Abstract: A compact refrigeration unit attachable to furniture, medicine cabinets, backpacks or other pre-existing objects. The compact refrigeration unit includes racks or shelves specifically designed to hold cosmetics or medicines includes a security mechanism to prevent un-authorized access an information input assembly, and a display assembly to input and display information such as dosage, frequency, expiration date, interactions, etc. about the cosmetics or medicines stored in the compact refrigeration unit.

Abstract: A vortal is a specific type of search engine that provides information and resources related only to one (or a small number) specific topic. These sites typically contain focused information, such as “vertical” or “in-depth” information pertinent only to their particular targeted topic of interest. Vortals include information pertinent to a targeted topic of a very small horizontal breath, but a larger depth. A method and system for creating a vertical search engine is presented. The method and system may help allow vortals to be created for the Internet and other computer networks that efficiently index and search lists of Uniform Resource Locators (“URLs”) created from an appropriate list of keywords for a selected topic. The created vortals may provide greater user satisfaction and less user frustration when searching for information about a selected topic.

Abstract: A method and system for cooperative resolution of joint statistical effects. A statistical cooperative game is used to represent statistical joint effects in a multivariate statistical model. Access relationships are created between players in a cooperative game and variables in a multivariate statistical model. A worth of a coalition in a cooperative game is determined, based on a multivariate statistical model and a performance measure of the multivariate statistical model. Cooperative resolution methods are applied to particular analytical procedures. Thus, the present invention may be used to construct statistical cooperative games and use cooperative game theory to resolve statistical joint effects in a variety of situations. The methods may be applicable to other types of joint effects problems such as those found in engineering, finance and other disciplines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sending delay sensitive information assisted by packet switched networks for network nodes in a computer network. Delay sensitive information such as voice information is sent over higher cost delay sensitive connections. Control and status information for the delay sensitive connections is sent in control messages over lower cost packet switched connections to the nodes in the computer network. Information in the control messages is stored in status tables on the network nodes. The status table is used by network nodes to determine the status of any delay sensitive connections in the computer network and is used to establish a lowest cost connection path or a desired quality of service connection path when a delay sensitive connection between network nodes is requested.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping virtual connections to asymmetric digital subscriber line (“ADSL”) latency paths. A request for virtual connection from a transport network (e.g., Asynchronous Transport Mode, Frame Relay, etc.) with a desired service category (e.g., quality-of-service) and a desired latency is mapped to an ADSL device latency interface by checking a latency mapping policy. This mapping provides a virtual connection with a desired service category and a desired latency over ADSL links. The latency mapping includes an embedded service category mapping from a transport network to latency paths at an ADSL transmission convergence sub-layer allowing differential services to be provided for user data based on a desired service category. The latency mapping mechanism may help provide use of end-to-end service categories such as quality-of-service categories, over real-time ADSL links.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining priority data streams on a computer network. A data traffic signature is calculated for a data stream using one or more of an average packet spacing, average packet size, average packet jitter or variation in packet size parameters calculated for data packets in a data stream. An optimized data signature can also be calculated for a data stream using one or more of an optimized average packet spacing, optimized average packet size, optimized average packet jitter or optimized variation in packet size parameters. A calculated data traffic signature is used to determine whether the calculated data traffic signature matches a known data traffic signature for a known type of data stream. If a calculated data traffic signature matches a known data traffic signature for a known type of data stream, such as a multimedia data stream, resources are allocated on a network device to provide a desired processing priority to data packets in the data stream.

Abstract: Methods for providing restricted access for a network device such as a cable modem or customer premise equipment on a data-over-cable system. An unknown or new network device is assigned a restricted network address such as a restricted Internet Protocol address. The restricted network address allows the network device to access less than all of the available features on the data-over-cable system. A connection timer is started on the data-over-cable system for a restricted connection to the network device. The connection timer restricts access to the data-over-cable system over a timed interval. A restricted connection is created between the data-over-cable system and the network device including the temporary restricted network address and the connection timer, thereby providing restricted access to the data-over-cable system over a timed interval.

