Abstract: A data network routing apparatus and method are presented. The routing apparatus comprises a packet engine, which itself comprises a switch, a forwarding engine and a queueing processor. The queueing processor tracks individual input port to output port flows, and assigns packets to these flows. Flows are assigned to queues. Each queue can accommodate a large number of packets. Each queue is assigned to a subclass, and a number of subclasses are assigned to a class. The apparatus and method thus support numerous differentiable classes of data as well as further differentiable subclasses within each class. While queues within a given subclass are served with equal priority by the routing apparatus, each subclass can be assigned a different weight to differentiate the priority within a subclass. In turn, each class can be assigned a different weighting as well, to allow different treatment before reaching an output port. Thus, a wide spectrum of service differentiation is supported.

Abstract: Layered Video Multicast with Retransmissions (LVMR) is a system for distributing video content using layered coding over the Internet. The two key contributions of the system are (1) improving the quality of reception within each layer by retransmitting lost packets given an upper bound on recovery time and applying an adaptive playback point scheme to help achieve more successful retransmission, and (2) adapting to network congestion and heterogeneity using a hierarchical rate control mechanism. A hierarchical rate control system and method is disclosed for regulating the flow of video information in a network by establishing subnet agents for each subnet, and by establishing intermediate agents for each domain. The subnet agents gather information concerning add-layer experiments conducted by receivers in a subnet, and the information is provided to intermediate agents of the domains for regulating data traffic.

Abstract: A facility is provided in which an ATM switch may operate as a switch in the provision of connection oriented services and operates as a router in the provision of connectionless services. In the router mode, the ATM switch may determine "on the fly" a route which may be used to forward received data cells to an intended destination and then forwards each of the data cells in sequence over the determined route. In the switch mode, the ATM switch operates conventionally and forwards a received data cell over a previously defined switched virtual path. In certain cases, the ATM switch may operate as a router only.

Abstract: A real-time, layered video multicast transmission system for transmitting video frames as a stream of encoded video data packets from a sender to one or more receivers over a network, comprises a device for generating one or more independent layers of video substreams out of the encoded video stream, each of the one or more receivers capable of subscribing to one or more layers of the independent video substreams; a device for transporting each of the independent video substreams over the network, the transporting device transporting each substream as an independent flow capable of being received by each of the one or more receivers; a device for monitoring congestive state of the network and the receiver to determine receiver's capability for receiving each of the video substream layer; and a controller provided to enable the receivers to select one or more of the independent video streams in accordance with the congestive state of the receiver.

Abstract: A facility is provided for establishing a relatively low-speed path from a user desiring to access the well-known Internet and establishing a high-speed path from the Internet to the user so that the data speed accommodates both the user's requests and a response from an Internet web/host site. Moreover, a user may be mobile, in which case the low-speed path is a conventional wireless path. In most cases, a predetermined spectrum of frequencies, such as one or more television channels, is used as the high-speed path from Internet.

Abstract: The present invention is a signaling and control architecture for establishing a connection between mobile users in a wireless ATM LAN. The ATM LAN includes a plurality of portable base station (PBS) switching nodes coupled together to enable communication between said nodes, wherein the nodes are configurable in an arbitrary topology to form an ad-hoc network. The present invention includes network management techniques for configuration of data tables used for connection control. Mobility management techniques are disclosed to handle mobile sign-ons and idle handoffs, locate mobile users during connection and setup and perform handoffs when a mobile is actively involved in a connection. Connection control procedures are also included for setting up and releasing connections on demand.

Abstract: A bandwidth allocation system allows packets or cells within traffic flows from different sources contending for access to a shared processing fabric to get access to that fabric in an order that is determined primarily on individual guaranteed bandwidth requirements associated with each traffic flow, and secondarily on overall system criteria, such as a time of arrival, or due date of packets or cells within traffic flows.