On Ring Or Loop Network Patents (Class 370/460)
  • Patent number: 11770769
    Abstract: Transmission of at least one first wake-up signal to a communication device (103) is triggered on a direct link (181) between a network (100) and the communication device (103). Transmission of at least one second wake-up signal to the communication device (103) is triggered on a relaying link (182) between the network (100) and the communication device (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Basuki Priyanto, Olof Zander, Rickard Ljung
  • Patent number: 10528503
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for improving bus latency are described. A method performed at a device coupled to a serial bus includes using a dynamic identifier in a first transaction conducted over a first serial bus. The dynamic identifier includes unique identifier and variable identifier portions. The device participates in a sequence of bus arbitrations until the slave device gains access to the first serial bus or a second serial bus. The value of the variable identifier portion may be increased after each bus arbitration that does not result in a grant of access to the first serial bus, and cleared after each bus arbitration that results in a grant of access to the first serial bus. A second transaction may be conducted over the first serial bus after gaining access to the first serial bus. The value of the dynamic identifier defines slave device priority for bus arbitrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Lalan Jee Mishra, Richard Dominic Wietfeldt
  • Patent number: 10505374
    Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Hofer, Jesus Ruiz Sevillano
  • Patent number: 10313098
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine-readable storage mediums for clock synchronizing among detectors in a clock synchronizing configuration are provided. An example clock synchronizing method includes: providing a clock of a preset frequency in each of N modules to be synchronized, coupling every two adjacent modules of the modules by a transmission line of the same length, N being an odd number, selecting two different modules from the modules as two reference modules respectively, controlling each of the reference modules to transmit a synchronizing signal to the other modules, determining a clock error between every two modules having the same transmission distance from the reference module according to a moment of the synchronizing signal reaching each of the other modules, selecting a calibrating module from the modules, and implementing clock synchronization between each of the modules and the calibrating module according to the respective clock errors associated with the two reference modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Shenyang Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gai Cui, Long Yang, Jun Zhang, Peng Ning, Zhenguo Zhang
  • Patent number: 9948480
    Abstract: A media access control (MAC) filtering method is provided. The MAC filtering method includes setting a variable of condition on a target frame to be re-transmitted, with a relay control logic; receiving data from a physical layer; storing the received data in a relay buffer; determining whether to re-transmit the receive data; monitoring a transmission state of a MAC control logic and transmitting the received data while the MAC control logic is not used, to prevent data collision, when as a result of the determination that the receive data needs to be re-transmitted; and storing information that the received data is being transmitted, into a transmit state memory in the MAC control logic, when the received data is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gyu Sung Bae
  • Patent number: 9674089
    Abstract: A device (D1) is intended for processing digital data frames to be transmitted by a transport network (TN), and comprises i) a first processing means (PM1) comprising ports for receiving digital data frames and arranged for downsizing, then compressing, if necessary, and then compacting each one of these received digital data frames to produce reduced digital data frames, ii) a second processing means (PM2) arranged for aggregating at least some of these reduced digital data frames together according to aggregation information to produce frame groups, and iii) a third processing means (PM3) arranged for grouping these frame groups together with a group descriptor, defining initial arrangements of the digital data frames, according to grouping information, to produce a transport frame to be transmitted by the transport network (TN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Jamond, Emmanuel Froger, Olivier Klein, Olivier Thomann
  • Patent number: 9661658
    Abstract: A signal structure for use in D2D communications is described. In one embodiment, a preamble for automatic gain control at the receiver end is included in the transmitted signal. Techniques for scheduling of D2D transmissions using carrier sensing multiple access (CSMA) and a power control schemes for interference management are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qinghua Li, Honggang Li, Huaning Niu, Yi Hsuan, Yuan Zhu, Xiaogang Chen, Jong-Kae Fwu, Alexei Davydov, Hujun Yin, Xintian E Lin, Wendy C. Wong, Yujian Zhang, Apostolos Papathanassiou
  • Patent number: 9628332
