Abstract: A signal transfer point (STP) within a first telecommunications network enables recovery from a linkset failure between the first telecommunications network and a second telecommunications network by deactivating one or more affected signaling routes between the first and second telecommunications networks that include the failed linkset. The STP includes a linkset controller for monitoring the current state of the linkset coupled between the STP and an additional STP within the second telecommunications network. The STP further includes an input interface for receiving a deactivate common channel signaling (CCS) route command from a user when the current state of the linkset indicates failure of the linkset, and a signaling route control module that changes the route status for the affected signaling routes to “prohibited” to prevent SS7 traffic associated with the affected signaling routes from being sent over the linkset.

Abstract: An enhanced whisper feature enables a user to engage simultaneously in disparate telephonic communication sessions by isolating audible input of the user from a select one of the telephonic communication sessions while providing audible output from each of the telephonic communication sessions to the user. The whisper feature can be further enhanced using a presence system that maintains presence information indicating the availability of the user. The presence system can enable the whisper feature of the user upon determining that the user is currently engaged in a first telephonic communication session when a request for the user to engage in a second telephonic communication session is received. In addition, the whisper feature can include a silent ring mode that is activated upon receipt of the request for the user to engage in the second telephonic communication session.

Abstract: System and method for representing preference and policy in a contact list are described. One embodiment is a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for displaying a directory of contacts of a user. The GUI comprises a list of contacts displayed in a first window of the GUI; for each contact in the list of contacts, a preference and policy category for the contact, wherein the preference and policy category for the contact is displayed in the first window of the GUI; and for each contact in the list of contacts, a feature icon indicative of whether a feature is enabled for the contact according to the preference and policy category for the contact, wherein the feature icon is displayed in association with the contact in the first window of the GUI.

Abstract: A method and system for logical group endpoint discovery in a data communication network is disclosed. A network endpoint receives from a source a request identifying a logical group and determines whether a port associated with the endpoint is a member of the logical group. If a port associated with the endpoint is a member of the logical group, the endpoint transmits to the source a reply identifying the port and the logical group. The request may be multicast while the reply may be unicast. The logical group may be a VLAN or a multicast group. The source and endpoint are preferably 802.1ag maintenance endpoints. The request may include an IEEE 802.1ag continuity check multicast address as a destination address.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring end nodes using Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) in an access network. In one embodiment, a broadband access server (BRAS) is operable to generate an Ethernet CFM frame that includes a query message with respect to a particular end node. An interworking function (IWF) entity associated with an access node that services the particular end node is operable to interpret the Ethernet CFM frame and construct a corresponding query message in a native protocol compatible with the particular end node. Upon receiving a reply message from the particular end node, the IWF entity constructs a suitable reply Ethernet CFM frame for transmission to the BRAS, wherein the reply Ethernet CFM frame includes a response corresponding to the reply message from the end node.

Abstract: A network system (10). The system comprises a plurality of nodes (PE, CE). Each node in the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate with at least one other node in the plurality of nodes. Further, each node in the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate to another node via a respective primary path and via a respective backup path. Still further, each node in the plurality of nodes is operable to perform the steps of, when receiving network traffic as a receiving node, detecting delay (110, 120; 130, 140; 160, 170) in traffic received from a transmitting node, and, in response to detecting delay, communicating a signal to the transmitting node. In response to the signal, the transmitting node is operable to dynamically adjust (150; 190) a distribution of traffic through a respective primary path and a respective backup path from the transmitting node to the receiving node.

Abstract: A sequential iterative methodology is used to generate a solution space with different cost/availability values for multiple network architectures from which an optimal or near-optimal solution can be determined. A modeling module (10) provides a cost value for a network architecture under consideration and, once cost modeling is done, an availability analysis is performed for the architecture under analysis. If a relatively few connections prevent a model from acceptability, the availability analysis module (12) reveals the causing factors of the unsatisfactory availability for those few connections and suggests that the modeling perform further optimisations on those causing factors. This iterative process is repeated until an optimum or near-optimum acceptable solution is found; if no acceptable solution is found, the solutions generated in the availability analysis module are reviewed to find the best available solution.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for paging a mobile station operable in a WLAN. Logical layer-2 paging is provided pursuant to a tracking agent protocol. A tracking agent is provided that tracks the location at a logical layer-2 logical level. A paging cache is maintained that identifies logical layer-2 paging areas in which the mobile station is most recently associated. When a communication session is initiated, a page is broadcast throughout the layer-2 logical layer paging area in which the mobile station is indicated to be positioned.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for an internet audio gateway for delivering data based audio content to devices that are incapable of receiving and processing such content in the data form or where the device is capable of receiving and processing such data but the network is not capable of delivering such content.

Abstract: A packet switch is described. In one embodiment, the packet switch comprises a plurality of ingress ports for receiving packets at the packet switch and for appending a tag to each packet that designates one of the plurality of ingress ports that received the packet; a plurality of egress ports for removing the tag from the packets and transmitting the packets from the packet switch; and switch fabric for switching the packets from one of the plurality of ingress ports to one of the plurality of egress ports.

