Patents Assigned to Level 3 Communication, LLC
  • Publication number: 20210144423
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for dynamic binding in the context of content delivery. For example, the methods and systems may be implemented as a dynamic binding process that maps a content provider to a first set of content servers in a content distribution network. The dynamic binding process may then facilitate the content to be received from the content provider so that the content can be distributed by the first set of content servers in the content distribution network. The dynamic binding process further monitors network traffic associated with the content from the content provider and determines at least one metric associated with the network traffic. Additionally, the dynamic binding process can remap the content provider to a second set of content servers in the content distribution network based on at least one of the metrics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Newton, David Fullagar
  • Patent number: 11005716
    Abstract: A network customer may support a plurality of network connectivity services (such as an E-line). A network connectivity service may experience spikes of traffic, and therefore, spikes of bandwidth usage. Dynamic capacity allows a network connectivity service to increase its available bandwidth during such traffic spikes. A computer-implemented method is disclosed that facilitates identifying network customers that might be interested in purchasing dynamic capacity. The method comprises collecting bandwidth utilization data of network connectivity services supported by each network customer, and identifying those connectivity services that exhibit patterns (e.g., cogent peaks) in their utilization data indicating the network connectivity service is a candidate for dynamic capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Sergey Yermakov, Pete J. Caputo, II
  • Patent number: 10999128
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-computer-readable storage media for repairing a Network Element (NE) to transport data within a network. When a NE on the network encounters an error, such as a port not receiving data, that NE will issue an alarm. Unlike previous mechanisms for resolving the alarm, systems configured according to this disclosure provide for an automatic mechanism to repair the alarm. In some instances, this can mean automatically deploying resources to re-connect the NE according to a network plan. In other instances this can mean verifying the status of the NE matches a planned status (i.e., that the loss of signal, and the subsequent alarm, were planned for). If neither of these actions resolves the problems of the NE, the system can issue a notification for a network engineer to perform maintenance on the NE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Bernie C. Lehman, James M. Adkins, III
  • Patent number: 10999319
    Abstract: Embodiments provide system and methods for a DDoS service using a mix of mitigation systems (also called scrubbing centers) and non-mitigation systems. The non-mitigation systems are less expensive and thus can be placed at or near a customer's network resource (e.g., a computer, cluster of computers, or entire network). Under normal conditions, traffic for a customer's resource can go through a mitigation system or a non-mitigation system. When an attack is detected, traffic that would have otherwise gone through a non-mitigation system is re-routed to a mitigation system. Thus, the non-mitigation systems can be used to reduce latency and provide more efficient access to the customer's network resource during normal conditions. Since the non-mitigation servers are not equipped to respond to an attack, the non-mitigation systems are not used during an attack, thereby still providing protection to the customer network resource using the mitigation systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Smith, Shawn Marck, Christopher Newton
  • Patent number: 10997042
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for automatically configuring, managing, updating, and/or monitoring the configuration of various computing resources and/or network devices within a communications network, such as a telecommunications network. Configuration code may be deployed to a repository for a cluster of computing resources and one or more layers may be defined describing configurable aspects of the cluster. Subsequently, a script may be identified and executed to configure the cluster based on the configuration code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew David Flynn
  • Patent number: 10997639
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a virtualized communication device dynamic provisioning system includes a computer-based set of instructions that are executed to generate a user interface for receiving selection of one or more virtualized communication devices. The instructions may then receive provisioning information associated with the selected virtualized communication devices from the user interface, and provision the virtualized communication devices in accordance with the received provisioning information to prepare and equip the virtualized communication devices according to the financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Michael E. Feldpusch
  • Publication number: 20210126893
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include systems and methods for automatically scanning a network for network devices, retrieving and storing device information associated with any identified network devices, and updating records of a DNS based on the retrieved device information. The updated records of the DNS may include the IP address of a given network device and a device name that is automatically generated from the retrieved device information using a set of naming rules applied to the device information. Accordingly, subsequent queries including the device names may be submitted to the DNS to retrieve the corresponding IP addresses. The resulting device names generated by applying the naming rules may be based on, among other things, logical or physical properties of the network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Bryan J. Dreyer