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention monitor and dynamically allocate computing resources to a game service. A game service provides a remote gaming environments to which users connect over a wide area network, such as the internet. A game session runs a single instance of a game title. The game session runs the video game code responsible for creating the playing experience for the users. In another embodiment, the number of active game sessions is monitored and computing resources are allocated dynamically as the number of sessions increases or decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John Peter Bruno, Jr., Donald James McNamara, Ashok Chandrasekaran, Christopher Lane Boedigheimer, Per-Ola Anders Orvendal, Joseph Cusimano, Scott Q. Longstreet
  • Patent number: 9413717
    Abstract: Apparatus (104) for connecting two or more computer networks having two or more network interface machines (201, 202, 203) each arranged to be connected to a respective computer network with a bidirectional communications link (105, 106, 107) enabling the network interface machine to receive data from and transmit data to the computer network. The network interface machines are connected together with at least one content checker (210, 211) to enable data to be transmitted from one network interface machine to another, and arranged such that data transmitted from one network interface machine to another network interface machine must pass via a content checker. Each network interface machine is arranged to transmit flow control data. The network interface machines are connected to the content checkers only by unidirectional communications links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: DEEP-SECURE LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon Robert Wiseman
  • Patent number: 9268546
    Abstract: Method, system, and programs for deployment of applications are disclosed. An application capable of being executed in a plurality of different formats is provisioned. The application is deployed for execution by a client device and a server. Resources are dynamically allocated for execution of the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz, Daryl Mun-Kid Low, Martin F. N. Cooper, Dirk Koehler
  • Patent number: 9270408
    Abstract: A method of communication between a transmitter and a receiver over a channel is provided. The transmitter is capable of transmitting packets with multiple data rates, each of which adapts to a respective channel condition with regards to the performance of the communication. The method comprises the steps of at the level of the transmitter: upon detection of a disappearance of deterioration of the channel condition, transmitting packets with a data rate selected from a group of stable data rates that are stably used before the disappearance of the deterioration but larger than the last data rate before disappearance of the deterioration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Cheng Sui, Junbiao Zhang, Jin Fei Yu
  • Patent number: 9201839
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including a plurality of communication units connected to one another in a ring shape by a bus, each of the plurality of communication units being connected to one of processing units, each of which executes a predetermined process, and transmitting data processed by the one of the processing units to the bus as a packet, the information processing apparatus transferring data between the processing units and processing the data in a predetermined order. Among the plurality of communication units, in at least one communication unit, a packet including a value indicative of suspension of the process is generated when the connected processing unit has suspended a process, and information showing whether or not the generation unit has generated the packet including the value indicative of suspension of the process is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Hara, Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9147069
    Abstract: Disclosed system and methods for protecting computer resources from unauthorized access. The system provides a library of handler functions that control access of applications to protected resources on a computer device. The system associates a security policy with the library to handler functions. The security policy specifies access rules for accessing protected resources by the applications. The system also modifies applications to access the library of handler functions instead of corresponding application program interface (API) functions of the computer device. When a handler function receives an API function call from a modified application, it may determine if the received API function call complies with the access rules. When the API function call complies with the access rules, the handler function performs the API function call from the application to the protected resources. When the API function call violates the access rules, the handler function block that API function call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: AO Kaspersky Lab
    Inventors: Victor V. Yablokov, Evgeny Y. Eliseev
  • Patent number: 9098697
    Abstract: Disclosed system and methods for detecting malicious applications. The system provides a library of handler functions. The handlers functions control access of one or more applications to protected resources on a user device. The system also modifies the one or more applications to access the library of handler functions instead of corresponding application program interface (API) functions of the user device. The handler functions receive API function calls from a modified application. The system analyzes the received API function calls for malicious behavior characteristics. When the API function calls do not exhibit malicious behavior characteristics, the handler functions perform the API function calls to the protected resources. When the API function calls exhibit malicious behavior characteristics, the system prevents access of the modified application to the protected resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Kaspersky Lab ZAO