Abstract: A multiplexer selectively chooses packets for discarding during periods of congestion. In a first embodiment, thresholds for fill levels of a FIFO queue are set for a plurality of priority types. As thresholds are exceeded, incoming packet below a set priority level will be prevented from entering the queue and packets at the front of the queue below the set priority will be discarded. In a second embodiment, packets within a queue may be marked for deletion. A forward/discard list assigns an index to a new packet and maintains a list of the stream associated with each packet. A priority index list maintains a list of packets for each priority type by index number. A video metadata buffer stores the metadata for each enqueued packet. A physical video buffer stores the packets. When an incoming packet cannot be enqueued, packets of lower priority are detected by reference to the index list and marked for discard.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributed load multiplexing of multiple encoded signals over a shared communication path include processing that begins by receiving a 1st encoded signal having a 1st varying relative bit rate. The processing continues by receiving a 2nd encoded signal having a 2nd varying relative bit rate. For example, the 1st and 2nd encoded signals may be an MPEG encoded signal including a plurality of I frames, B frames and P frames. The processing continues by aligning multiplexing of the 1st and 2nd encoded signals based on reducing cumulative peak bit rates of the 1st varying relative bit rate and the 2nd varying relative bit rate. For example, the 2nd encoded signal may be delayed via buffering to ensure that the I frames of the 1st and 2nd encoded signals are misaligned.

Abstract: Directly computing Feed Forward Equalizer (FFE) coefficients and Feed Back Equalizer (FBE) coefficients of a Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) from a channel estimate. The FBE coefficients have an energy constraint. A recursive least squares problem is formulated based upon the DFE configuration, the channel estimate, and the FBE energy constraint. The recursive least squares problem is solved to yield the FFE coefficients. The FFE coefficients are convolved with a convolution matrix that is based upon the channel estimate to yield the FBE coefficients. A solution to the recursive least squares problem is interpreted as a Kalman gain vector. A Kalman gain vector solution to the recursive least squares problem may be determined using a Fast Transversal Filter (FTF) algorithm.

Abstract: An improved directional coupler that significantly reduces the signal degradation problems associated with distortion caused by circuit elements used to measure the transmitted power. In a selected embodiment, the directional coupler of the present invention comprises a plurality of active elements, such as capacitors, that have values selected to ensure that the distortion created by circuit elements used to measure forward transmitted power. In an embodiment of the invention, capacitors have values selected to minimize in-band distortion signals at the fundamental carrier frequency of the transmitted signal and also at the second and third harmonics of the fundamental carrier frequency.

Abstract: Local oscillation circuitry for use in an RF transceiver Integrated Circuit (IC) includes local oscillation generation circuitry operable to produce a local oscillation and local oscillation distribution circuitry. The local oscillation distribution circuitry includes a splitting circuit, a first distribution portion, and a second distribution portion. The splitting circuit receives the local oscillation and produces multiple copies of the local oscillation. The first distribution portion produces a first local oscillation corresponding to a first RF band and a second local oscillation corresponding to a second RF band based and to provide the first local oscillation and the second local oscillation to a first RF transceiver group. The second distribution portion produces a first local oscillation and a second local oscillation and provides the first local oscillation and the second local oscillation to the second RF transceiver group.

Abstract: Mapping of m input bits to 2m modulation symbols of a two-dimensional symbol constellation. A quarter-quadrant constellation of 2m-4 modulation symbols that are located in a first quadrant of the two-dimensional signal plane is formed with each modulation symbol associated with a respective m-4 bit label. A quarter constellation of the two-dimensional symbol constellation is formed by adding to the quarter-quadrant constellation three copies of the quarter-quadrant constellation rotated by ?90 degrees, 180 degrees, and ?270 degrees, respectively, and then displacing the quarter constellation by a shift value ?, with each modulation symbol associated with a respective m-2 bit label. The two-dimensional symbol constellation is then formed by adding to the quarter constellation three copies of the quarter constellation rotated by +90 degrees, 180 degrees, and +270 degrees, respectively. Each symbol of the two dimensional constellation is associated with a respective m bit label of the m input bits.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of generating magnetic reference patterns on a disk or other magnetic media. This involves writing a first magnetic reference pattern to the disk with a servo writer. The disk may then be transferred to a hard disk drive. Control circuitry within the hard disk drive may recognize the first magnetic reference pattern and then position a RW head within the hard disk drive based on the first magnetic reference pattern. As the RW drive is accurately positioned based on the first magnetic reference pattern a second magnetic reference pattern may be written to the disk using the RW head. The RW head location is determined based on the velocity and phase between the read-write head and servo setter marks contained within the first magnetic reference pattern.

Abstract: Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code decoder using min*, min**, max* or max** and their respective inverses. For the first time, min* processing is demonstrated for use in decoding LDPC-coded signals. In addition, max*, min**, or max** (and their respective inverses) may also be employed when performing calculations that are required to perform decoding of signals coded using LDPC code. These new parameters may be employed to provide for much improved decoding processing for LDPC codes when that decoding involves the determination of a minimal and/or maximal value, or a minimal and/or maximal log corrected value, from among a number of possible values. The total number of processing steps employed within the decoding of an LDPC-coded signal is significantly reduced be employing the min*, max*, min**, or max** (and their respective inverses) decoding processing described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a frequency-diverse single-carrier modulation scheme that extends the usable SNR range of severely distorted channels. This scheme is advantageous for applications in which when the SNR is low and the transmitted spectrum contains unusable regions (e.g., spectral nulls due to radio-frequency interference ingress or egress). In one embodiment, the symbol baud rate is selected in order that unusable portions of the frequency response of the transmission channel are mapped onto usable portions of the frequency response of the transmission channel.

Abstract: A single side band transmitter having reduced DC offset includes a current source modulation module, a current mirror module, a 1st mixing module, a 2nd mixing module, a summing module, and a power amplifier. The current source module is operably coupled to modulate, in accordance with a modulation protocol (e.g., FSK) data to produce an in-phase current component and a quadrature current component. The current mirror module is operably coupled to mirror the in-phase current component to produce a mirrored in-phase current component and is also operably coupled to mirror the quadrature current component to produce a mirrored quadrature current component. The 1st mixing module is operably coupled to mix the mirrored in-phase current component with an in-phase current component of a local oscillation to produce a 1st mixed current signal.