Abstract: Traffic through a bridge or other network device is directed in a manner that enables link aggregation and other layer-2 protocols to operate fully, even though the device may have as few as a single bidirectional link, with the remaining links being unidirectional. The protocol stack logic of the network device includes shim logic that receives traffic and processes it to determine to where it is to be directed.

Abstract: The number of MAC addresses and corresponding tables that need to be stored to forward messages in a network is substantially reduced. Conventional MAC addresses are converted to translated (sometimes called “virtual”) MAC addresses using a new hierarchical format which redefines the conventional 48-bit, MAC label. Though the MAC label is redefined the packet size remains the same. For example, the number of MAC address tables stored by a HUB node may be reduced from 60,000 to 8 while the number stored at a POP node may be reduced from 120,000 to 8 in a “flat” Ethernet design.

Abstract: Congestion in connection-oriented data networks is alleviated by simulating the rerouting of circuits to uncongested parts of the network and then rerouting such circuits in a manner that causes little, or no, disruption to other parts of the network.

Abstract: A voice communication controller (e.g., private branch exchange (PBX)) is described herein which can automatically enable an outbound dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) feature for one of it's extensions that is attached to a phone which belongs to a user while that user is or is likely to be participating in a session with an external DTMF communication system (e.g., a conference/collaboration bridge, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, or a voice mail system). This is desirable because if the user presses button(s) on their phone then the voice communication controller which has enabled the outbound DTMF feature will not attempt to process the corresponding DTMF digit(s) but instead will automatically transfer the corresponding DTMF signal(s) to the external DTMF communication system.

Abstract: The ability to maintain communications between wireless nodes (e.g., devices), moving substantially as a group, as the group moves from one domain to another is provided without the need for each member of the group to separately obtain domain access rights.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing resources of a packet service gateway are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a telecommunication system includes a servicing node, a gateway node connecting the servicing node to a data network, and a control node virtualizing the connection of the servicing node to the data network when the connection is inactive for a predetermined period of time. The control node can include a memory storing control information of inactive connections to the data network, and a processor processing and generating requests to and from the servicing node and the gateway node. According to another embodiment, a method of establishing a connection to a data network includes requesting a connection to the data network by a servicing node, connecting the servicing node to the data network via a gateway node, and virtualizing, by a control node, the connection of the servicing node to the data network.

Abstract: A scheme for retrieving digital multimedia content from a network node. A message is provided to the network node by a client application executing on a digital multimedia device, wherein the message includes a multidimensional pointer to a depository of digital multimedia content associated with the network node as well as a timing parameter operable to indicate when the message is to take effect. The multidimensional pointer contains a relative time offset variable as well as a plurality of media identifier dimensions corresponding to a plurality of nested hierarchical levels into which the digital multimedia content is organized. Responsive to the message, content from a particular content source identified by the multidimensional pointer is streamed to the digital multimedia device at a time indicated responsive to the timing parameter.

Abstract: Information is transmitted over selected, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) sub-channels to avoid frequencies with unacceptable congestion, noise or interference levels. Using frequency hopping, selected non-contiguous OFDM sub-channels used for transmission may vary with time. Once a group of OFDM sub-channels is selected, a power level and modulation technique may also be selected based on channel quality.

Abstract: Information can be transported over domains operated by different service providers at required Quality-of-Service (QoS) levels without disclosing inter- and/or intra-domain information to ensure that the topology of a given service provider's domain (e.g., network) is not disclosed.

Abstract: The amount of TCP/IP packets which can be sent from an Internet network to a wireless network is maximized by modifying a receive window value of an acknowledgment (ACK) before the ACK is sent on to a source of data packets within the Internet network. The receive window value is modified to take into consideration delay and rate variations which occur in the wireless network.

Abstract: A system and method are described herein that leverages an IP (and in particular IMS) mobile network and a fixed network to provide a next generation social networking experience to the users of mobile terminals.

Abstract: The presence and location (among other things) of wireless devices is tracked in order to enable the use of special services, such as wireless instant messaging. Both conventional and WAP-enabled wireless devices may be so tracked.

