Patents by Inventor Colin Tregenza Dancer

Colin Tregenza Dancer 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).

  • Patent number: 11811560
    Abstract: Traffic is processed in a virtualised environment comprising: (i) a physical underlay network; (ii) a first overlay network (an overlay of the physical underlay network and associated with a first set of network addresses, IP1); (iii) a second overlay network (an overlay of the first overlay network and associated with a second set of network addresses, IP2); and (iv) virtualised applications each having an execution environment and being associated with at least one network address in each of the first and second sets of network addresses, IP1 and IP2. In the execution environment of a first virtualised application: (i) traffic communicated from the first virtualised application to the first overlay network is encapsulated; and/or (ii) traffic communicated from the first overlay network to the first virtualised application is decapsulated. Tenant separation processing is performed outside the execution environments of the virtualised applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20230319162
    Abstract: A method performed by a health service configured to update a domain name system (DNS) to enable clients, which use the DNS, to allocate service requests to a plurality of service instances which provide the service wherein each service instance comprises a microservice architecture is presented. The health service requests outcome data from at least one of the service instances, and calculates a status indicator for the service instance, wherein the status indicator is calculated based on results from internal recursive checks performed throughout the microservice architecture of the service instance and heuristic calculations performed on service request performance data. After calculating the status indicator, the health service triggers a dynamic update to the DNS according to the calculated status indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Keith Stuart WANSBROUGH, Colin TREGENZA DANCER, Mark Edward OVERTON
  • Publication number: 20230254914
    Abstract: Network slicing allows a network operator to divide up their network into different network slices. The operator can assign specific users or classes of users to 5 each slice. Network functions (NFs) comprising a network slice may be placed in different locations in a network (for example, nearer the network edge), may be configured or tuned for different traffic profiles, and/or may be implemented by different vendors from those in other slices. A network, configured to perform network slicing, receives information from a Session Management Function, SMF, relating to a 10 given packet data session belonging to a given network slice. Based on the information received from the SMF, the network signals to a UPF instance that the given packet data session belongs to the given network slice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Matthew Ian Ronald WILLIAMS, Colin TREGENZA DANCER, Martin TAYLOR, David REEKIE, Richard HEWITT
  • Patent number: 11606296
    Abstract: A method performed by a node of a communications network such as a virtual routing function or policy enforcement node comprises receiving at least one packet, such as an internet protocol packet having an associated address and obtaining one or more metrics. The method involves dynamically configuring a longest-prefix match process on the basis of at least the metric(s). The dynamically configured longest-prefix match process is used with the associated address to identify an action and the identified action is applied to the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20220231946
    Abstract: A method performed by a node of a communications network such as a virtual routing function or policy enforcement node comprises receiving at least one packet, such as an internet protocol packet having an associated address and obtaining one or more metrics. The method involves dynamically configuring a longest-prefix match process on the basis of at least the metric(s). The dynamically configured longest-prefix match process is used with the associated address to identify an action and the identified action is applied to the packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Publication number: 20210377078
    Abstract: Traffic is processed in a virtualised environment comprising: (i) a physical underlay network; (ii) a first overlay network (an overlay of the physical underlay network and associated with a first set of network addresses, IP1); (iii) a second overlay network (an overlay of the first overlay network and associated with a second set of network addresses, IP2); and (iv) virtualised applications each having an execution environment and being associated with at least one network address in each of the first and second sets of network addresses, IP1 and IP2. In the execution environment of a first virtualised application: (i) traffic communicated from the first virtualised application to the first overlay network is encapsulated; and/or (ii) traffic communicated from the first overlay network to the first virtualised application is decapsulated. Tenant separation processing is performed outside the execution environments of the virtualised applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Publication number: 20210111926
    Abstract: Traffic is processed in a virtualised environment comprising: (i) a physical underlay network; (ii) a first overlay network (an overlay of the physical underlay network and associated with a first set of network addresses, IP1); (iii) a second overlay network (an overlay of the first overlay network and associated with a second set of network addresses, IP2); and (iv) virtualised applications each having an execution environment and being associated with at least one network address in each of the first and second sets of network addresses, IP1 and IP2. In the execution environment of a first virtualised application: (i) traffic communicated from the first virtualised application to the first overlay network is encapsulated; and/or (ii) traffic communicated from the first overlay network to the first virtualised application is decapsulated. Tenant separation processing is performed outside the execution environments of the virtualised applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Patent number: 10965497
