Abstract: The present invention provides a computer implemented method for allocating resources to Quality of Service, QoS, models in a network, the method comprising: selecting a route in the network, wherein the route comprises a plurality of flows of network traffic; obtaining model-to-route mapping data identifying a plurality of QoS models, wherein each QoS model is used by at least one of the plurality of flows of network traffic; monitoring the plurality of flows of network traffic to determine a characteristic of each of the plurality of flows; and in the event that one of the QoS models is withdrawn, reallocating resources of the selected route to flows of network traffic along that route, wherein the reallocation is based on at least one of: the QoS model used by each of the flows of network traffic along that route; and the characteristic of each of the flows.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and devices are disclosed for controlling communications in respect of local area networks (20) having user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) located therein operable to communicate via a local area network (LAN) gateway device (30) with remote devices in a communications network (10,15) outside the LAN (20), communications being carried via one or more LAN links (28) for at least a portion of a path between user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) and the gateway device (30), and being carried via a digital subscriber (xDSL) line (19) for at least a portion of a path between the gateway device (30) and the remote devices.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle having wireless access communications access point equipment is arranged to set up a base station in a coverage “hole” by scanning to detect transmissions from another wireless communications access point, and determines a direction in which quality of coverage from the other wireless communications access point decreases, and directs the autonomous vehicle to move in the direction of decreasing coverage until it reaches a limit of coverage, at which point it hands over to another base station or, if no further base station is available, sets up as a wireless communications point connecting through the last base station to a backhaul connection.

Abstract: A method of improving performance of a software application executing with a virtualized computing infrastructure wherein the application has associated: a hypervisor profile of characteristics of a hypervisor in the infrastructure; a network communication profile of characteristics of network communication for the application; a data storage profile of characteristics of data storage for the infrastructure; and an application profile defined collectively by the other profiles.

Abstract: Described are methods of delivering media, such as a video sequence, to a client device from a server, taking into account the relative importance of different portions of the video sequence. The sequence is divided into temporal segments, with each segment encoded at a plurality of bitrates (and hence qualities). A viewer importance parameter is assigned to each segment, indicating the relative importance of that segment, with the information stored in a manifest file or similar. The client receives this segment and viewer importance data in a manifest file. The bit rate of each segment selected for download is dependent on the relative importance of that segment and future segments. The selected segment is then delivered to the client device from the server. Thus, segments having a higher viewer importance will be delivered with a higher encoded bitrate than segments having a lower viewer importance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of estimating an electrical length of a line, which is the signal loss measured at a predetermined frequency such as 1 MHz, compensated for impairments on the line. Firstly, the H log(f) data representing the attenuation plotted against frequency is gathered for the line. Secondly, data transformation is performed on the H log(f) data, such as by dividing by the square root of frequency. This compensates for changes in the loss as a function of frequency, allowing values of the loss from a broader range of frequencies to be used. Thirdly, data spike removal is performed on the transformed data, removing spikes that can arise from a number of factors such as excessive noise. The resulting data is then used to estimate a value for compensated k10.

Abstract: In a managed system controlled by multiple policy managers, conflicts between the policies of the managers are resolved by generating a satisfaction measure to be transmitted to policy managers together with sensor data, indicative of how closely the sensor data satisfies the policy which caused it. This satisfaction measure is used to determine whether actuators controlled by the other policy managers should be triggered by the sensor data. This allows policies to co-operate to prevent conflict between the conflicting requirements of different policies.

Abstract: A method of delivering media content over a network, the media content including a plurality of temporal segments, wherein each temporal segment comprises a plurality of data packets, the method including: selecting an initial size of a first congestion window; delivering the plurality of data packets of a first segment using the first congestion window, the initial size of the first congestion window being used to control the size of the first congestion window for the duration of the first segment delivery; measuring the packet loss during the delivery of the first segment; determining an initial size of a second congestion window in dependence on the measured packet loss for the first segment; and delivering a second segment using the second congestion window, the initial size of the second congestion window being used to control the size of the second congestion window for the duration of the second segment delivery.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method, and a network node for implementing the method, of switching a base station in a cellular telecommunications network between a first and second mode, in which the base station uses more energy when operating in the first mode than the second mode, wherein the cellular telecommunications network further includes a User Equipment, UE, having a camera, the method including storing visual data including a visual representation of at least a part of the base station; receiving visual data captured by the camera of the UE; performing a computer vision operation, trained on the stored visual data, on the captured visual data to determine whether the visual representation of the base station or part thereof is present in the captured visual data; and, in response initiating a switch in the base station between the first and second modes.

