Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are disclosed for performing diagnostic tests of a communication link between a headend and a cable modem without having to assign an IP address to the cable modem. The diagnostic tests are performed at the MAC layer and test the state of the hardware between and including the cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a selected cable modem. By doing so, a network operator is able to more easily focus in on a potential problem in cable RF/MAC connectivity between the two components by first eliminating (or identifying) a problem with hardware before focusing on problem-solving at the software level, typically at the Network layer, at which point the cable modem is assigned an IP address.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are disclosed that more efficiently maps data into standard SONET concatenated payloads for transmission over established SONET networks. Framing information is added to a data stream to identify the beginning and ending locations of a payload. Next, the framed data stream is formatted into a non-standard STS-Nc packet. Two or more non-standard STS-Nc packets are combined to form a pseudo-standard STS-Nc packet that is supported by the established SONET network. According to one embodiment, a one Gbps Ethernet packet is framed using HDLC formatting, then formatted into an STS-24c packet. Two STS-24c packets are combined to form a pseudo-standard STS-48c packet. In addition, the one Gbps Ethernet packet can be stored and retimed to the SONET data rate and transmitted across an established SONET network.

Abstract: A power source is configured to notify an external monitoring device of a condition such as a low power condition of the power source. The power source has an associated controller that monitors the condition of the power source. The power source receives a first threshold condition for a power source, establishes a communications channel with an external monitoring device, transmits a notification related to the first threshold condition of the power source to the external monitoring device through the communications channel and discontinues the established communications channel based on a reception condition of the external monitoring device. The controller terminates notification after reception of an acknowledgment sent by the external monitoring device or after an elapsed time. The communications channel can be a wireless communications channels or can be a network such as the Internet.

Abstract: According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for determining components of a round trip time (RTT). A source node sends data to a destination node. The destination node inserts a timestamp into an acknowledgment and sends the acknowledgment back to the source node. The source node determines the RTT from its own measurements and estimates reverse path delay by comparing timestamps to expected timestamps. Considerations for destination node timestamp speed differences are provided.

Abstract: The present application provides an authentication scheme that allows a device to provide additional authentication of a Publicly Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) identity assertion made in a PSTN call by also sending an Internet Protocol (IP) communication. The device sends the IP communication generally in parallel with the PSTN call. The IP communication includes a network identity assertion, which optionally may be authenticated using a cryptographically secure technique. The network identity assertion, being more difficult to falsify, provides additional authentication of the PSTN identity assertion.

Abstract: A system and method for handling a call from a caller to a call center includes an automatic call distributor (ACD) to receive the call and to route the call to an agent. A module operates to compute a rate of speech of the caller, and a display graphically displays the rate of speech of the caller to the agent during the call session. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided to improve the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) for data such as delay sensitive or bursty data. A maximum send window is adjusted using forward queuing delay and maximum bandwidth parameters. Reverse queuing delay and the number of packets drops are not factored into generation of the maximum send window. Network buffer occupation is bounded and a congestion window is effectively varied using rate shaping and gradual size increases based at least partially on the number acknowledged packets.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are provided for detecting a loop-back in a physical layer on an Ethernet link. In the physical layer, a device sends a base page on the Ethernet link. The base page has at least one next page capability bit set. Subsequently, the device receives a received base page. Thereafter, for detecting the loop-back, the next page capability bit is set in the received base page is determined.

Abstract: A method and a system for notifying a user regarding events occurring on nodes in a network are provided. Information related to the events occurring on the nodes is received at a network device. The received information is converted into a syndicated format. A part or whole of the converted information is transmitted to notify the user about the events occurring on the nodes in the network, when the user queries for the converted information. The user can be notified without browsing a homepage of the network device.

Abstract: Disclosed are conferencing systems, devices, architectures, and methods for managing a conference spanning system to facilitate participation in a plurality of conferences at the same time. An exemplary system having devices and/or structures in accordance with embodiments can include: (i) a plurality of conferences, each conference being configured to support a plurality of media modes; (ii) a presentation mechanism configured to support the plurality of media modes from the plurality of conferences; and (iii) a selector for selecting a conference from the plurality of conferences and designating the selected conference as an active conference and designating non-selected conferences as background conferences, wherein the active conference is assigned at least one enhanced media mode in the presentation mechanism.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for compressing registration request and reply messages are disclosed. A compressed registration request is sent by a Mobile Node to a Foreign Agent or a Home Agent (in the case of a co-located care-of address). Communication with the Mobile Node is performed using compressed registration messages, while communication between a Foreign Agent and Home Agent is performed using standard registration request and reply formats. Thus, when a Foreign Agent receives a compressed registration request, it expands the registration request and sends it to the Home Agent for processing. Upon receipt of the registration reply from the Home Agent, the Foreign Agent compresses the registration reply and sends it to the Mobile Node. When a Mobile Node registers directly with the Home Agent via a co-located care-of address, the registration request and reply messages need not be expanded, since the Home Agent is capable of interpreting, processing and generating compressed registration messages.

