Abstract: Systems and methods for the remote update and distribution of configuration information in a communication network made up of a plurality of nodes some of which are mobile and some of which are fixed in location. Updated information for configuring the nodes may be updated using different types of routes through the communication network, where some routes may be direct from a node to a location of an update, some routes may pass through another node, and some routes may be used only when a certain communication technology is available. The nodes may be dynamically configured based on a number of factors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the remote update and distribution of software, firmware, and/or data in a network of moving things. Such a network of moving things may include a large number of network units that may autonomously report conditions affecting operation of the network unit to a server system, and may communicate with the server system to check for available updates of any of software, firmware, and data for operating the network units.

Abstract: An ingress fabric endpoint coupled to a switch fabric within a network device reorders packet flows based on congestion status. In one example, the ingress fabric endpoint receives packet flows for switching across the switch fabric. The ingress fabric endpoint assigns each packet for each packet flow to a fast path or a slow path for packet switching. The ingress fabric endpoint processes, to generate a stream of cells for switching across the switch fabric, packets from the fast path and the slow path to maintain a first-in-first-out ordering of the packets within each packet flow. The ingress fabric endpoint switches a packet of a first packet flow after switching a packet of a second packet flow despite receiving the packet of the first packet flow before the packet of the second packet flow.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computation engine is configured to perform vector multiplications, producing either vector results or outer product (matrix) results. The instructions provided to the computation engine specify a matrix mode or a vector mode for the instructions. The computation engine performs the specified operation. The computation engine may perform numerous computations in parallel, in an embodiment. In an embodiment, the instructions may also specify an offset with the input memories, providing additional flexibility in the location of operands. More particularly, the computation engine may be configured to perform numerous multiplication operations in parallel and to accumulate results in a result memory, performing multiply-accumulate operations for each matrix/vector element in the targeted locations of the output memory.

Abstract: A method for a model predictive control (MPC) of a system determines entries of an approximate coefficient matrix only at locations identified in a map of locations as significant. The map of locations identifies each location of an entry in the approximate coefficient matrix as either significant or insignificant. The entries are determined using one or combination of an approximate coefficient function and an exact coefficient function. Next, the method determines a preconditioner using the approximate coefficient matrix and determines a solution vector by solving a matrix equation of the MPC with a coefficient matrix defined by an exact coefficient function at a current time step of a control using an iterative method with the preconditioner. The method generates a control signal for controlling the system using the solution vector.

Abstract: A method establishes a session across a plurality of nodes in a computer network using a load balancing technique. The plurality of nodes includes a current node and a plurality of next nodes, and each next hop node is coupled with the current node via a link. To determine the next hop node from the current node, the method determines the residual capacity of the links between the current node and the next nodes, and generates a random number. Next, the method selects one of the next nodes as a function of the random number and the respective residual capacities of the links between the current node and the next nodes. After selecting the one next hop node, the method directs packets for the session from the current node to the one selected next hop node.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the remote update and distribution of software, firmware, and/or data in a network of moving things. Such a network of moving things may include a large number of network units that may autonomously report conditions affecting operation of the network unit to a server system, and may communicate with the server system to check for available updates of any of software, firmware, and data for operating the network units.

Abstract: Remote control based output selection techniques are described in which an output to a display device is selected based on identification of a remote control device that is manipulated by a user. In an implementation, each of a plurality of remote control devices is associated with a respective client device in an audio visual system. When a user manipulates one of the plurality of remote control devices, the manipulated remote control device is detected and a corresponding client device is determined. Then, an output to a display device is set to present audio visual data from the determined client device. In another implementation, when a manipulated remote control device is identified, a user interface for output on the display device is configured according to the identified remote control device and/or the functional capabilities of the identified remote control device.

Abstract: A data-communications switch having at least two modes of operation is provided. The data communications switch includes a first Clos switch having a first mode of operation and a second Clos switch, which is combined with the first Clos switch, for providing a second mode of operation. The first Clos switch and second Clos switch are interconnected in an overlapping manner to form a switch fabric, which is essentially a superset of both the first Clos switch and the second Clos switch and can be configured to operate in either mode depending on system requirements.

