Abstract: A method and system for bandwidth management in a packet-based network utilizes processing based on bandwidth management policies defined by subscribers and service providers. This method and system allow a subscriber to control the bandwidth available for sessions in near-real time and simplify provisioning at hubs and gateways by allowing the voice/data bandwidth ratio to be established independently of the provisioned bandwidth for voice and data. Bandwidth management policies are stored in the database of the service manager. When a request for modification of the maximum bandwidth parameter for an access hub is received, a mid-call event is detected or a new session is attempted by a subscriber, the service manager determines the current bandwidth utilization and whether this current bandwidth utilization exceeds the maximum bandwidth defined. If the new maximum bandwidth is exceeded, the service manager performs policy processing.

Abstract: Reliable transferring of data between mobile wireless nodes positioned at two points in a wireless network occurs through the dynamic formation of transmit/receive groups that collectively establish reliable communications. A mobile node at each point creates a neighbor list by periodically probing its surroundings to discover nearby nodes with which it can relaibly communicate. Prior to establishing a route or transmitting data, a node A first probes a distant next point in the network to determine if it can reliably communicate with that point. Upon receiving this probe and knowing one's neighbors, the nodes at this distant point dynamically form a receive group and choose a controlling node. Members of the group individually receive all future data from node A and pass the received data to the controlling node, which combines the individual signals for reliable reception.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for use in a wireless network that includes a base station and a mobile station. Service may be provided by the base station to the mobile station based on the traffic load on the network. When a request for a service is received at the base station, the cost of the service is determined. The request is granted if the determined cost is less than or equal to a threshold that is responsive to a load on the network.

Abstract: A method for the direct estimation of configuration parameters defining the make-up of a physical system, such as cable lengths and gauges in the case of telephone subscriber loops, from boundary or end-point measurements of the physical structure, such as the impedance or return loss response of a subscriber loop, due to a probing source.

Abstract: An Object-Based Contact List (OBCL) allows users to interact with multiple Notification Service Providers (NSP) on a network simultaneously. The NSPs provide smart events wherein notification of the user may be governed by response logic as defined in an NSP-based program.

Abstract: A method and system for soft handoff of a mobile terminal in a wireless CDMA IP network utilizes IP multicasting to a plurality of multicast participants that reside at the mobile terminal. A soft handoff multicast protocol is used to assign a unique IP multicasting address to the mobile terminal and establish a plurality of multicast participants that reside at the mobile terminal, thereby creating corresponding multicast network connections between the IP network and the mobile terminal. The IP network simultaneously transmits information to the mobile terminal via the multicast network connections by broadcasting the information as a multicast message to the mobile terminal's multicast group. The multicast extends between a mobile terminal and a plurality of a base station associated with the network to simultaneously communicate information over separate communication channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for provisioning a network by identifying the classes of traffic to be transported in the network as well as the QoS criteria of the identified classes of traffic. By simulating the classes of traffic, one or more QoS mechanisms and their associated parameters may be determined. The statistical multiplexing gains of the classes of traffic may also be determined based on the simulation. Then, one or more resources in the network may be allocated based on the QoS mechanisms and parameters as well as the multiplexing gains.

Abstract: An approximate message authentication code (AMAC) which, like conventional message authentication codes, provides absolute authentication of the origin of the message, yet provides an approximate integrity check for the content of the message. The approximate integrity check will be computed probabilistically and will likely be the same for messages having only a small percentage of different bits. A distance measure on the AMACs, such as a Hamming distance measure, may be used to determine whether the number of bit differences between the messages is likely to be within an acceptable amount. The AMAC is a probabilistic checksum based on a shared key. The AMAC uses the message and a shared key as inputs. Optionally, an initial value may also be used as an input. In one version of the invention, the data in the message M are permuted and arranged (physically or logically) into a table having |A| bits in each column and T2 rows, where T is may be an odd integer.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for measuring network performance. The method and system divides a stream of packets flowing through a first point into frames, the first point being any point in the network that supports a packet flow, creates packages corresponding to the frames, correlates each package with packets flowing through a second point, the second point being any point in the network that supports the packet flow, and calculates network performance information based on the correlated packages.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically configuring the frequency allocation within a cellular system or network. The method requires the collection of measurements from different parts of a cellular network, generating statistics from these measurements, and combining these statistics with inventory, propagation and geographic data. The combined data is used as input to a frequency allocation algorithm. As a result, the allocation algorithm produces a frequency configuration set, a quality measure of the configuration proposed and/or a set of recommendations that is fed back to the cellular base stations to re-allocate the frequency usage in a plurality of cells.

Abstract: A system for performing broadband differential time domain measurement on a subscriber loop. The system comprises a waveform generator coupled to a sampling head. The sampling head includes positive and negative pulse generators each coupled to one of the lines of the subscriber loop. The subscriber lines are in turn also coupled to two inputs of a differential amplifier, whose output is connected to an oscilloscope or other detector.