Abstract: A method and system for providing prioritized access to a messaging system includes receiving at an access controller for a messaging system a request for connection by a user to the messaging system. The access controller determines whether the messaging system is available. The access controller further queues the request if the messaging system is not available.

Abstract: A system and method for searching data strings, such as network messages, for one or more predefined regular expressions is provided. Regular expressions are programmed into a pattern matching engine so that multiple characters, e.g., 32, of the data strings can be searched at the same time. The pattern matching engine includes a regular expression storage device having one or more content-addressable memories (CAMs) whose rows may be divided into sections. Each predefined regular expression is analyzed so as to identify the “borders” within the regular expression. A border is preferably defined to exist at each occurrence of one or more predefined metacharacters, such as “.*”, which finds any character zero, one or more times. The borders separate the regular expression into a sequence of sub-expressions each of which may be one or more characters in length. Each sub-expression is preferably programmed into a corresponding section of the pattern matching engine.

Abstract: An internetworking device that provides improved immunity to Denial of Service attacks, and in general, improved Quality of Service (QoS). An internetworking element or other route processor is composed of two main parts, including a data forwarding plane and a control plane; the control plane runs routing, signaling and control protocols that are responsible for determining the packet forwarding behavior by the data plane. Independent control plane processes may be provided; however, they are considered to be a single network entity that is a uniquely addressable port. Packets thus intended for the control plane always pass through a designated point. As a result, a set of port services unique to the control plane may be applied to the control plane port. These control plane port services thus can be utilized to control all packet traffic entering and exiting the control plane processes as a whole.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for creating and storing troubleshooting information for providing access control information to a network device. A provisioning of one or more access control lists, and one or more associations of the access control lists to users of the network device, are received. As part of authenticating a user login request, a name of a first access control list is provided to the network device, selected from among the one or more access control lists that based on the associations. A request is received from the network device for a first access control list that is associated with a user of the network device. The request includes the name of the access control list. The first access control list is sent to the network device in response to the request. Embodiments may use RADIUS packets for communicating ACLs from an authentication server to a firewall, and a de-fragmentation approach is disclosed for downloading ACLs that exceed the maximum RADIUS packet size.

Abstract: A system assigns network traffic flows to appropriate queues and/or queue servicing algorithms based upon one or more flow parameters contained in reservation requests associated with the traffic flows. The system may be disposed at an intermediate network device within a computer network. The intermediate network device includes a reservation engine, a packet classification engine, an admission control entity, a traffic scheduler, and a flow analyzer. The flow analyzer includes or has access to a memory that is preprogrammed with one or more heuristic sets for use in evaluating the flow parameters of reservation requests. When a reservation request that includes one or more flow parameters characterizing the bandwidth and/or forwarding requirements of the anticipated traffic flow is received, the flow analyzer applies the heuristic sets. Depending on which set of heuristics, if any, the parameters satisfy, the flow analyzer selects the appropriate queue and/or queue servicing algorithm for the flow.

Abstract: An automated audit tool is disclosed for auditing a Carrier-Class, DWDM optical network, including its infrastructure devices. The automated audit tool performs a process that includes the steps of transmitting an initial query code to hardware devices in the DWDM optical network in order to determine the network configuration, receiving responses to the first query code that enable the determination of configuration, transmitting a second query code to the hardware devices that is based on the information in the first response, receiving the responses to the second query code and producing a report of the responses and the analysis.

Abstract: A method for communication includes coupling a first port of a Layer-3 packet router to receive communication traffic from a network, the traffic including packets destined for a target address, which is accessible via a second port of the router. At the router, the packets that are destined for the target address are diverted to a traffic processor via a third port of the router. The diverted packets are processed at the traffic processor, and returning the processed packets to the router via the third port. At the router, the processed packets are conveyed from the third port to the second port for delivery to the target address.

Abstract: A method for generating a simulated network using a graphical user interface (GUI). A network topology generated at a GUI by a user is received, wherein the network topology includes a plurality of devices and at least one connection between devices. A build file describing the network based on the network topology is automatically generated. A user is able to create and edit a simulated network through the GUI, thereby obviating the need for manually coding a simulated network. Large simulated networks can be quickly created, edited and maintained.

Abstract: A method and system for providing services for wireless data calls includes monitoring a wireless data call for a predefined event associated with a service for the wireless data call. The service is initiated for the wireless data call in response to detecting the predefined event for the data call. The predefined event may comprise a uniform resource locator (URL) match or change, excess use of transmission or time resources, a location change of a mobile device for the wireless data call, a network event, or a combination of any or all suitable events.