    Inventors: Victor V. Yablokov, Evgeny Y. Eliseev
  • Patent number: 9021126
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes multiple processing means that are connected in a ring shape via corresponding communication means respectively. Each communication means includes a reception means for receiving data from a previous communication means, and a transmission means for transmitting data to a next communication means. Connection information is assigned to each of the reception means and the transmission means. The communication means, when receiving a packet that has same connection information as one assigned to its reception means, causes the corresponding processing means to perform data processing on the packet, sets the connection information assigned to its transmission means to the packet, and transmits the packet to the next communication means, and when receiving a packet that has connection information that is not same as one assigned to its reception means, transmits the packet to the next communication means without changing the connection information of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8989220
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a station circuit. The station circuit includes a data layer and a transport layer. The station circuit is capable of a source mode and a destination mode. The data layer of the station circuit in source mode disassembles a source packet into one or more source parcels and sends the one or more source parcels to the transport layer. The station circuit in destination mode receives the one or more destination parcels over a ring at its transport layer, reassembles the one or more destination parcels into a destination packet, and delivers the destination packet from the transport layer to the data layer. The transport layer of the station circuit in source mode transmits the one or more source parcels over the ring. The transport layer of the station circuit in destination mode receives the one or more destination parcels over the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Cavium, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul G. Scrobohaci, Ahmed Shahid, Bryan W. Chin, Leo Chen
  • Patent number: 8989037
    Abstract: A system transfers data. The system includes an ingress node transferring data at a determined bandwidth. The ingress node includes a buffer and operates based on a monitored node parameter. The system includes a controller in communication with the ingress node. The controller is configured to allocate, based on the monitored node parameter, an amount of the determined bandwidth for directly transferring data to bypass the buffer of the ingress node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brad Matthews, Puneet Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8953528
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for adapting wireless sensor network device operation to ambient RF noise. An example embodiment includes: initializing a noise threshold value to a default value; detecting an ambient RF noise level on a plurality of channels of a wireless network device; if the ambient RF noise level detected on a pre-determined number of channels is above the noise threshold value, adjusting the noise threshold value by an increment and retesting the ambient RF noise level on the plurality of channels; if the noise threshold value exceeds a pre-determined maximum noise threshold value, suspending data communications by the wireless network device; and if the ambient RF noise level detected on a pre-determined number of channels is below the noise threshold value, retaining the noise threshold value and enabling data communications by the wireless network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: SynapSense Corporation
    Inventors: Seokman Paul Han, Rituparna Ghosh, Raju Pandey
  • Patent number: 8848515
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for topology discovery are disclosed. Link state information of each port of each device on a ring network is confirmed through neighbor negotiation between a first device and a neighbor device, and by broadcasting a link state information base of each device to other devices on the ring network, each device on the ring network can obtain the newest and synchronous link state information of each port on the ring network, so that each network device on the ring network implements topology discovery of the ring network where the network device is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huafeng Wen, Wenhai Wang, Li Qin
  • Patent number: 8825786
    Abstract: A server-based system enables exchange of medical messages between users, monitors for a probability of communications breakdown likely to result in medical error, and instigates corrective actions to prevent communications breakdown from occurring. Monitoring may include whether a user has read or acted upon a message received within a specified timeframe and whether a user has specified routing preferences for delivering a message to a user better suited to read or act on the message. Corrective actions include the determination of and routing of messages to an optimal recipient and the generation of alerts to subsequent users where a message has not been read or acted upon within a specified timeframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventors: William Baxter Webb, III, Christopher Rathermel