Abstract: An optical signaling header technique applicable to optical networks wherein packet routing information is embedded in the same channel or wavelength as the data payload so that both the header and data payload propagate through network elements with the same path and the associated delays. The technique effects survivability and security of the optical networks by encompassing conventional electronic security with an optical security layer by generating replicated versions of the input data payload at the input node, and the transmission of each of the replicated versions over a corresponding one of the plurality of links. Moreover, each of the links is composed of multiple wavelengths to propagate optical signals or optical packets, and each of the replicated versions of the data payload may be propagated over a selected one of the wavelengths in each corresponding one of the plurality of links.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for timed-release cryptography. A sender encrypts data in a timed-release fashion such that a receiver based on information exchanged with a server decrypts the encrypted data at or after a release time without revealing to the server any information about the sender, the data, and the release time. In one embodiment, the sender encrypts a key and a release time based on a public key of the receiver and encrypts the data based on the encrypted key. The server determines a condition, which is a function of the encrypted key, the encrypted release time, and a current time. The server then sends the condition to the receiver using a conditional oblivious transfer method. If the current time as determined by the server is greater than or equal to the release time, the receiver determines the encrypted key based on the condition. The receiver then uses the encrypted key to decrypt the encrypted data.

Abstract: An optical signaling header technique applicable to optical networks wherein packet routing information is embedded in the same channel or wavelength as the data payload so that both the header and data payload propagate through network elements with the same path and the associated delays. The technique effects survivability and security of the optical networks by encompassing conventional electronic security with an optical security layer by generating replicated versions of the input data payload at the input node, and the transmission of each of the replicated versions over a corresponding one of the plurality of links. Moreover, each of the links is composed of multiple wavelengths to propagate optical signals or optical packets, and each of the replicated versions of the data payload may be propagated over a selected one of the wavelengths in each corresponding one of the plurality of links.

Abstract: The Dynamic Registration and Configuration Protocol (DRCP) provides a framework for registering and passing configuration information to roaming mobile hosts. DRCP is compatible with DHCP can switch to using DHCP protocol if only DHCP servers are present in the network. Most importantly, DRCP allows rapid configuration by moving address consistency checking from the critical path. Other novel features of DRCP allow: a) clients to know when to get a new address independent of the layer-2 access technology, b) efficient use of scarce wireless bandwidth, c) clients to be routers, d) dynamic addition or deletion of address pools to any DRCP node, and e) message exchange without broadcast.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating IP addresses in a wireless IP network. IP address servers determine the requisite IP address pools and guard bands for individual network cells to guarantee fair access to the network and facilitate handoff host handoff from a prior cell to a new cell. IP address servers also prioritize handoff and resident hosts that request an IP address from the IP address server. In particular, IP address servers assign a higher priority to handoff hosts over resident hosts that request an IP address from an IP address server in order to maintain a preestablished handoff host network connection instead of dropping a handoff host connection in favor of a new resident host network connection. Finally, each cell is allocated a minimum number of IP addresses to ensure a certain level of fair access to the network regardless of the cell wherein a handoff or resident host resides.

Abstract: Active packets are utilized by a mobile terminal in a wireless network to set-up a wireless call via a signaling process, and for mobility management via a mobility process as the mobile terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Active packets instantiate an agent in the fixed network to handle signaling between the mobile terminal and the fixed network, and then instruct the agent to negotiate setup of an open channel between the mobile terminal and the destination device. Moreover, active packets foster the handoff of the mobile terminal as the terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Finally, the signaling process and mobility process are coordinated so that lost active packets are mitigated during roaming by the mobile terminal.

Abstract: Active packets are utilized by a mobile terminal in a wireless network to set-up a wireless call via a signaling process, and for mobility management via a mobility process as the mobile terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Active packets instantiate an agent in the fixed network to handle signaling between the mobile terminal and the fixed network, and then instruct the agent to negotiate setup of an open channel between the mobile terminal and the destination device. Moreover, active packets foster the handoff of the mobile terminal as the terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Finally, the signaling process and mobility process are coordinated so that lost active packets are mitigated during roaming by the mobile terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing interference across coverage cells using base stations interconnected by a packet network. A wireless device monitors the channel signal strength of its serving cell and its neighboring cell. The serving cell collects measurements from the wireless devices within its cell and informs its neighboring cell when one of the wireless device may be causing significant interference to the neighboring cell. The neighboring cell collects this information and executes a multi-user detection and cancellation algorithm on a subset of these interfering wireless devices.

Abstract: An optical signaling header technique applicable to optical networks wherein packet routing information is embedded in the same channel or wavelength as the data payload so that both the header and data payload propagate through network elements with the same path and the associated delays. The technique effects survivability and security of the optical networks by encompassing conventional electronic security with an optical security layer by generating replicated versions of the input data payload at the input node, and the transmission of each of the replicated versions over a corresponding one of the plurality of links. Moreover, each of the links is composed of multiple wavelengths to propagate optical signals or optical packets, and each of the replicated versions of the data payload may be propagated over a selected one of the wavelengths in each corresponding one of the plurality of links.