Abstract: Methods for normalization of experimental data with experiment-to-experiment variability. The experimental data may include biotechnology data or other data where experiment-to-experiment variability is introduced by an environment used to conduct multiple iterations of the same experiment. Deviations in the experimental data are measured between a central character and data values from multiple indexed data sets. The central character is a value of an ordered comparison determined from the multiple indexed data sets. The central character includes zero-order and low order central characters. Deviations between the central character and the multiple indexed data sets are removed by comparing the central character to the measured deviations from the multiple indexed data sets, thereby reducing deviations between the multiple indexed data sets and thus reducing experiment-to-experiment variability.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an alternate common channel signaling system path. The alternative signaling path that does not rely on the same hardware or software that is used for a primary signaling path. The alternative signal path allows network devices on a local area network to be signaled when a primary signaling path to the local area network has failed. The alternative signaling paths may provide better fault tolerance for connecting local area networks to other external networks.

Abstract: A method and system for reflexive tunneling. One aspect of the invention includes a method for reflexive tunneling using hidden virtual tunnels. A first peer application sends data packets to a second peer application and intermediate network devices create a hidden virtual tunnel to send the data packets. The hidden virtual tunnel is “hidden” from the first peer application and the second peer application. The hidden virtual tunnels may allow supplemental services to be added to a network device such as a gateway in less time with less expense. Another aspect of the invention includes a method for reflexive tunneling using transparent virtual tunnels with multiple segments. A first peer application associated with a first network device on a first network with multiple communication channels sends data packets to a second peer application associated with a second network device on a second network over a pre-determined communications channel forming a first segment of transparent virtual tunnel.

Abstract: A protocol and methods for peer network device discovery is presented. The peer discovery protocol includes a peer discovery marker than can be used with an existing networking protocol such as Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) to discover peer network devices. The peer discovery protocol also includes a peer discovery table to record network addresses of peer network devices and their associated host network devices. The peer discovery method allows a first peer network device such as an edge router, to send out a peer discovery request with the peer discovery protocol to other peer network devices as the peer network device is sending data packets for a host network device. Once a second peer network device receives a peer discovery request, the second peer network device attempts to establish a two-way, peer-to-peer data-flow to the first peer network device that sent the peer discovery requests.

Abstract: A method and system for managing addresses of network host interfaces in a data-over-cable system such as Internet Protocol interfaces. The method allows network host interfaces addresses to be removed from routing tables on network devices such as cable modems or customer premise equipment when their lease expires. This helps prevent the data-over-cable system from exhausting available network host interface addresses of the data-over-cable system. In addition, the method helps ensure that transactions are not conducted on a network host interface address in the data-over-cable system unless it has a valid lease in the one or more routing tables on network devices.

Abstract: A method and protocol for creating R2 data connections over a telecommunications connection is presented. The protocol includes a small set of signals used to create a data connection over a telecommunications using R2-MFC signaling for voice connections. The method includes a first set of methods for R2-MFC short cycling and a second set of methods for R2-MFC spoofing. R2-MFC short cycling uses the R2 data connection protocol and a tone detection apparatus to create a data connection. R2-MFC spoofing uses the R2 data connection protocol to create a data connection without a tone detection apparatus to detect a forward register signal. The method and protocol allow a data connection to be quickly and economically completed using R2-MFC signaling. The method and protocol are suitable for data services such as Internet or intranet access and teleconferencing.

Abstract: A method and system for quality-of-service in a data-over-cable system using configuration protocol messaging is provided. The method and system include determining whether a cable modem termination system has enough available bandwidth to provide a quality-of-service connection requested by a cable modem from a quality-of-service server. The quality-of-service server uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) messaging to send and receive quality-of-service identifiers indicating that the cable modem termination system has enough available bandwidth to provide a quality-of-service connection requested by a cable modem. The cable modem termination system creates a quality-of-service connection to a cable modem based on the quality-of-service identifiers returned from the quality-of-service server. The quality-of-service server using DHCP messaging provides a standard and efficient process to reserve bandwidth for quality-of-service connections in a data-over-cable system.