  • Patent number: 10992547
    Abstract: A method includes maintaining first and second mapping data. The first mapping data is from canonical names (CNAMEs) to binding names (BNAMEs), and the second mapping data is from BNAMEs to address information. The method includes using the first mapping data to map a canonical name to a binding name; and then using the second mapping data to map the binding name to corresponding address information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Lewis Robert Varney, Laurence R. Lipstone, William Crowder, Andrew Swart, Christopher Newton
  • Patent number: 10986016
    Abstract: A differentiated routing system includes an electronic service in communication with an ingress gateway that receives a communication service, such as a call from a terminal, over a trunk. The service receives a request from the ingress gateway for establishing a communication service for the calling party terminal. The service obtains information associated with the calling party terminal, which may be based on the trunk and its relationship to a customer, in which the information is to be used for applying at least one of a routing decision and policy decision to the communication service, and appends a tag to the request based on the information. The service may then transmit the request appended with the information to a routing device, which may then use the information when providing the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Richard D. Moore, Matthew C. Hess, Patrick S. Callahan
  • Publication number: 20210112159
    Abstract: Automatic testing/analysis of local loops of telecommunications networks includes obtaining bits-per-tone data for a local loop of a telecommunications network and generating a bit value string from the bits-per-tone data. The bit value string is then analyzed to determine whether it includes a bit pattern indicative of an impairment of the local loop. Further approaches for automatically testing local loops of telecommunications networks include obtaining attenuation data for multiple tones carried by the local loop and determining whether the attenuation data falls below thresholds for providing a service using the local loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas C. Woldahl, Erik V. Helfrich, MIchael J. Durkin, Larry J. North, Abid Khan
  • Publication number: 20210112165
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing management of routing across multiple voice or data networks with separate routing masters. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request to establish a call between a calling party in a first network and a called party in a second network, a computing system might receive a first set of network information from a first routing database(s) that is operated by a first service provider and a second set of network information from a second routing database(s) that is operated by a second service provider separate from the first service provider; might analyze the received first and second sets of network information to generate a unified routing model for optimizing routing of the call through the first and second networks; and might establish the call through a selected optimized route based on the generated unified routing model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph A. Scivicque, Adam Uzelac
  • Publication number: 20210112134
    Abstract: Provided is a content delivery method and architecture for ways to improve the caching of content at one or more content providing devices of a Content Delivery Network (CDN). In particular, systems and methods are disclosed that vary the requirements to store resources or content within a caching device using a dynamic popularity threshold. This popularity threshold may be varied based on a measured fullness of the storage capacity of the cache device. In another example, the dynamic popularity threshold may be further varied based on a cache pressure, which is an indication of how often the cache replaces stored items with new items. The adjustment to the popularity threshold for caching particular content at the caching device may thus be based on a number of requests for content received at the device to tune the caching procedure for a particular region of the CDN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: William R. Power, Pawel Jakobowski
  • Patent number: 10979144
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for an optical domain controller for managing and maintaining a record of network component configuration and interconnections. The optical domain controller detects changes in a configuration of optical network elements in response to a requested service from the network, coordinates additional changes in configurations to optical network elements that may be affected by the detected change, communicates with the optical network elements to incorporate the changes to the configurations of the network element, and stores the configurations and states of the network elements. The use of the optical domain controller may thus replace or supplement a database storing network configuration information by automatically managing changes to the network as new services are instantiated directly on the optical network elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: William Feight, Tara Joseph-Labrie, James M. Adkins, III, Clyde David Cooper, III
  • Patent number: 10979387
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for utilizing multiple anycast addresses within a domain name system (DNS) architecture of a CDN. one or more DNS servers of the architecture may announce a plurality of anycast addresses for receiving DNS requests from requesting devices. The group of addresses may be dispersed (and/or announced by) the DNS servers of the architecture such that each server announces a subset of the available addresses. The number and identity of the subset of available anycast addresses utilized may vary from server to server of the DNS architecture and may be determined based on groups of servers, configurations of metros or gateways of the DNS architecture, or performance metrics of one or more servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Joelle T. Maslak
