Abstract: The invention is directed to providing NDP mediation over an IP interworking VLL. ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery and Inverse Neighbor Discovery messages are intercepted by provider edge (PE) devices to learn both IPv6 interface addresses and link-layer addresses of customer edge (CE) devices before forwarding the messages to the CE devices, and in some cases after altering the messages to make them more meaningful to the receiving CE devices. In this manner, the CE device interface addresses do not need to be communicated over the LDP control link, as in IPv4 ARP Mediation.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: creating the application specific service ping packing including a special packet identification field that identifies the application specific service ping packet as a special packet, and including an application identification field that identifies an application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds; modifying a deep packet inspection engine to recognize the application specific service ping packet; sending the application specific service ping packet through a deep packet inspection element; identifying the application specific service ping packet as a special packet; determining that the application specific service ping packet can be mapped to a specific application; identifying the specific application; setting an application for processing to the specific application; and performing known application processing based on the set specific application.

Abstract: Vanes are used for reducing drag on a moving vehicle having a substantially planar rear surface. The vanes are mounted to the vehicle using pliant material which creates no work for the driver of the vehicle during loading or unloading activities. The apparatus is extremely light weight, and includes a rigid vane of length L having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an aerodynamic center positioned at a distance of between 0.15 L and 0.5 L from the leading edge. The vane has an inner surface facing the vehicle and an outer surface. Multiple pliant attachment devices connect the vane to the vehicle. The vane helps prevent or reduce formation of a zone of turbulent air behind the vehicle. The apparatus allows substantial reductions in fuel consumption and truck CO2 emissions during use.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related node for outputting packets from a playout buffer in a node in a packet-switched network including one or more of the following: configuring a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) pseudowire terminating at the node; receiving a plurality of fixed-length packets transmitted over the TDM pseudowire; adding the plurality of fixed-length packets to the playout buffer such that the playout buffer reaches a current fill level; inserting at least one dummy packet into the playout buffer, wherein a total length of the at least one dummy packet is equal to a target fill level of the playout buffer minus the current fill level and the target fill level represents a minimum fill level required before output of packets from the playout buffer; and outputting the plurality of fixed-length packets and the at least one dummy packet from the playout buffer.

Abstract: A method for testing connectivity of a multi-segment pseudo-wire (“MS-PW”) in a network, the method comprising: sending an echo request message from a first provider edge (“PE”) device to a second provider edge (“PE”) device for a section of the multi-segment pseudo-wire (“MS-PW”) between the first provider edge (“PE”) device and the second provider edge (“PE”) device; the echo request message being identified as such by a control word contained therein; an inner label of the echo request message having a time-to-live (“TTL”) value set to a number of segments in the section; the time-to-live (“TTL”) value for determining whether the control word is to be inspected as it traverses the section; upon the echo request message arriving at the second provider edge (“PE”) device, the second provider edge (“PE”) device recognizing the echo request message as such by inspecting the control word contained therein; and, receiving an echo reply message from the second provider edge (“PE”) device in response to the echo r

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shell member having an interior width, where the shell includes a closed end and an open end, and a nut that includes a plurality of laterally extending resilient leg. The legs define an outer width of the nut, and when the legs are in a relaxed state the outer width of the nut is greater than the interior width of the shell. The nut is adapted for at least partially entering the open end of the shell member, such that the legs are placed in a tensioned state in which the legs define the outer width to be smaller than or equal to the interior width of the shell. The apparatus also includes a base plate adapted for receiving the shell member and securing the shell member to the base plate with the closed end of the shell facing away from the base plate through cooperation with the nut when the nut is at least partially within the shell member.

Abstract: A portable, hand-operated trimmer has a head module that is removably connected to a power control module. The head module has a power head enclosing an electric motor that is operatively connected to a trimming blade. The power head is selectably settable in a plurality of angular positions with respect to a head support, including a neutral position representing 0 degree rotation, 45 degree flexion and dorsiflexion positions, and 90 degree flexion and dorsiflexion positions. The power head also encloses a stator cartridge that is connected to the housing of the power head by a plurality of fastening members. The head support rotates about the stator cartridge and is engaged by way of a movable engagement pin that is received within a selected recess defined in the stator cartridge. The power head housing and stator cartridge further define molded sockets to receive corresponding pivot arms of the head support. An O-ring is disposed about one of the pivot arms to dampen free rotation.

Abstract: A method of using deep packet inspection (DPI) to monitor Quality of Experience (QoE) The method may include one or more of the following: building an application specific service ping packet having an application identification field that identifies an application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds; forwarding the application specific service ping packet towards a destination in a network; determining requested application-specific performance and resource metrics; collecting the requested application-specific performance and resource metrics; inserting the requested application-specific performance and resource metrics into the application specific service ping packet; and extracting the service ping packet from the network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating osteoarthritis by administering a mineral composition in the form of a nutritional supplement, where the mineral composition may contain Smectite, Gypsum, Quartz, Feldspar, Jarosite, Kaolinite and/or Zeolite.

Abstract: The invention provides for systems, methods, and a transport re-encapsulator/tagger for delivering streaming media to customer premises equipment. A digital streaming media system broadcasts streaming media to provider networks which use middleware which has certain requirements for the transport encapsulation and tagging of headers of the streaming media. The invention provides for re-encapsulating/tagging of media broadcasts having one type of transport encapsulation/tagging into a type of transport encapsulation/tagging required by the middleware.