  • Patent number: 8660003
    Abstract: Dynamic, asymmetric rings and related communication equipment and methods are disclosed. Various features may be implemented to provide any or all of several degrees of freedom for managing resources in a communication network. Communication rates may be optimized on a node-to-node basis or overall on a network level. Different rates may be configured and possibly dynamically adjusted between different nodes, and/or for different directions of traffic transfer. Bandwidth can be dynamically allocated along a string of the communication nodes in a ring or linear topology in some embodiments. Direction of traffic transfer represents an additional possible degree of freedom in a ring topology, in that traffic can be transferred in either direction in a ring, such as the direction of least delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Genesis Technical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Cooke, John Bruno
  • Patent number: 8649261
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for blocking a protocol message at a Sub-ring control channel without a virtual channel, for avoiding the problem that the Sub-ring is in a continuous refresh state all the time caused by the existing solution of the Sub-ring control channel without the virtual channel, and the method includes: blocking forwarding of relevant messages when a forced switch is initiated or a failure is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Shaoyong Wu
  • Patent number: 8644134
    Abstract: Techniques are described which provide mechanisms for dual-homing an access ring for virtual private wire service (VPWS) Ethernet line (E-Line) services. The mechanism may provide resiliency against access ring failures and offer a restoration time of 50 msec upon failure. A method to provide such resiliency may generally include determining, at a first ring port of an access node, a ring failure in an Ethernet ring. Upon determining the first ring port of the access node is not situated on a same side of the Ethernet ring as a node designated as a ring protection link (RPL) owner, a message is transmitted on a second ring port of the access node towards a provider edge (PE) node. The message is used to activate pseudowires (PWs) at the PE node for virtual local area networks (VLANs) of the access node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Sajassi, Samer M. Salam
  • Patent number: 8531942
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a first and a second master unit and at least one slave unit, wherein the second master unit is switched into a data transmission chain reaching from the first master unit to the slave unit in order to continue data transmission if a link fault occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Büttner, Karl Weber
  • Patent number: 8488614
    Abstract: The invention is directed toward techniques for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) upstream label assignment for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP). The techniques include extensions to the LDP that enable distribution of upstream assigned labels from an upstream router to two or more downstream routers of a tunnel established over a network. The tunnel may comprise a LDP Point to Multi-Point (P2MP) Label Switched Path (LSP), an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast tunnel, or a Resource Reservation Protocol with Traffic Engineering extensions (RSVP-TE) P2MP LSP. The techniques also include extensions to the LDP that enable a router to advertise upstream label assignment capability to neighboring routers in the network. The MPLS upstream label assignment using LDP described herein enables a branch router to avoid traffic replication on a Local Area Network (LAN) for LDP P2MP LSPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Rahul Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 8466816
    Abstract: A circuit for serializing bits including a clock circuit and a serializer. The clock circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of clock signals from a received master clock signal. A plurality of bits may be transmitted to the serializer in response to a transition of a first clock signal. The serializer may comprise a system of latches and a rotary circuit. The system of latches may be configured to receive a first half of the plurality of bits in response to a first transition of a second clock signal and to receive a second half of the plurality of bits in response to a transition of a third clock signal. The rotary circuit may be configured to receive the plurality of bits from the system of latches and to output each bit at a particular time based on a plurality of rotary clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Martin S. Denham
  • Patent number: 8462808
