Abstract: Techniques for distributing content to mobile computing devices, such as in the context of a vehicle-based wireless network, are described. In some examples, a collection of vehicle-mounted devices forms a cooperative wireless network to distribute content items throughout the network. The devices in the network automatically and independently vary the transmission rates in order to optimize or at least improve throughput, network connectivity, and/or range. Each device may determine a utilization level of a wireless communication channel. If the utilization level is below a threshold level, the device increases the transmission data rate of its transceiver, thereby decreasing range. If the utilization level is above a threshold level, the device decreases the transmission data rate of its transceiver, thereby increasing range.

Abstract: Techniques for distributing content to mobile computing devices, such as in the context of a vehicle-based wireless network, are described. In some examples, a content provider uses a cellular network to initially transmit a content item to a multi-network communication device in a first vehicle. The first vehicle device then uses a local Wi-Fi network to further transmit randomly selected portions of the content item to devices on nearby vehicles, which may also further propagate the content item portions to other vehicles. Vehicle devices may also specifically request content portions by broadcasting requests to neighboring vehicle devices via local Wi-Fi communication and/or communicating with the content provider via the cellular network. Upon the occurrence of a condition, such as a passage of time, the content provider may also initiate communication with devices in the network in order to assure complete distribution of the content item.

Abstract: Techniques for sharing network information, such as routing table information, are described. In some examples, network nodes share information about the topology of their network. For example, nodes may share routing tables with their neighbors from time to time. To improve the performance of the network, by reducing the overhead of transmitting routing tables, the nodes share their routing tables with neighbor nodes only when those tables are updated or upon request. In other circumstances, such as when a routing table has not changed since it was last shared, each network node instead transmits an indicator, such as a routing table checksum, hash, or the like, that can be used by a neighbor node to determine the routing table is unchanged.

Abstract: Push to talk (PTT) devices that communicate packet-based voice communications are disclosed. An example PTT device receives voice packets via a packet-based communication network from another PTT device. Voice information in the received voice packets are used to reconstruct the voice communication. The receiving PTT device is able to identify an occurrence of at least one delayed, corrupted or lost voice packet, and then communicate a packet re-transmit request to the other PTT device requesting a replacement voice packet that has a portion of the voice communication that is identical to the voice communication portion of the delayed, corrupted or lost voice packet. The voice communication may then be repaired based on the received replacement voice packet. While the voice communication is being repaired, a comfort tone may be generated so that the listener of the PTT device understands that the voice communication is being repaired.

Abstract: Techniques for managing congestion in a computer network are described. In some examples a network node uses a dynamic moving average to determine a level of network congestion a computer network. The dynamic moving average uses a window that is dynamically resized based on the contents of the window. For example, when the contents of the half of the window containing older samples are sufficiently different from the contents of the half of the window containing newer samples, the older samples are discarded and an average is calculated using just the newer samples.

Abstract: Embodiments communicate messages between mobile devices and destination devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol. The first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message. The second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message. The third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message.

Abstract: A protocol circuit layer is described. The protocol circuit layer may employ a routing layer to determine optimal routes when establishing a circuit. The circuit layer may employ a link layer to send data packets over links to other network nodes. A naming layer may employ circuits to establish a distributed database of associations between network node addresses and their network locations.

Abstract: A facility for performing employing multiple frequencies in a secure distributed hierarchical convergence network is described. The facility receives a signal in a first frequency, converts the received signal to an internal representation, applies a business rule to the converted signal, and, when the business rule indicates that the signal should be transmitted in a second frequency, causes the internal representation of the signal to be translated to a second frequency and transmitted in the second frequency.

Abstract: Techniques for distributing content to mobile computing devices, such as in the context of a vehicle-based wireless network, are described. In some examples, a collection of vehicle-mounted devices forms a cooperative wireless network to distribute content items throughout the network. The devices in the network automatically and independently vary the transmission rates in order to optimize or at least improve throughput, network connectivity, and/or range. Each device may determine a utilization level of a wireless communication channel. If the utilization level is below a threshold level, the device increases the transmission data rate of its transceiver, thereby decreasing range. If the utilization level is above a threshold level, the device decreases the transmission data rate of its transceiver, thereby increasing range.