Abstract: Remote control based output selection techniques are described in which an output to a display device is selected based on identification of a remote control device that is manipulated by a user. In an implementation, each of a plurality of remote control devices is associated with a respective client device in an audio visual system. When a user manipulates one of the plurality of remote control devices, the manipulated remote control device is detected and a corresponding client device is determined. Then, an output to a display device is set to present audio visual data from the determined client device. In another implementation, when a manipulated remote control device is identified, a user interface for output on the display device is configured according to the identified remote control device and/or the functional capabilities of the identified remote control device.

Abstract: A compact multi-stage switching network (100), and a router (510) incorporating such multi-stage switching network, adapted for simultaneously routing a plurality of data packets from a first plurality of input ports (110) to selected ones of a second plurality of output ports (190) comprising: a first stack (140) of IC switching layers (113) that are stacked in physical contact with one another, each IC switching layer containing at least one switching element circuit (142); a second stack (160) of IC switching layers (113) that are stacked in physical contact with one another, each IC switching layer (113) containing at least one switching element circuit (162); and interconnecting circuitry (150) that connects the first stack (140) of IC layers to the second stack (160) of IC layers to form the compact multi-stage switching network. The stacks (140, 160) are preferably mated to one another in a transverse fashion in order to achieve a natural full-mesh connection.

Abstract: A switch is provided that receives user information through a plurality of framer circuits, which group the user information into frames. The frames are fed to a switch fabric including an array of switch elements, each having a switch matrix for routing each frame to a desired output in accordance with configuration data stored in a first table coupled to the switch matrix. If different outputs are desired, i.e., the switch matrix is to be reconfigured, a switch control circuit supplies additional switch configuration data to the frames through the inputs along with additional user information to be routed through the switch. While the additional switch configuration data is stored in a second table, data flow remains uninterrupted through the switch matrix.

Abstract: A compact multi-stage switching network (100), and a router (510) incorporating such multi-stage switching network, adapted for simultaneously routing a plurality of data packets from a first plurality of input ports (110) to selected ones of a second plurality of output ports (190) comprising: a first stack (140) of IC switching layers (113) that are stacked in physical contact with one another, each IC switching layer containing at least one switching element circuit (142); a second stack (160) of IC switching layers (113) that are stacked in physical contact with one another, each IC switching layer (113) containing at least one switching element circuit (162); and interconnecting circuitry (150) that connects the first stack (140) of IC layers to the second stack (160) of IC layers to form the compact multi-stage switching network. The stacks (140, 160) are preferably mated to one another in a transverse fashion in order to achieve a natural full-mesh connection.

Abstract: Consistent with the present invention, programmable input and output buffers are provided on each port of each stage of a distributed system in order to reduce data skew and preserve data synchronization. The programmable buffers provide the ability to add delay to data paths having less skew to compensate or match the skew associated with data paths having greater skew. Accordingly, the programmable buffers can equalize data skew and preserve data synchronization at each stage in the distributed system. As a result, individual stages can be placed farther apart, thereby facilitating larger distributed systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for spreading the component signals of a groomed input circuit through a three-stage CLOS switch network. The spreading algorithm includes sequentially evaluating each midstage switching module as to the availability of a connection between an assigned source switching module and an assigned destination switching module having sufficient spare bandwidth to accommodate one or more of the component signals. A load sharing algorithm can be used to spread the component signals among the midstage switching stages. In this way the available bandwidth of each of the midstage switching modules is evaluated for each of the component signals and each component signal is routed through the midstage switching module having the largest available bandwidth.

Abstract: A switch is provided that receives user information through a plurality of framer circuits, which group the user information into frames. The frames are fed to a switch fabric including an array of switch elements, each having a switch matrix for routing each frame to a desired output in accordance with configuration data stored in a first table coupled to the switch matrix. If different outputs are desired, i.e., the switch matrix is to be reconfigured, a switch control circuit supplies additional switch configuration data to the frames through the inputs along with additional user information to be routed through the switch. While the additional switch configuration data is stored in a second table, data flow remains uninterrupted through the switch matrix.

Abstract: Several rotator switch architectures are provided that enhance performance of a basic rotator switch. The rotator switches having double buffered tandem nodes, multiplexing two or more sources onto each tandem node, partitioning the rotator into two or more parallel space switches, two or more rotator planes multiplexing from/to source and destination nodes to provide data path redundancy, priority queueing on source nodes scheduled locally or globally, or redundancy in the schedulers are shown.