    Abstract: Traffic is processed in a virtualised environment comprising: (i) a physical underlay network; (ii) a first overlay network (an overlay of the physical underlay network and associated with a first set of network addresses, IP1); (iii) a second overlay network (an overlay of the first overlay network and associated with a second set of network addresses, IP2); and (iv) virtualised applications each having an execution environment and being associated with at least one network address in each of the first and second sets of network addresses, IP1 and IP2. In the execution environment of a first virtualised application: (i) traffic communicated from the first virtualised application to the first overlay network is encapsulated; and/or (ii) traffic communicated from the first overlay network to the first virtualised application is decapsulated. Tenant separation processing is performed outside the execution environments of the virtualised applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Patent number: 10382155
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Patent number: 10104133
    Abstract: Measures for use in operating a subscriber device in a network. An audio call communication session is conducted between the subscriber device and an audio call client of a remote user device. The audio call communication session includes the transfer of audio data between the subscriber device and the audio call client of the remote user device. During the audio call communication session, transmittal, to a user interface associated with a user of the remote user device, of information associated with switching communication from the audio call client of the remote user device to a web browser client is caused. A real-time media data communication session is established between the subscriber device and the web browser client. Real-time media data is transferred between the subscriber device and the web browser client instead of audio data between the subscriber device and the audio call client of the remote user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD.
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20180175957
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Patent number: 9929823
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Patent number: 9877087
    Abstract: A telephony equipment migration arrangement is provided. The telephony equipment migration arrangement includes legacy telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays, at least one transport cable, with one or more connectors, to provide external carrier connectivity, replacement telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays remote from the legacy telephony equipment, and at least one remote coupling cable, with one or more connectors, connected to the replacement telephony equipment. The connector(s) of the remote coupling cable are mounted in a location having a predetermined locational relationship with the equipment bay in which the legacy telephony equipment is located, and the transport cable is communicatively coupled to the remote coupling cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20170063941
    Abstract: Measures for use in operating a subscriber device in a network. An audio call communication session is conducted between the subscriber device and an audio call client of a remote user device. The audio call communication session includes the transfer of audio data between the subscriber device and the audio call client of the remote user device. During the audio call communication session, transmittal, to a user interface associated with a user of the remote user device, of information associated with switching communication from the audio call client of the remote user device to a web browser client is caused. A real-time media data communication session is established between the subscriber device and the web browser client. Real-time media data is transferred between the subscriber device and the web browser client instead of audio data between the subscriber device and the audio call client of the remote user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Publication number: 20160308632
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER
  • Patent number: 9407386
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20160192038
    Abstract: A telephony equipment migration arrangement is provided. The telephony equipment migration arrangement includes legacy telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays, at least one transport cable, with one or more connectors, to provide external carrier connectivity, replacement telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays remote from the legacy telephony equipment, and at least one remote coupling cable, with one or more connectors, connected to the replacement telephony equipment. The connector(s) of the remote coupling cable are mounted in a location having a predetermined locational relationship with the equipment bay in which the legacy telephony equipment is located, and the transport cable is communicatively coupled to the remote coupling cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza DANCER
  • Patent number: 9319529
    Abstract: A telephony equipment migration arrangement is provided. The telephony equipment migration arrangement includes legacy telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays, at least one transport cable, with one or more connectors, to provide external carrier connectivity, replacement telephony equipment located in one or more equipment bays remote from the legacy telephony equipment, and at least one remote coupling cable, with one or more connectors, connected to the replacement telephony equipment. The connector(s) of the remote coupling cable are mounted in a location having a predetermined locational relationship with the equipment bay in which the legacy telephony equipment is located, and the transport cable is communicatively coupled to the remote coupling cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Patent number: 9210105
    Abstract: Telecommunications equipment includes first and second signal processing modules each including one or more line interface units, the first and second signal processing modules being arranged to be activated dependent on a failover state of the first and second signal processing modules. The telecommunications equipment further includes a plurality of external connectors and a plurality of isolation transformers arranged in one or more signal paths connected to the external connectors. Additionally, a first equipment housing includes at least the first and second signal processing modules and at least one further equipment housing includes at least the external connectors and isolation transformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD
    Inventor: Colin Tregenza Dancer
  • Publication number: 20150063376
    Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Metaswitch Networks Ltd
    Inventor: Colin TREGENZA DANCER