Abstract: A user entity (UE) such as a smartphone is configured to connect to both WiFi and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular network for voice and data services. For voice, the UE supports both Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi). When the UE is connected to VoWiFi and roaming from a first WiFi access point to a second WiFi access point, the UE and Mobility Management Entity in the cellular network carry out a preparatory handover to VoLTE to prevent service loss in the event of an unsuccessful VoWiFi connection from the second WiFi access point.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to execute a software application in a network attached computing environment, the application being defined by a set of required software services to constitute the application, the required services being selected from services indicated in a component registry, the method including recording a block to a blockchain data structure, the new block identifying at least a subset of the set of required services; receiving one or more further blocks from the blockchain data structure, each of the further blocks referencing a service provider for providing one or more of the required services; and selecting one or more service providers identified in the blockchain and defining a specification for an application assembler component to assemble the software application, the specification identifying selected service providers.

Abstract: A wireless access point is configured to regularly monitor the status of WLAN, WAN and ePDG data links to determine whether the current connections are sufficient to support VoWiFI services. When a device connects to the WLAN of the hub and attempts to switch from its VoLTE service to VoWiFi via the hub, the hub is configured to determine whether the current conditions can satisfy a VoWiFi connection. If the VoWiFi service can support the connection, the request is routed to the ePDG associated with the mobile device's subscriber LTE network. However, if the current conditions cannot satisfactorily support a VoWiFi connection such that incoming calls may be missed or the quality of active calls would not be clear, then the hub is configured to block the request so that the client device will time out and remain connected to VoLTE.

Abstract: This invention relates to end-to-end transparent clocks and methods of estimating skew in end-to-end transparent clocks. Embodiments of the invention relate to techniques for estimating clock skew between a free-running clock in a transparent clock and a master clock, in particular by using the timing information embedded in timing messages passing through the transparent clock. Further embodiments of the invention set out uses of these estimates to modify the residence times computed by the transparent clock and a synchronization network including such transparent clocks.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide a hybrid fiber-copper access network in which a main OLT sends data to the DSLAMs via a plurality of point-to-point optical fiber connections. A standby OLT is provided which has a plurality of point-to-multi-point optical fiber connections to the DSLAMs. In the event of a failure, data can be sent to some of the DSLAMs via the standby OLT and the point-to-multi-point optical fiber connections. Following the rectification of the fault, the network can revert to its normal state and transmit data to the DSLAMs via the main OLT and the plurality of point-to-point optical fiber connections.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a plurality of discrete software modules each including a machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configurable to approximate a function relating a domain data set to a range data set; a data store; and a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine domain parameters for the algorithm based on the input data and to generate the output data based on a result generated by the algorithm, the method including providing a communication channel between modules in order that at least part of output data for a first module constitutes at least part of input data for a second module so as to create a network of modules for combining machine learning algorithms to refine the approximation of the function.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a machine learning algorithm includes providing the machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configured to receive machine learning parameters and generate a machine learning result, wherein the machine learning algorithm is operable with a data store; providing a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine the machine learning parameters based on the input data and to generate the output data based on the machine learning result so as to provide a common interface via the input and output data for the machine learning algorithm taken from a set of heterogeneous algorithms.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a software module includes a machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configurable to approximate a function relating a domain data set to a range data set; a data store; and a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine domain parameters for the algorithm based on the input data and to generate the output data based on a result generated by the algorithm, the method including generating a message as input data for the module, the message including instructions for execution by the module to effect a modification of the machine learning algorithm of the module.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of validating use of a computing resource by a an executing requester software module from a plurality of discrete software modules, the method including validating a characteristic of the requester software module; generating a first transaction defining criteria for consumption of the computing resource by the requester software module, the first transaction being encrypted with a private key from a public key/private key pair and being added as part of a block of transactions to a blockchain data structure; generating a subsequent encrypted transaction corresponding to a request of the requester software module to consume the computing resource, the subsequent transaction referring to the first transaction, wherein the subsequent transaction is validated by a transaction miner computing component from a plurality of miners by authenticating the transaction using the public key and verifying compliance with the criteria defined in each transaction.

Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting data, using a discrete multi-tone modulation technique, to one or more receiver devices, each of which is connected to the transmitter device via at least one respective pair of wires, each receiver device being operable to receive signals detected as a change over time in the potential difference across the local ends of each respective pair of wires extending between the receiver and the transmitter device, is operable to transmit signals onto the wires extending between the transmitter device and the one or more receiver devices in a plurality of different modes, over a plurality of different channels, the different modes including phantom and differential modes and the different channels including a first set of phantom channels.

Abstract: The invention sets out a method where a critical loading related to jitter associated with a link between the access point and a client device is determined. This critical load is the load beyond which retransmissions are insufficient for the client device to repair the video stream. The critical load is determined by sending data at varying transmission rates during a calibration mode, and measuring the jitter and packet loss rate. A safe load is then set as a fraction of this critical load. The loading associated with a multicast stream is then monitored with reference to this safe load, and if the safe load is met or exceeded, then action is taken to avoid packet loss increasing to a critical level. One action may be to adjust the transmission rate of the multicast stream for example, such that the load is reduced to below the safe load level.