VNs). The DCC may compute virtual paths through the VNs and send virtual network element (VNE) connection setup commands to the DCC. The DCC may convert the VNE connection setup commands into network element (NE) commands to setup connections in NEs of the provider network. The DCC and the NPC may perform fault monitoring, detection, and recovery.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Young Lee, Maarten Vissers, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8837281Abstract: A network component, comprising a memory unit comprising a filtering database (FDB), wherein the FDB comprises a medium access control (MAC) address and a Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN) Identifier (VID) pair for each of a plurality of end-stations associated with an edge-district partition of a network, wherein the edge-district partition is associated with the network component, and wherein the FDB comprises a wildcard FDB entry corresponding to each VLAN associated with the network component, and a logic unit coupled to the ingress ports and the egress ports, wherein the logic unit is configured to reduce flooding in the edge-district partition of the network; wherein the logic unit is configured to forward a received frame, having a destination MAC address and a VID for which there is not an exact match in the FDB, towards a core-bridge without flooding based on the wildcard entry in the FDB.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sultan, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar
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Patent number: 8730975Abstract: An apparatus comprising an edge virtual bridging (EVB) bridge, and an EVB station coupled to the EVB bridge, wherein the EVB station is configured to send to the EVB bridge a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery and configuration protocol (VDP) request comprising a filter information (info) field without specifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID), and wherein the EVB bridge is configured to send a VLAN ID (VID) to the EVB station in a second filter info field in a VDP response to the VDP request.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yizhou Li, Yingjie Gu, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Robert Sultan
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Patent number: 8718071Abstract: An apparatus comprising an edge virtual bridging (EVB) bridge, and an EVB station coupled to the EVB bridge, wherein the EVB station is configured to send to the EVB bridge a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery and configuration protocol (VDP) request comprising a filter information (info) field without specifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID), and wherein the EVB bridge is configured to send a VLAN ID (VID) to the EVB station in a second filter info field in a VDP response to the VDP request.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2011Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yizhou Li, Yingjie Gu, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Robert Sultan
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Publication number: 20140115154Abstract: A method for providing a link identifier (LID), wherein the method comprises obtaining a first identifier block (IDB) that identifies an external interface within a first domain using a first identifying scheme, obtaining a second IDB that identifies a second external interface within a second domain using a second identifying scheme, creating the LID that comprises the first IDB and the second IDB, and advertising the LID to one or more external entities.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Susan Kay Hares, Charles E. Perkins
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Patent number: 8665746Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first node configured to couple to a second node, wherein the first node is further configured to exchange a plurality of timestamps recording transmission times and at least one of a plurality of octet counts and a plurality of frame counts with the second node to perform throughput measurements, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of octet counts and the plurality of frame counts correspond to a packet flow between the first node and the second node and are used to calculate throughput for the packet flow based on a time interval of the exchanged at least one of the plurality of octet counts and the plurality of frame counts that is determined using the timestamps.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar
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Publication number: 20140006585Abstract: A method of managing local identifiers (VIDs) in a network virtualization edge (NVE), the method comprising discovering a new virtual machine (VM) attached to the NVE, reporting the new VM to a controller, wherein there is a local VID being carried in one or more data frames sent to or from the new VM, and wherein the local VID collides with a second local VID of a second VM attached to the NVE, and receiving a confirmation of a virtual network ID (VNID) for the VM and a new local VID to be used in communicating with the VM, wherein the VNID is globally unique.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Linda Dunbar, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8549178Abstract: A system comprising a backbone core bridge (BCB) in a provider backbone bridged network (PBBN), and a backbone edge bridge (BEB) coupled to the BCB via a provider network port (PNP) and to a customer bridge in a customer bridged network via a C-tagged service interface, wherein the C-tagged service interface maps a service instance from the customer bridged network that is identified by a customer-virtual local area network identifier (C-VID) to a backbone service instance on the PBBN that is identified by a service instance identifier (I-SID).Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sultan, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8477600Abstract: A network comprising a first layer processor (LP) configured to distribute a plurality of component communications to a plurality of component connections using a distribution table comprising a plurality of component communication identifiers (CCIDs) and the component connection associated with each CCID, a second LP configured to collect the packets from the component connections, and a composite connection coupled to the first LP and the second LP, wherein the composite connection comprises a plurality of the component connections and is configured to transport the component communications using the component connections, and wherein the distribution table and composite connection are configured such that component communications associated with at least the same CCID of a component communication takes the same path from the first LP to the second LP as from the second LP to the first LP.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2008Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Lucy Yong, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar, Robert Sultan