Abstract: A unifying network model with a structure and architecture configured to address security, interoperability, mobility, and resource management, including priority and quality of services is provided. The network of the network model is structured as a hierarchical mesh network, with dynamically generated routing tables. The configuration of the network model optimizes routing and distributes communication load. Every device on the network is capable of being both an endpoint and a forwarder of communications. The network model may include underlying networks that are represented with one of two models, the link model or the star model. The nodes are organized in a hierarchical relationship structure to optimize throughput. The model may include a cryptographic method of dynamically assigning local network addresses.

Abstract: A facility for congestion management and latency prediction is described. In various embodiments, the facility sums a series of fractional transmission delays wherein each fractional transmission delay is measured as a probability of a failed transmission attempt multiplied by the cost of the failed transmission attempt, and provides the sum.

Abstract: A link is a software abstraction that represents a direct connection between two CoCo nodes. The link layer detects the presence of neighboring devices and establishes links to them. A protocol abstraction layer converts data frames that arrive on network interfaces into packet objects used by the COCO Protocol Suite.

Abstract: Push to talk (PTT) devices that communicate packet-based voice communications are disclosed. An example PTT device receives voice packets via a packet-based communication network from another PTT device. Voice information in the received voice packets are used to reconstruct the voice communication. The receiving PTT device is able to identify an occurrence of at least one delayed, corrupted or lost voice packet, and then communicate a packet re-transmit request to the other PTT device requesting a replacement voice packet that has a portion of the voice communication that is identical to the voice communication portion of the delayed, corrupted or lost voice packet. The voice communication may then be repaired based on the received replacement voice packet. While the voice communication is being repaired, a comfort tone may be generated so that the listener of the PTT device understands that the voice communication is being repaired.

Abstract: A unifying network model with a structure and architecture configured to address security, interoperability, mobility, and resource management, including priority and quality of services is provided. The network of the network model is structured as a hierarchical mesh network, with dynamically generated routing tables. The configuration of the network model optimizes routing and distributes communication load. Every device on the network is capable of being both an endpoint and a forwarder of communications. The network model may include underlying networks that are represented with one of two models, the link model or the star model. The nodes are organized in a hierarchical relationship structure to optimizes throughput. The model may include a cryptographic method of dynamically assigning local network addresses.

Abstract: A facility for publishing information in a distributed network without a central management infrastructure is described. In various embodiments, the facility receives an indication of a new node and a destination node, the new node omitted from a contact list associated with the destination node, the contact list having an approximately logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes; introduces the new node to the destination node via a permanent circuit; and causes the destination node to add the new node to the contact list when adding the new node improves the logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes.

Abstract: Embodiments communicate messages between mobile devices and destination devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol. The first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message. The second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message. The third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message.

Abstract: A protocol circuit layer is described. The protocol circuit layer may employ a routing layer to determine optimal routes when establishing a circuit. The circuit layer may employ a link layer to send data packets over links to other network nodes. A naming layer may employ circuits to establish a distributed database of associations between network node addresses and their network locations.

Abstract: A facility for performing employing multiple frequencies in a secure distributed hierarchical convergence network is described. The facility receives a signal in a first frequency, converts the received signal to an internal representation, applies a business rule to the converted signal, and, when the business rule indicates that the signal should be transmitted in a second frequency, causes the internal representation of the signal to be translated to a second frequency and transmitted in the second frequency.

Abstract: Embodiments communicate messages between mobile devices and destination devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol. The first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message. The second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message. The third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message.

Abstract: A facility for publishing information in a distributed network without a central management infrastructure is described. In various embodiments, the facility receives an indication of a new node and a destination node, the new node omitted from a contact list associated with the destination node, the contact list having an approximately logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes; introduces the new node to the destination node via a permanent circuit; and causes the destination node to add the new node to the contact list when adding the new node improves the logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes.