Abstract: This document describes tools that forward data packets to trusted ports and prevent data packets from egressing non-trusted ports. To do so, the tools receive a data packet having a destination address specifying that the data packet be forwarded to a set of ports associated with a domain. The tools identify a subset of the set of ports as trusted ports and forward the data packet to the subset. The tools prevent the data packet from egressing non-trusted ports of the set. In one embodiment, the tools may classify a port as trusted. To do so, the tools receive a configuration communication identifying trusted devices. The tools broadcast a request to the trusted devices and receive a reply from a reply device on a reply port. The tools determine that the reply device is one of the trusted devices and mark the reply port as a trusted port.

Abstract: Packet switch operating methods and packet switches compare a quantity of virtual interfaces associated with a virtual switch to a threshold. If the quantity of virtual interfaces is not greater than the threshold, and the packet switch is configured to learn forwarding fields of packets forwarded by the virtual switch, the methods and switches configure the packet switch to not learn forwarding fields of packets subsequently forwarded by the virtual switch. Other methods and packet switches compare a quantity of virtual interfaces associated with a virtual switch to a threshold. If the quantity of virtual interfaces associated with the virtual switch is not greater than the threshold and the packet switch is configured to learn forwarding fields of packets forwarded by the virtual switch, the methods and packet switches configure the packet switch to not learn forwarding fields of packets subsequently forwarded by the virtual switch.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides transport systems and methods incorporating absolute time references, such as global positioning system (GPS) time references and/or the like, and selective buildout delays, such as first-in, first-out (FIFO) buildout delays and/or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the transport systems and methods of the present invention are used in conjunction with the International Business Machine Corporation (IBM) Geographically-Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS) integrated, automated application and data availability solution to meet and/or exceed the associated 10 microseconds transmit/receive path differential delay requirement. Other comparable uses are also contemplated herein, as will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the transport and processing of optical communication signals. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for the polarization insensitive coherent detection of optical communication signals with Brillouin amplification of the associated signal carrier and the polarization division multiplexed transmission of optical communication signals without polarization tracking at the associated receiver(s).

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic circuit for detecting, identifying, and/or activating a digital device, including a touch-and-hold connector configured to hold an object of interest, the digital device coupled to the touch-and-hold connector, for example, wherein the digital device has a unique digital registration number, a microcontroller that reads the unique digital registration number of the digital device, a storage receptacle configured to selectively receive the touch-and-hold connector, a light-emitting source coupled to the storage receptacle and associated with the touch-and-hold connector, and an electrical power source.

Abstract: Systems and methods for connections on an Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) network including an ASON database and path computation algorithm, mechanisms for Ethernet connections over ASON, and mechanisms for label negotiation for SNCs are provided. Advantageously, the present invention provides mechanisms for ASON path computation and virtual topology management, Ethernet connection establishment, modification, and deletion in ASON networks, and label negotiation without requiring binding and releasing of connections before label negotiation.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides coherent non-differential detection systems and methods for the detection of optical communication signals by the Brillouin fiber amplification of an optical communication signal carrier, the coherent non-differential detection systems including: a Sagnac loop including a single-mode fiber span; a fiber span with negligible birefringence (i.e. a spun fiber span or the like); or a fiber loop with negligible birefringence (i.e. a spun fiber loop or the like).

Abstract: Methods and systems for optimizing storage of data items in a memory of a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) are provided. The data structure for optimized storage includes a packed object having a length section including an indication of a number of identifiers in the packed object, an identifier section including a directory of indices representing an identifier for each data item contained within the packed object and a data section encoding a data portion associated with each data item included in the data section.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing crosstalk problems in digital subscriber loop systems. The problems are associated with a second receiver on a second loop responding to a signal from a first transmitter on a first loop. The signal is actually destined for a first receiver and is coupled between the first transmitter and the second receiver as a crosstalk signal. The method includes the step of transmitting a masking signal from a second transmitter to the second receiver for masking said crosstalk signal.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides a golf club cleaning device that includes a cleaning portion including an upper and lower cleaning surfaces; a flag portion disposed at a top end of the cleaning portion, the flag portion including a gripping means; and a spike portion disposed at a bottom end of the cleaning portion substantially opposite the top end of the cleaning portion, the spike portion including a support means for supporting the device in an upright manner when depressed into the ground. By grasping the flag portion, the spike portion is selectively disposed in the ground at a predetermined location associated with a golf course, practice range, or the like, thereby allowing a player to clean a golf club by selectively running the front face and/or rear face of the golf club horizontally and/or vertically across the one or more cleaning surfaces/materials of the cleaning portion.

Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for programmable fixed frequency digitally controlled oscillators for multirate low jitter frequency synthesis. The present invention utilizes a digital control element, such as a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) or field programmable gate array (FPGA), to monitor the frequency offset of a DCO with respect to one or more timing module (TM) references. The frequency offset is measured by aligning the phase of a DCO feedback divider to the phase of a reference divider, and then counting the number of pulses in the DCO between the falling edges of the feedback to determine a frequency error. Falling edge detection is used to determine a sign of the error. The digital control element then calculates a frequency correction based on a linear scaling factor to send a new control word to the DCO to reduce the frequency error.

Abstract: The present invention enables users to interactively create, customize, and execute reports on data stored in databases using only a web browser. The user can create, customize, and execute reports by selecting various report elements including, for example, data sources, fields, filters, labels, charts, dashboards, and the like. Advantageously, the present invention enables users to create the reports through an Internet connection, without any special software, such as web browser plug-ins, database applications, and the like, without knowledge of data access languages, such as SQL, and without direct access to a database server. The present invention can directly connect to a plurality of different database types through a virtual or physical network connection. It fully functions without requiring the creation of additional configuration items like catalogs, models or secondary schemas by a programmer or database administrator (DBA).

Abstract: A method of fault notification in a carrier Ethernet having the capability of generating and transmitting OAM packets having flag fields, comprises inserting a bit in one of the flag fields to indicate the presence of service-affecting information in the OAM packets, detecting the presence of the inserted bit at the end of a data path, and performing a service protection action in response to the detection of the inserted bit prior to parsing the information in the message. One type of service protection action is protection switching.

Abstract: The present system uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bidirectional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements are co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. The standard network elements are selectively replaced by the intelligent network elements in an incremental approach. A tree-and-branch network architecture is established in which each intelligent network element is assigned a routing ID employed in the point-to-point transmissions while leaving legacy analog signals unimpeded.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for the management of sequence-sensitive, connection-oriented traffic on a multi-link aggregated port. The methods include: at a first end of a multi-link aggregated port, selectively enabling a first constituent link of a plurality of constituent links to transmit data traffic in a first direction via a transmit state block associated with the first constituent link; and, at the first end of the multi-link aggregated port, selectively enabling the plurality of constituent links to receive data traffic from a second direction via a plurality of receive state blocks associated with the plurality of constituent links.

Abstract: Element managers and processes retrieve information from a first packet switch. The information is derived from layer-two (data link layer) control packets relayed from a second packet switch to the first packet switch via a tunnel. The layer-two control packets conform to a layer-two control protocol. Based at least in part on the retrieved information, the element managers and processes determine that the tunnel is configured to relay layer-two control packets conforming to the layer-two control protocol despite a desired tunnel configuration specifying that the tunnel should not be configured to relay layer-two control packets conforming to the layer-two control protocol. Element managers and processes may alternatively or additionally detect other discrepancies between the desired tunnel configuration and the tunnel.

Abstract: An arrangement that allows transmission of client signals with higher clock fidelity is achieved by developing a phase offset measure at an ingress node, communicating it to the egress node, and recovering the client's clock from the received data and from the received phase-offset information. The ability to recover the client's clock with high fidelity is enhanced by adaptive pointer processing in intermediate nodes and the egress node of the network that the client's signal traverses. The adaptive pointer processing filters incoming pointers from upstream nodes and injects new positive and negative pointer justifications in excess of what is minimally necessary to allow them to be filtered by successive nodes and insure proper transmission over a network that employs a protocol involving framing layer frames embedded in communication layer frames. Illustratively, the network protocol is an extended ITU Recommendation G.709 Digital Wrapper protocol, arranged to employ frames of 15240 columns by four rows.

Abstract: This invention includes methods and packet switches that modify duplicate packets to have different transport formats. A packet switch receives a plurality of duplicate packets from a switching fabric and modifies two or more of the duplicate packets so that the modified duplicate packets have different transport identifiers. The packet switch then transmits one of the duplicate packets on each of a plurality of ports of the packet switch.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods to adaptively control amplifier target power to maintain signal launching power as per design in networks with wavelength selective switch (WSS)-based reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs) using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS). Accordingly, signal OSNR does not collapse faster for WSS-based ROADMs than other similar configured system without WSS-based ROADM. In order to correct amplifier target power, the present invention utilizes system information about side-lobe size and OSNR at each amplifier. Related information, such as ASE level and size of side-lobes at each channel from upstream amplifiers, is passed to the network controller at each amplifier. Meanwhile, with target signal level and local WSS attenuation setting (given side-lobe size vs. WSS attenuation known) of each channel, the amplifier calculates what is total output power should be and adaptively maintains that power.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing random access retrieval of a requested data item in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag are provided. During random access retrieval, a first read of a memory bank in the RFID tag is performed. The first read providers a set of identifier indices stored in a packed object in the memory bank of the RFID tag and a length of the packed object. A determination is then made whether a retrieved identifier index represents the requested data item to be retrieved. A second read of the memory bank, accessing the portion of the memory bank including the data items, is then performed. The location of the data item in the packed object may optionally be determined prior to the second read.