    Abstract: A communication apparatus as one of first communication apparatuses belonging to a first communication network, for communicating with another of the first communication apparatuses via the first communication network, and with one or more second communication apparatuses via a second communication network, the communication apparatus as the one first communication apparatus including a communication portion which communicates with the different first communication apparatus via the first communication network, and with the one or more second communication apparatuses via the second communication network, and a control portion which controls the communication portion to communicate with the different first communication apparatus via the first communication network, in a first control manner, and controls the communication portion to communicate with the one or more second communication apparatuses via the second communication network, in a second control manner different from the first control manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Matsuda, Yuji Sato, Kazuma Aoki
  • Patent number: 8443079
    Abstract: A device receives network configuration information from a network, determines a logical network based on the network configuration information, and constructs a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the logical network. The device also calculates an optimal solution, which minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model, performs a post-optimization mapping procedure on the optimal solution to produce an optimal network configuration mapping, and outputs the optimal network configuration mapping for implementation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Nandagopal Venugopal, Thomas P. Newcomer
  • Patent number: 8417978
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing power consumption during periods of low link utilization. A single enhanced core can be defined that enables operation of subset of parent physical layer devices (PHYs). The subset and parent PHYs can have a fundamental relationship that enables synchronous switching between them depending on the link utilization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wael William Diab, Howard Baumer
  • Patent number: 8401034
    Abstract: A transport apparatus, includes a switching frame generator that generates a GCC-mode-switching special frame for instructing a corresponding apparatus to switch a GCC mode, a GCC overhead insertion unit that inserts the GCC-mode-switching special frame generated by the switching frame generator into a GCC overhead and transmits the GCC overhead to the corresponding apparatus, a transmission-mode controller that performs a control operation to switch the GCC mode of its own apparatus after the transmission of the GCC-mode-switching special frame is completed by the GCC overhead insertion unit, a switching-frame determination unit that determines, upon receiving the GCC overhead from the corresponding apparatus, whether the GCC-mode-switching special frame is inserted into the GCC overhead, and a reception-mode controller that performs a control operation to switch the GCC mode of its own apparatus when the switching-frame determination unit determines that the GCC-mode-switching special frame is inserted into
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Tazawa, Hideaki Arao
  • Patent number: 8385349
    Abstract: A medium access control (MAC) device and method for optical packet-switched metro wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) slotted-ring networks are used for providing quality of service (QoS) guarantees for isochronous traffic. The device includes a MAC processor and a distributed call admission control (CAC) module. The CAC module in each node of an optical packet-switched network is designed in a distributed manner, and flexibly allocates a reserved bandwidth to an isochronous traffic by a mean-rate-reservation method, controls a quota of the isochronous traffic below a quota ratio rH, resolves output contention by recording node locations forming a connection, and establishes a connection for each isochronous traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chi-Jui Maria Yuang, I-Fen Chao
  • Patent number: 8185761
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing power consumption during periods of low link utilization. A single enhanced core can be defined that enables operation of subset of parent physical layer devices (PHYs). The subset and parent PHYs can have a fundamental relationship that enables synchronous switching between them depending on the link utilization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wael William Diab, Howard Baumer
  • Patent number: 8121112
    Abstract: A microprocessor and a DSP are coupled with a cable modem and an IAD framer to terminate a DS1 link at a media terminal device. The processor performs call control operations and the DSP performs signal processing, such that call processing occurs at the device. The framer extracts or inserts call control information from robbed-bit signaling bits. Data streams from the DS1 link are formatted/packetized according to a protocol used by a VoIP network. VoIP is used to transmit the packetized call from the cable modem portion to a CMTS over a broadband network. QoS attributes are implemented on the derived data streams as would be done for calls generated by a standard PacketCable EMTA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: ARRIS Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Carol Ansley
  • Patent number: 7876688
    Abstract: A loop protection mechanism including dynamically determining a link connecting two adjacent nodes of a loop in a communication network in accordance with a predefined criterion, and reconfiguring the loop so that the loop is broken at the determined link which is an optimal link in terms of the predefined criterion. The breaking of the loop enables for example to utilize loop-free technologies (e.g. Ethernet) in a physical loop architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Hauenstein, Jouko Kapanen, Gerald Berghoff