Abstract: A method of distributing a common time reference within a distributed architecture includes one or more of the following: generating at least one electrical pulse at a central entity; distributing the at least one electrical pulse to a subassembly; receiving the at least one electrical pulse at the subassembly; recording a reception counter value corresponding to a value of a local frequency counter when the at least one electrical pulse is received at the subassembly; querying the central entity to obtain a generation time value corresponding to a time at which the at least one electrical pulse was generated; and determining a global time value using the generation time value, the reception counter value, and a current counter value of the local frequency counter.

Abstract: Communication link bonding apparatus and methods are disclosed. Multiple communication links are configured, at a communication link termination module which transfers communication traffic between a further communication link and the multiple communication links, as a group for providing an aggregate group communication traffic rate. The aggregate group communication traffic rate is allocated among the grouped communication links, and communication traffic is distributed for transmission on the communication links in accordance with the communication traffic rate allocation. Once communication links of a group have been initialized using respective initialization communication traffic rates, a communication traffic rate allocation for each of the communication links may be calculated based on an attainable communication traffic rate of the communication link.

Abstract: Binned Duration Flow Tracking (BDFT) method tracks the duration of packet flows in a resource limited environment by storing packets identifying the beginning and the end of a flow in bins, with each bin covering an independent and arbitrary length of time. Bins are “aged” periodically, based on the range of time which the bin covers. A query as to the flow duration returns the bin number which that flow is in; the bin number is then translated into a range of time. Each bin is a counting bloom filter. The size of the bloom filters, range of the count, and number of hashes used are all parameters of the algorithm which affect memory usage, processing required, and accuracy.

Abstract: A method is provided for equalizing latency among a group of connections that are being used by the same latency-sensitive application, such as for multi-player network gaming. Delay is added to the packet flow in each connection as necessary at the provider edge router connecting the application server to the network. An NMS connected to the provider edge router continuously monitors the round-trip delay of each connection, determines the additional delay of each connection required to equalize the delays, and informs the provider edge router. The provider edge router buffers traffic on each connection for the respective duration as indicated by the NMS. The NMS may also reroute some of the connections over higher latency resources to reduce the amount of buffering required, which provides the additional advantage of using what might otherwise be less used or economically less valued resources.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments are a method and of discovering medium access control (MAC) addresses in a network and a related access node including one or more of the following: receiving, at an access node, a diagnostic message from an operator, the diagnostic message comprising physical port information and indicating that at least a portion of a MAC address of a destination bridge port is unknown to the operator; forwarding the diagnostic message to a respective bridge port of the access node; determining whether the physical port information specified in the diagnostic message corresponds to a physical port of the respective bridge port; and sending a reply message to the operator specifying a MAC address of the respective bridge port.

Abstract: This invention provides the ability to load balance calls in a communications network using a certain criterion, such as a user-specified call priority, or the call service category. The method is applied when selecting a route for a new call or for re-balancing the calls across a network. When the user-specified call priority is used, the aggregated number of calls with the same priority or service category is calculated for all possible routes the new call may use. The aggregated number of calls is then divided by the number of hops in the respective routes; the route with the smallest ratio is selected for the new call. Re-balancing is performed by re-routing the calls in such a way as to obtain a similar number of calls of the same priority, or service category along all possible routes.

Abstract: A method for incorporating a queuing device as a lossless processing stage in a network device in a communications network, comprising: monitoring a depth of a queue in the queuing device, the queue for receiving packets from an upstream device within the network device, the queuing device acting as a discard point by discarding packets when the queue is full; and, if the depth passes a predetermined threshold, sending a message to the upstream device to reduce a rate at which packets are sent to the queuing device to prevent the queue from filling and thereby preventing packet discarding and loss by the queuing device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for protecting a connection during implementation of an Active Connection Modify request. Before initiating the ACM request, an alternate connection between the source node and the destination node of the connection are established using Domain-Based Rerouting. The alternate connection may be established in conformance either with the traffic parameters of the existing connection or with the new traffic parameters specified in the ACM request. If the connection along the original connection is to be torn as a result of lost ACM signaling messages, the connection is first switched to the alternate connection in a hitless manner. If the alternate connection is established in conformance with the new traffic parameters, and the ACM request can not be implemented along the original connection, due for example to resource shortage along the original connection, then the connection is switched to the alternate connection in a hitless manner.

Abstract: Disclosed are an even-irrigation apparatus for an underground root zone and an even-irrigation method using the same for evenly supplying water into the root zone of a variety of crops. The even-irrigation apparatus includes a plurality of irrigators buried in the entire underground root zone, to directly and evenly supply water into the root zone. Once water is introduced into a pressure-reduction valve after passing through a main pipe, limb pipe and capillary pipe connected in sequence, the water is supplied to the irrigators by way of a plurality of diverged-capillary pipes. With this even-irrigation of water, unnecessary consumption of water due to adsorption of the water into the surrounding soil except for the root zone is minimized, enabling effective irrigation of water and even growth of roots of crops. Further, even nutrition throughout the roots enables balanced growth of crops.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing backpressure flow control to traffic flows of a data communications system are provided. Embodiments of the invention selectively apply a measure of flow control to traffic flows responsive to a level of congestion at a packet processor of the system. These embodiments advantageously provide flexibility in the application of flow control to specific traffic flows in accordance with one or more of characteristics of those traffic flows.