Abstract: A protocol and method for synchronized transfer-window based firewall traversal is provided. The firewall traversal protocol includes messages for securely opening and closing a virtual data transfer-window through a firewall. The method allows a first network device inside a firewall to allow a virtual data transfer-window through a firewall to be opened with a second network device outside the firewall by sending the second network device secure information with the firewall traversal protocol. The secure information allows the second network device outside the firewall to securely traverse the firewall through the virtual data transfer-window to reach the first network device inside the firewall. The protocol and method help to improve firewall security and may help make the firewall less vulnerable to a number of common firewall attacks.

Abstract: A method for authentication of network devices in a data-over-cable system is provided. The method includes storing a network address for customer premise equipment and a network address for a cable modem associated with the customer premise equipment in an internal table on a cable modem termination system during an initialization sequence for the customer premise equipment. If the cable modem termination system has to re-boot, or has to re-establish a connection to a cable modem, the internal table is used to prevent the cable modem from registering “rogue” network devices associated with a cable modem on the cable modem termination system. The authentication method allows a cable modem termination system to authenticate customer premise equipment or other network devices associated with a cable modem using internal tables. This authentication helps improve the security of a data-over-cable system and makes it less vulnerable to attack.

Abstract: A method and system for providing management functionality with a cable modem with telephony return is provided. The cable modem with telephony return is used for providing management functionality such as maintenance and signaling via the lower bandwidth telephony return path, leaving more higher bandwidth cable television channels free for data transmission. Since routine management functions such as maintenance are completed on the cable television channels via the telephony return path, the overall costs of maintaining the higher bandwidth cable television channels are reduced. In addition, since routine management functions are carried out via the telephony return path, fewer overall maintenance functions need to be carried out on the higher bandwidth cable television channels, requiring less down time and generating more revenues for the cable television network providers.

Abstract: A method for improving perception of electronic content from a computer network such as the Internet or an intranet. Network latencies and the type of electronic content such as text, graphical images, animation, voice, video and other electronic content interact to influence user perception of the quality of information provided. As network latency increases and becomes more variable, users typically become less satisfied. The method dynamically adjusts the amount of electronic content presented to user based on a determined network latency. The amount of electronic content is also adjusted progressively and underlying transport protocol such as Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) and User Datagram Protocol (“UDP”) are adaptively adjusted based on the type of electronic content requested (e.g., TCP for text, UDP for graphical images, etc.).

Abstract: A method and system for secure cable modem initialization in a data-over-cable system is provided. The method includes sending a unique identifier, such an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address and a selected time-value, such as an approximate message send time-value, in a registration request message. A message integrity check value is calculated using the unique identifier, the selected time-value and one or more configuration parameters in a pre-determined order. The message integrity check value is added to the registration request message. A cable modem termination system receives the registration request message and uses the message integrity check value to authenticate the message and determine if the registration request message was sent within a pre-determined period of time (e.g., 1 second) from a recognized cable modem. If not, the registration request message is discarded and a log file entry is added to a log file with information from the registration request message (e.g.

Abstract: A Medium Access Control (“MAC”) Layer protocol and a method for contention resolution using the protocol is provided for networks with multiple priority traffic. The protocol is used where a physical layer connected to a transmission medium uses a carrier modulation scheme with multiple frequencies. Stations on the network that desire access to the transmission medium use a carrier modulation scheme with multiple frequencies. Stations that desire access simultaneously transmit a single frequency selected at random from a set of physical layer frequencies during an open-contention-interval. At the same time, the stations listen to a combined frequency signal and analyzes it for frequency content. The station whose own frequency matches the highest frequency signal in the combined signal gains access to a transmission medium. In the event of a collision, a restricted-contention-interval is used only for the colliding stations.