  • Patent number: 7831147
    Abstract: This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles D. Combs, Thomas Edward Darcie, Bhavesh N. Desai, Alan H. Gnauck, Xiaolin Lu, Esteban Sandino, Oleh J. Sniezko, Anthony G. Werner, Sheryl Leigh Woodward
  • Patent number: 7826399
    Abstract: A design structure is provided for a slotted ring network, in which a node may transmit a non-renewable slot reservation with any unreserved slot. The reservation restricts other nodes from transmitting a new packet in the slot. When the slot returns around the ring to the reserving node, the slot will be available. Preferably, reservation is made responsive to a starvation condition in the reserving node, which may be detected in any of various ways. In an optional enhancement, a reservation identifies the reserving node, and another node on the ring is free to transmit a new packet in the reserved slot if the new packet will reach its destination at or before the reserving node, and thus will not interfere with the reservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Hume Heil, Michael Steven Siegel, Jeffrey R. Summers, Steven Paul VanderWiel
  • Patent number: 7783196
    Abstract: This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles D. Combs, Thomas Edward Darcie, Bhavesh N. Desai, Alan H. Gnauck, Xiaolin Lu, Esteban Sandino, Oleh J. Sniezko, Anthony G. Werner, Sheryl Leigh Woodward
  • Patent number: 7760669
    Abstract: In a slotted ring network, a node may transmit a non-renewable slot reservation with any unreserved slot. The reservation restricts other nodes from transmitting a new packet in the slot. When the slot returns around the ring to the reserving node, the slot will be available. Preferably, reservation is made responsive to a starvation condition in the reserving node, which may be detected in any of various ways. In an optional enhancement, a reservation identifies the reserving node, and another node on the ring is free to transmit a new packet in the reserved slot if the new packet will reach its destination at or before the reserving node, and thus will not interfere with the reservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Hume Heil, Michael Steven Siegel, Jeffrey R. Summers, Steven Paul VanderWiel
  • Patent number: 7733898
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing starvation in a slotted-ring network. Embodiments may include a ring interconnect to transmit bits, with one of the bits being a slot reservation bit, and nodes coupled to the ring interconnect, with each node comprising a starvation detection element and a slot reservation element to reserve a slot for future use. In further embodiments, each node may also comprise a slot tracking element to track the location of the slot reserved by that node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Mattina, George Z. Chrysos, Yungho Choi
  • Patent number: 7734179
    Abstract: A communication system between head-ends and end-users is provided which expands bandwidth and reliability. A concentrator receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more fiber nodes and/or one or more mini-fiber nodes. The concentrator demultiplexes/splits received signals for the mini-fiber nodes and the fiber nodes and forwards demultiplexed/split signals respectively. The mini-fiber nodes may combine signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local medium access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and/or fiber node and transmitted to the concentrator. The concentrator multiplexes/couples the mini-fiber node and the fiber node upstream signals and forwards multiplexed/coupled signals to the head-end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Darcie, Bhavesh N. Desai, Alan H. Gnauck, Xiaolin Lu, Sheryl Leigh Woodward
  • Patent number: 7535837
    Abstract: A burst mode optical signal is transported as payload of a framed continuous bit-stream optical signal through an optical transport network. The optical bursts are all generated at a common nominal bitrate which equals substantially the payload bitrate of the continuous bit-stream optical signal. The bursts are converted into a continuous bit stream by filling gaps between the bursts with a predefined pattern. The continuous bit stream thus created is then mapped into frames to generate the framed continuous bit-stream optical signal for transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Michael Joachim Wolf, Dieter Beller
  • Patent number: 7529267
    Abstract: A network includes multiple nodes interconnected to form a ring topology. These nodes support data transmissions over the network using tokens. To send and receive data over the network, nodes may process control messages. A node can receive a first token authorizing transmission on one of multiple data channels, generate a transmission control message identifying a destination node and the authorized data channel, and communicate the transmission control message to a next node. The node can also communicate a second token to the next node authorizing secondary transmissions on the authorized data channel, transmit data on the authorized data channel after communicating the transmission control message, and communicate the first token to the next node after communicating the second token to the next node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hung-ying Tyan, Ching-Fong Su, Richard R. Rabbat, Takeo Hamada