Abstract: A method for engineering of a connection in a WDM photonic network with a plurality of flexibility sites connected by links comprises calculating a physical end-to-end route between a source node and a destination node and setting-up a communication path along this end-to-end route. An operational parameter of the communication path is continuously tested and compared with a test threshold. The path is declared established whenever the operational parameter is above the margin tolerance. The established path is continuously monitored by comparing the operational parameter with a maintenance threshold. A regenerator is switched into the path whenever the operational parameter is under the respective threshold, or another path is assigned to the respective connection. An adaptive channel power turn-on procedure provides for increasing gradually the power level of the transmitters in the path while measuring an error quantifier at the destination receiver until a preset error quantifier value is reached.

Abstract: A switch and a method are described herein that are capable of performing the following steps: (a) receiving the unicast packet which is a L3 routed packet at a port in a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN); (b) routing the received packet to a loopback port in a second VLAN; (c) receiving the routed packet which is now a L2 multicast packet from the loopback port in the second VLAN; and (d) bridging the routed packet to multiple ports in the second VLAN.

Abstract: A system and method are described herein that includes a presence server which is capable of notifying a watcher about a location of a person using a rich presence element in accordance with security and privacy rules specified by the person. In the preferred embodiment, the system uses a read/write RFID tag and RFID reader as well as a presence server to collect, store and distribute location information as a presence element to the watcher. To accomplish this, the user data and program carrying capability of the read/write RFID tag is used to push to the presence server not only location information but also policies and rules established by the user to control the distribution of the location information as a presence element to watchers. The location policy rules can be made and controlled by the user and/or a third party.

Abstract: Described herein is a policy-based Internet Protocol (IP) network wherein the Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning across various network devices is managed by policy processing via a user interface including a graphic user interface. The user interface incorporates information made available by a server, such as lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server, having a repository, and thereby allows for a consistent set up voice-over IP devices, video devices and network data devices with minimal entries by the user. Further, the user interfaces allows for efficient policy creation and editing.

Abstract: A bridge (EthOAM device) and method are described herein where the bridge implements the method and reduces a number of static entries (pre-defined multicast MAC addresses) which need to be configured within a database (e.g., forwarding database (FDB)) to support the flow of Ethernet OAM multicast frames such as, for example, Connectivity Check (CC) frames and Link Trace (LT) frames which are used in accordance with the IEEE 802.1ag standard.

Abstract: The path selection and wavelength assignment to a selected path are performed by mapping the wavelength reach to the demand distribution (agile reach) resulting in a 50-60% increase in the network reach. The network reach is further increased (about 2.2 times) when on-line measured performance data are used for path selection and wavelength assignment. The connections may be engineered/upgraded individually, by optimizing the parameters of the entire path or of a regenerator section of the respective path. The upgrades include changing the wavelength, adjusting the parameters of the regenerator section, controlling the launch powers, mapping a certain transmitter and/or receiver to the respective wavelength, selecting the wavelengths on a certain link so as to reduce cross-talk, increasing wavelength spacing, etc.

Abstract: A presence server is described herein that implements a method which processes and integrates a presence watcher's communication preferences and a presentity's communication preferences and then distributes the integrated communication preferences along with the presentity's presence information so that the presence watcher can use this information to make a decision on how to contact the presentity. In this way, the presence watcher can achieve promoted communication satisfaction because they know now if they can contact the presentity using their preferred language/device (media type)/security mode (protocol). This enhancement of the communication satisfaction is possible because the integrated communication preferences provided to a presence watcher reflects not only the presentity's communication preferences but also the presence watcher's communication preferences.

Abstract: A bridge (e.g., IEEE 802.1 bridge) and a method are described herein which ensure the proper propagation of a “cut” within a bridged network (e.g., Ethernet-based bridged network). In one embodiment, the bridge has a port role transitions (PRT) state machine which uses a first condition represented as (proposed && !agree) to transit to an X_PROPOSED state and a second condition represented as (! proposed && allSynced && !agree) ? (proposed && agree) to transit to an X_AGREED state (where X represents “ROOT”, “ALTERNATE” and “MASTER”). The first condition and the second condition are both defined such that the X_PROPOSED state is always entered before the X_AGREED state which ensures the proper propagation of a “cut” within the bridged network.