  • Patent number: 10979499
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managed object replication and delivery redirects, directly or indirectly, a client's request for an object that is not available at a best or optimal handling edge server of a network to a parent server that has the requested object. So, where the requested object is not available at the handling edge server, the client's request is redirected directly to the parent server that can provide the requested object to the client or indirectly via one or more parent servers to a parent server that can provide the requested object to the client. The method, system and computer program product further intelligently replicates the object to the edge server if the object is popular enough. Likewise, an object is removed from an edge server when it is no longer popular. All redirection and replication operations are preferably transparent to the end-user and do not degrade the quality of service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Steven L. Seed, Kevin Hobbs, Shane M. Glynn, Isaac W. Foraker, Peter J. Jones, Homer H. Chen, William P. Greer
  • Patent number: 10977252
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method monitors a plurality of data streams passing through a router in the connectivity service provider environment, and for each of the data streams, periodically samples packets at the router. The method further generates a stream signature based at least on the payload of the sampled packets. The method further includes, for each generated stream signature, attaching information to the stream signature. Such information may, for example, include time-stamp information for the stream signature, or an identification of the router. The method may further comprise storing the stream signatures corresponding to the data streams in a database. The stored stream signatures may be compared to determine matching stream signatures. Matching signatures may identify data streams that carry identical or similar content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Sergey Yermakov, Travis Ewert
  • Patent number: 10971857
    Abstract: A tool 202 for extracting a cable plug 112 from a socket 203 including a cable remover portion 206 which actuates and disconnects the cable plug 112 is described and claimed. Various implementations include a user statically or dynamically actuating and gripping the plug 112 and mechanically or frictionally gripping, or both, the plug 112. In one implementation, the cable remover portion 206 includes a ball detent 302 and catch tabs 320 which actuate the cable clip 208 and catch the cable head 210 so that the plug 112 is mechanically gripped. In another implementation, a translational ramp 800 is supported in the cable remover portion 206 so that a user dynamically moves the ramp 800, which actuates the cable clip 208 and the force of the ramp 800 and cable remover 206 together frictionally grips the plug 112.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Nguyen, Joel S. Skoglund
  • Patent number: 10965526
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for configuring a Network Element (NE) to transport data within a network. A system configured accordingly may include a Transport Automation Tool (TAT) which can initiate, at a server on a network, a communication channel with a NE on the network. The TAT can determine or receive a network plan providing information about a circuit to be initiated or decommissioned on the network. The network plan may include a first port on the NE which is to be connected via a cross-connect (or disconnected) to a second port on the NE. The TAT can then establish or remove, using the communication channel, the cross-connect on the NE such that the NE is added to or removed from a circuit design utilizing the NE as a transport NE within the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Bernie C. Lehman, James M. Adkins, III, Kevin J. Bennett
  • Patent number: 10963445
    Abstract: A data system is provided for analyzing and maintaining data obtained from one or more data sources on which the data system depends. The system includes a primary database including current values used by the system and a collection of executable algorithms used to generate the data maintained in the primary database. In response to receiving a notification regarding a change in one of the data sources, a dependency database is used to establish an execution order for algorithms of the algorithm collection that are directly or indirectly dependent on the changed data. The algorithms identified in the execution order are then executed in accordance with the execution order and the corresponding result is stored in the primary database. The system may include data harvesters adapted to recognize changes in the data sources and to generate and transmit corresponding change notifications when such changes occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: William Gray, Binchao Chen, Steven D. Meyer
  • Patent number: 10965495
    Abstract: A system and method of providing virtualized connectivity in a cloud services environment. A service provider network defines at least a first virtual private network and a second virtual private network for a respective first customer network and a second customer network. The service provider network includes at least one physical connection with a cloud services provider network where the at least one physical connection includes a first private virtual connection between the first virtual private network and the cloud services provider and a second private virtual connection between the second virtual private network and the cloud services provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Salvador Paredes, Nasser Nabih El-Aawar, Gary Randall Ratterree, Todd James Williamson, Ted Wagner