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Patent number: 8451842Abstract: A network comprising a switch configured to learn a source address (SA) for a source node with a source port that receives a frame comprising the SA if the SA is not previously learned on another port and to subsequently forward any frame comprising a destination address (DA) for a destination node that matches the learned SA on the source port associated with the SA. A network comprising a switch configured to flood a frame received on a receiving port if the frame comprises a DA that is not previously learned on a source port and to distinguish the flooded frame from other forwarded frames by labeling the flooded frame, wherein the frame is flooded on a plurality of ports. A method comprising disabling a plurality of filtering database (FDB) entries that correspond to a plurality of addresses that are associated with a port, and sending the addresses in a control frame.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Robert Sultan, Linda Dunbar
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Patent number: 8442072Abstract: An apparatus comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a first data structure comprising a first virtual local area network identifier (VID) and a first forwarding type, comparing the first VID and a first forwarding type with a second VID and a second forwarding type in a second data structure, and reporting a misprovisioned data structure if the first VID is the same as the second VID and the first forwarding type is not the same as the second forwarding type. Also disclosed is a method comprising implementing a network protocol to forward provisioning information in a plurality of VID Tables corresponding to a plurality of nodes, and analyzing the provisioning information to detect misprovisioned nodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2008Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sultan, Linda Dunbar, Lucy Yong, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8427940Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first segment endpoint bridge (SEB) configured to couple to a second SEB via a plurality of path segments, wherein the path segments comprise a working segment and a plurality of candidate protection segments, wherein the candidate protection segments comprise a protection segment that is configured to protect the working segment, wherein the candidate protection segments other than the protection segment do not protect the working segment, wherein one first state variable is used to maintain each of the candidate protection segments, and wherein a plurality of second state variables are used to maintain each of the working segment and the protection segment.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sultan, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8351348Abstract: A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a message comprising a node's data value from the node, determining whether a local data value has been assigned, and adopting the node's data value as the local data value when the local data value has not been assigned. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a plurality of ports each configured to couple to a node via a link, a memory configured to store a port data value associated with at least some of the ports, and a processor coupled to the memory and the ports, wherein the processor is configured to access a node's data value in a message and adopt the node's data value as the port data value.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2008Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar, Lucy Yong, Robert Sultan
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Patent number: 8345542Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first segment endpoint bridge (SEB) configured to couple to a second SEB via a plurality of path segments, wherein the path segments comprise a working segment and a plurality of candidate protection segments, wherein the candidate protection segments comprise a protection segment that is configured to protect the working segment, wherein the candidate protection segments other than the protection segment do not protect the working segment, wherein only one first state variable is used to maintain each of the candidate protection segments other than the protection segment, and wherein a plurality of second state variables are used to maintain each of the working segment and the protection segment.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sultan, T. Benjamin Mack-Crane
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Patent number: 8315260Abstract: A network comprising a switch configured to switch traffic between a plurality of external interfaces via a plurality of virtual interfaces associated with the external interfaces, and wherein the traffic comprises a plurality of external virtual local area network (VLAN) identifiers (VIDs) associated with the external interfaces to select the virtual interfaces. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a frame from a physical port, obtaining an external VID from a VLAN tag in the frame, removing the VLAN tag from the frame, selecting a virtual interface based on the external VID, and delivering the frame to the selected virtual interface.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2011Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar, Robert Sultan, Lucy Yong
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Patent number: 8238340Abstract: A network comprising a switch configured to switch traffic between a plurality of external interfaces via a plurality of virtual interfaces associated with the external interfaces, wherein the traffic comprises a plurality of external virtual local area network (VLAN) identifiers (VIDs) associated with the external interfaces to select the virtual interfaces, and wherein the virtual interfaces are configured to forward traffic based on an internal VID that is assigned to the traffic independent of the external VID. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a frame from a physical port, obtaining an external VID from a VLAN tag in the frame, removing the VLAN tag from the frame, selecting a virtual interface based on the external VID, and delivering the frame to the selected virtual interface.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Linda Dunbar, Robert Sultan, Lucy Yong
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Publication number: 20120124236Abstract: Each node of a telecommunications network determines a connection type attributes available for each signal type supported by the node. Each signal type represents a different connection routing layer within the telecommunications network. Adaptation costs involved in traversing from one connection routing layer to another connection routing layer in the node are calculated. The connection type attributes and adaptation costs are included in a link state advertisement broadcasted by each node in the telecommunications network. A route calculation is performed for a desired signal to determine a route through the telecommunications network for the signal. The route calculation takes into account the various connection type attributes, availability, and adaptation costs in determining the shortest route for the signal through the telecommunications network.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: Tellabs Operations, Inc.Inventors: T. Benjamin Mack-Crane, Jonathan B. Sadler, Susan W. Teller