Abstract: A method is provided for initiating a handover of a wireless device from a first node to a second node in a communication network. The method includes steps of (a) obtaining, at a first time, a (i) speed, (ii) direction, and (iii) first location of the wireless device, (b) determining, relative to the first location, a first signal strength of the second node and a second, higher signal strength of a third node different from the second node, (c) estimating, based on the obtained (i) first location, (ii) speed, and (iii) direction, a second location for the wireless device at a second, subsequent time, (d) confirming that the second location is within a transmission range of the second node, and (e) preempting the handover to the third node by performing, prior to the second time, the handover directly from the first node to the second node.

Abstract: A measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) network includes a plurality of user nodes connected to untrusted relay node that performs Bell-state measurements on qubits transmitted by the user nodes. The relay node contains a calibration laser that serves as a wavelength reference for the user nodes. The output of the calibration laser is split into two wavelength-calibration signals, which are transmitted to a pair of user nodes via optical fiber. At each user node, a laser diode used to generate weak coherent pulses is injection-locked with the wavelength calibration-signal, thereby ensuring that the user nodes generate photonic qubits with the same wavelength. The embodiments may be implemented with any encoding scheme compatible with MDI-QKD, such as polarization encoding and time-bin phase-encoding. No auxiliary connections between the user nodes are needed, allowing the MDI-QKD network to be scaled up to many users.

Abstract: An optical network includes a transmitting portion configured to (i) encode an input digitized sequence of data samples into a quantized sequence of data samples having a first number of digits per sample, (ii) map the quantized sequence of data samples into a compressed sequence of data samples having a second number of digits per sample, the second number being lower than the first number, and (iii) modulate the compressed sequence of data samples and transmit the modulated sequence over a digital optical link. The optical network further includes a receiving portion configured to (i) receive and demodulate the modulated sequence from the digital optical link, (ii) map the demodulated sequence from the second number of digits per sample into a decompressed sequence having the first number of digits per sample, and (iii) decode the decompressed sequence.

Abstract: A client-side electronic device includes a receiver, a processor, and a memory. The receiver communicates with a message server over a communication medium of a communication network. The memory stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the device to receive, from the message server, a broadcast message, a timestamp associated with the broadcast message, and a first digital signature of the broadcast message and a second digital signature of the timestamp. The executed instruction further cause the device to verify an integrity of the broadcast message based the first or second digital signatures, determine a freshness of the broadcast message based on the received timestamp, calculate a trust state of the broadcast message based on the integrity verification and the freshness determination, and store the broadcast message in the memory along with the calculated trust state.

Abstract: A receiver is provided for processing an input signal from a communication network. The receiver includes a processor and a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (i) receive an input data signal including digital bit information, (ii) code the input data signal into a plurality of multi-level symbols, (iii) map the plurality of multi-level symbols into a plurality of constellation points in the phase domain, (iv) execute a first phase recovery subprocess on the plurality of constellation points to recover a first carrier phase of the input signal, (v) implement a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) on the recovered first carrier phase to generate an enhanced recovered carrier phase, and (vi) process the enhanced recovered carrier phase with a second phase recovery subprocess to reduce distortion from the input signal.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data through a multi-media communication network includes converting transmission entities into data symbols at a first communication device, transmitting the data symbols from the first communication device to a second communication device through at least two different types of communication media using only lower PHY layers of the at least two different types of communication media, and converting the data symbols into transmission entities at the second communication device.

Abstract: A method operable by a communication network gateway for providing communication services includes (a) supporting respective communication links with a plurality of communication service providers, (b) supporting a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), (c) associating each virtual local area network (VLAN) with a respective communication service provider of the plurality of communication service providers, and (d) routing data between each VLAN and the respective communication link of the respective communication service provider associated with the VLAN.

Abstract: An optical network communication system utilizes a coherent passive optical network (PON). The system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) having a downstream transmitter and an upstream receiver system configured for time-wavelength division coherent detection. The system further includes a splitter in operable communication with the OLT, and a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) in operable communication with the splitter. Each of the plurality of ONUs is configured to (i) receive downstream coherent burst signals from the OLT, and (ii) transmit at least one upstream burst signal to the OLT. The upstream receiver system further includes a power control module and a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate an optical LO signal The power control module is configured to adaptively control, in real-time, a power level of the optical LO signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods include an access layer to perform handovers for a User Equipment (UE) using a mobility status of the UE. A source access node (e.g., a femto cell, small cell, or a macro cell) establishes a first network connection with the UE. Based on a mobility status of the UE, the source access node selects either a small cell access node or a macro cell access node as a target node for connecting to the UE with a handover (e.g., by establishing a second network connection with the UE). The UE may have a medium mobility status or a high mobility status and, in response, be connected to the macro cell access cell for continuous connectivity. Alternatively, the UE may have the low mobility status and, in response, a signal strength analysis of the access nodes may be performed to select the target node for the handover.

Abstract: A method for automatic management of a wireless access point includes (a) changing a minimum modulation coding scheme of the wireless access point from a first minimum modulation coding scheme to a second minimum modulation coding scheme; (b) determining a first change in performance of the wireless access point in response to changing the minimum modulation coding scheme; and (c) in response to the first change in performance of the wireless access point meeting a first threshold condition, continuing to operate the wireless access point in the second minimum modulation coding scheme.