  • Publication number: 20090022173
    Abstract: Multiple control indications are transmitted within timeslots defined for a slotted communication system. For example, a wireless node may transmit a control indication at a beginning of a timeslot and at an end of a timeslot. A control indication may comprise a resource utilization message that a node generates in an attempt reduce inference at the node that is caused by transmissions by neighboring nodes. A node also may synchronize to a received timeslot of another node based on the position of one or more control indications within the timeslot. Here, each control indication may include information that indicates the position of the control indication within the timeslot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Gavin Bernard Horn, Ashwin Sampath
  • Publication number: 20080279214
    Abstract: A radio communication device includes a beacon reception unit extracting a frame from a received beacon and a frame judgment unit judging whether the extracted frame is one requiring data transmission/reception or one giving notice of a collision with a beacon of another network, a frame constructing unit used when the frame judgment unit has judged that the frame is a collision notification, generating a frame for relaying the collision notification and a movement notification to a new beacon transmission period, and a beacon transmission instruction unit instructing transmission of the frame at the beacon transmission timing. Accordingly, since these notifications can be relayed, all radio communication devices of the same network can move to a new beacon transmission period while avoiding a collision with a beacon from a radio communication device of another network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Doi, Masahiro Mimura, Taisuke Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7450850
    Abstract: This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Charles D. Combs, Thomas Edward Darcie, Bhavesh N. Desai, Alan H. Gnauck, Xiaolin Lu, Esteban Sandino, Oleh J. Sniezko, Anthony G. Werner, Sheryl Leigh Woodward
  • Patent number: 7369514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing starvation of a station in a ring networked environment includes allocating a tax to each of the stations in the ring, and, for each packet that is to be transited though the ring, providing bandwidth to the station in the form of a tax packet, which allows the station to have ring access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Wang-Hsin Peng, Richard Deslandes
  • Patent number: 7355978
    Abstract: Described is a method extending the OAM functionality in the RPR networks through a new OAM loopback procedure of request-reply type together with the definition of a new RPR OAM loopback frame. The OAM loopback function allows any RPR station to check the reachability of another RPR station. It is not necessary to stop any data traffic communication on the network in order to perform this function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Michele Fontana, Pietro Grandi, Italo Busi
  • Patent number: 7352765
    Abstract: A packet switching fabric includes means forming a data ring, means forming a control ring, and means forming a plurality of data communication network links each having at least one network node coupled thereto. The fabric further includes a plurality of output queuing controlled switching devices coupled together by the data ring means and the control ring means so that the network links can be selectively communicatively coupled. Each of the output queuing controlled switching devices includes control ring processing means operative to develop, transmit and receive control messages to and from adjacent ones of the devices via the control ring means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: William Dai, Jason Chao, Yao-Ching Liu
  • Patent number: 7328017
    Abstract: A method in wireless communications networks including transmitting a radio resource assignment (520) to a wireless communications device in response to a request (510), transmitting radio resource assignment time-out information to the wireless communications device, for example, in the assignment message (520), wherein the radio resource assignment time-out information specifies a duration during which the radio resource assignment to the wireless communications device remains valid after the wireless communications device discontinues communication on the radio resource assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Reed, Hao Bi
  • Patent number: 7315830
    Abstract: An electronic shopping server formats and sends an electronic page, having an integrated shopping basket with drag and drop functionality, from a virtual catalog to a plurality of clients. The server includes an e-sessions controller that manages and tracks each session with the clients, profile generator that identifies and authorizes each consumer to engage in the sessions, catalog selector responsive to on-demand requests for the contents and supporting data of each catalog page, and order processor that supports purchase requests. The e-sessions controller manages the sessions by causing each client to launch an electronic sessions application. The resident application includes a local sessions controller that brokers all client communications with the server and implements the instructions from the e-sessions controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Nexus Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph G. Wirtz, John L. Bendler