Abstract: An optical network communication system includes an optical hub, an optical distribution center, at least one fiber segment, and at least two end users. The optical hub includes an intelligent configuration unit configured to monitor and multiplex at least two different optical signals into a single multiplexed heterogeneous signal. The optical distribution center is configured to individually separate the at least two different optical signals from the multiplexed heterogeneous signal. The at least one fiber segment connects the optical hub and the optical distribution center, and is configured to receive the multiplexed heterogeneous signal from the optical hub and distribute the multiplexed heterogeneous signal to the optical distribution center. The at least two end users each include a downstream receiver configured to receive one of the respective separated optical signals from the optical distribution center.

Abstract: A method for implementing an out-of-band communication channel in a coherent optical access network includes steps (a)-(e). Step (a) includes separating a MAC-layer signal received from a media access control (MAC) layer into an initial communication-channel signal and an initial data-channel signal. Step (b) includes encoding, using a first signal-coding scheme within a transceiver of a coherent passive optical network (PON), the initial communication-channel signal into a communication-channel signal occupying a first frequency band. Step (c) includes encoding, using a second signal-coding scheme within the transceiver, the initial data-channel signal into a data-channel signal occupying a second frequency band not overlapping the first frequency band. Step (d) includes combining the communication-channel signal and the data-channel signal to yield an analog signal.

Abstract: A multiple access point system includes a wireless network including a first channel and a second channel. The system further includes a first access point and a second access point co-located within a single physical location environment, a wireless backhaul connecting the first and second access points to the wireless network, and a processor configured to (i) assign the first channel as a primary channel of the first access point and the second channel as a primary channel of the second access point, and (ii) assign the first channel as a secondary channel of the second access point and the second channel as a secondary channel of the second access point. The primary channel of the first access point does not overlap with the primary channel of the second access point, and the secondary channel of the second access point overlaps with the first access point.

Abstract: An optical access network includes an optical hub having at least one processor. The network further includes a plurality of optical distribution centers connected to the optical hub by a plurality of optical fiber segments, respectively, and a plurality of geographic fiber node serving areas. Each fiber node serving area of the plurality of fiber node serving areas includes at least one optical distribution center of the plurality of optical distribution centers. The network further includes a plurality of endpoints. Each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints is in operable communication with at least one optical distribution center. The network further includes a point-to-point network provisioning system configured to (i) evaluate each potential communication path over the plurality of optical fiber segments between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, and (ii) select an optimum fiber path based on predetermined path selection criteria.

Abstract: A method of securing data transmission from a plurality of spatially distributed transmitters to a receiving device includes steps of: determining first and second receiving device propagation delays for first and second transmission paths, respectively; portioning a contiguous stream of data into first and second data portions; transmitting the first data portion by the first transmission path utilizing a coordinating system and first propagation delay, and the second data portion such that first and second data portions arrive at the receiving device during a first and second time period, respectively, wherein, when seen from the receiving device, the first data portion and second data portion are seen as transmitted as contiguous data from the same transmitter, and wherein that transmitted data is received as a contiguous stream of transmitted data at a location of the receiving device.

Abstract: A system and method of supporting access to content over first and second networks that allows a user to access content over different networks, either on the same device or with different devices. The access may be supported in a continuous or seamless matter without substantially interrupting access to the content, such as by instigating the transition during a period of time when minimal, if any content, or content of value, is likely to be missed.

Abstract: A method of modulating a series of input digital symbols of a first modulation scheme is provided. The method is implemented by a transmitter and includes receiving a sequential series of samples of the digital symbols in a first domain of the first modulation scheme. The first domain is one of the time domain and the frequency domain. The method further includes determining a dual of the first modulation scheme. The dual has a second modulation scheme in a second domain that is different from the first domain the second domain is the other of the time domain and the frequency domain. The method further includes applying a 90 degree rotational operation to the second modulation scheme to generate a rotational modulation format, modulating the series of digital symbols with the generated rotational modulation format, and outputting the modulated series of digital symbols to a receiver.

Abstract: Inspection of over the top (OTT) content to facilitate offering non-OTT content or other content and/or services as an alternative to the OTT content is contemplated. The OTT content may be inspected at an access point configured to provide a broadband or other connection between a device consuming the OTT content and a device sourcing the content. Data packets or other signaling may be added to the OTT content at the access point in order to announce the offer.

Abstract: A digital receiver is configured to process a polarization multiplexed carrier from a communication network. The polarization multiplexed carrier includes a first polarization and a second polarization. The receiver includes a first lane for transporting a first input signal of the first polarization, a second lane for transporting a second input signal of the second polarization, a dynamic phase noise estimation unit disposed within the first lane and configured to determine a phase noise estimate of the first input signal, a first carrier phase recovery portion configured to remove carrier phase noise from the first polarization based on a combination of the first input signal and a function of the determined phase noise estimate, and a second carrier phase recovery portion configured to remove carrier phase noise from the second polarization based on a combination of the second input signal and the function of the determined phase noise estimate.

Abstract: A system for secure management of licensing and distributing virtual network functions (VNF) is provided. The system includes a VNF license manager, a VNF repository, and a VNF license database. The VNF license manager is in communication with the VNF repository and the VNF license database. The VNF license manager is programmed to receive a request for access to a first VNF from a virtual network. The virtual network is configured to execute the first VNF. The VNF license manager is also programmed to determine if the virtual network may access the first VNF based on one or more policies associated with the first VNF. If the virtual network may access the first VNF, the VNF license manager is programmed to retrieve the first VNF from the VNF repository and transmit the first VNF to the virtual network.