Patents Assigned to Level 3 Communication, LLC
  • Patent number: 10764203
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic purchasing, reserving and/or provisioning of a wavelength bandwidth block are disclosed. A user may access a web page, such as an interactive web-portal, to provide bandwidth data and corresponding ordering information for reserving a particular amount of bandwidth capacity on a telecommunications network. Subsequently, the customer's may access and the bandwidth blocks to increase/decrease and/or activate/deactivate portions of the reserved bandwidth capacity as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kelly R. Crosby, Benjamin W. Garrard, Jeff King, Scott A. Nusz, Monisha Merchant
  • Patent number: 10764138
    Abstract: Aspects of optimized grooming of multiplexers of a communication network are presented. In an example method, an optimization value associated with each of a plurality of multiplexer configurations may be determined, wherein each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations includes a proposed assignment of each of a plurality of data channels to one of a plurality of inputs of a plurality of multiplexers. A multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations may be identified and subsequently used to configure the multiplexers. Other potential aspects of the present disclosure are described in greater detail below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Binchao Chen, William Gray
  • Patent number: 10764355
    Abstract: A content delivery method, and related apparatus, that involves the operations of receiving a request for a content resource including at least one embedded resource with a tag. Upon identification of the tag, using at least one delivery parameter to generate a modified embedded resource. Embedding the modified embedded resource in a content resource, such as an HTML document. Delivering, such as in response to request from a browser, the content resource with the modified embedded resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Newton, William R. Power
  • Patent number: 10764075
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for implementing providing a web conferencing service. In one example, the system and methods involve a real-time application programming interface (RTAPI) component in the telecommunications network. The RTAPI is configured, in one embodiment, to provide a platform through which one or more users of the telecommunications network interfaces with one or more conferencing components of the network. In one example, the RTAPI may be configured to coordinate a dial-out to a participant of a conference at a designated time such that the participant is entered into the conference automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Charles Uzelac, Joshua Scott Berlin, Michael Dana Chan, Darren James Behmlander, Gregory Thomas Ellison, Duane Green
  • Publication number: 20200267577
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to consolidation of STP pairs without deploying new STP pairs and without making changes at a Service Switching Point to reflect the consolidation. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a first pair of signal transfer point devices to be decommissioned from a telecommunication network; identifying a second pair of signal transfer point devices to assume, in part, functionalities of the first pair of signal transfer point devices, each signal transfer point device of the first pair and the second pair having at least one primary point code and at least one secondary point code assigning a temporary secondary point code to each signal transfer point device of the first pair; and modifying at least one secondary point code of each signal transfer point device of the second pair with a primary point code of at least one signal transfer point device of the first pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Brad Smeal
  • Publication number: 20200267177
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for managing routes of data traffic within a network. The management may be performed via a graphical user interface that interacts with a Web server to update a configuration file. The configuration file can be converted to router management commands by a network management device (e.g., a BGP speaker). The commands can then be sent to border routers for controlling network traffic. Embodiments are also provided for capturing and logging routing updates made in a network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Smith, Shawn Marck
  • Publication number: 20200267060
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that provision a cloud-based service together with a dedicated network connection to provision a cloud-based service element. In response to the request both the cloud-based service element and a dedicated network connection are provisioned. Provisioning the cloud-based service element together with the dedicated network connection enables the cloud-based service element to utilize the dedicated network connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Pete Joseph Caputo, II, Austin David Ritchie, Alan Wade Prehmus, Travis Duane Ewert, Harold Wayne Teets
  • Patent number: 10747732
    Abstract: A virtual database administrator (VDBA) is implemented in a database server network to monitor back-up write events from the database servers on the network to a network back-up server and correct failed back-up attempts. The VDBA regularly polls the database servers for copies of event logs that include information about back-up attempts. The VDBA parses each of the event logs, searching for the back-up log entries indicating successful or failed back-up writes for particular databases. For failed back-up writes, the VDBA instructs the specific database server to retry the back-up write for the particular database. The back-up retry instructions are specific to the database server and cause a back-up retry limited to the particular database on the server that experienced the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Mike Page, Jeff Cox
  • Patent number: 10749824
    Abstract: A VoIP 911 application is accessible to VoIP callers in the form of a portal and/or at least one API executed by one or more of a plurality of computing systems to retrieve a physical location of a VoIP user utilizing a VoIP number. A known postal address is generated from the physical location. The postal address is processed using a GIS system to determine if the postal address is a valid actual address. The postal address is processed using geocoding, and an updated MSAG address associated with the location of the VoIP user is generated. The VoIP 911 application may comprise an instant messaging application. The IM application is installed to and/or integrated with existing software packages. A VoIP user may update emergency information by submitting a current physical location of the VoIP user via an IM chat window. The physical location submitted is validated and confirmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Michael F. Robles, Christopher D. Smith
  • Patent number: 10749797
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for implementing and utilizing one or more service labels in a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network for delivery service through the network. The general, the service label acts to instantiate a service tunnel between two or more devices of the network, such as between a service or provider edge device and a metro device of the network. The service label is unique and arbitrary label per service to a network device. Once the service tunnel is established between the devices, one or more Internet Protocol (IP) or Ethernet services can be multiplex over the service tunnel to the network device. Also, one or more service labels (tunnels) can be established between any two or more network devices to allow for greater flexibility and scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Francis Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10749945
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method in a content delivery network (CDN), wherein the CDN delivers content on behalf of at least one content provider. The method includes: a first server: receiving a request from a client for particular content; determining at least one delivery server in the CDN; migrating the request to the at least one delivery server; and then providing the least one delivery server with first network traffic from the client. Then a second server, distinct from the first server, determines information about the least one delivery server; and then, based on the determining, provides the least one delivery server with second network traffic from the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Newton
  • Publication number: 20200259915
    Abstract: A server in a content delivery (CD) network that distributes content on behalf of one or more subscribers. Responsive to a request from a client for a particular resource, if the particular resource is already in a cache on the server, serving the particular to the client from the cache; otherwise if the particular resource is not already cached on the server, when a count value exceeds a first threshold value, obtaining, caching, and serving the particular resource. When the count value is less than a second threshold value, obtaining and serving the particular resource. When the count value is: (i) not less than the second threshold value, and (ii) not greater than the first threshold value, then obtaining the particular resource and selectively caching the particular resource; and serving the particular resource to the client.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Lee Jensen, William Crowder, Christopher Newton, William R. Power
  • Publication number: 20200259742
    Abstract: Systems and methods for routing traffic through a network along Label-Switched Paths (LSPs) that may extend across multiple autonomous systems include performing Internet Protocol (IP) routing lookups as a packet is transmitted along the LSP. In one implementation, a packet having a predetermined value (which may be inserted by an upstream network device) is received at a network device after travelling along a first segment of an LSP. In response to identifying the predetermined label value of the packet, the network device may perform an IP routing lookup using IP routing information included in the packet to identify a next hop for the packet. The network device may then update a label of the packet such that the packet is routed along a second segment of the LSP and transmit the communication packet to the next hop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Osborne
  • Patent number: 10742672
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method compares metrics from different data flows to detect flaws in collection of data describing operation of a network. The method uses a first network data collection technique to collect a first metric describing a characteristic of a network interface. Using a second network data collection technique different from the first network data collection technique, a second metric describing the characteristic of the network interface is collected. The first metric is compared with the second metric to determine whether the first and second metrics are incongruous. When the first and second metrics are determined to be incongruous, a flaw is detected to exist in the first or second network data collection techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communication, LLC
    Inventor: Sergey Yermakov
  • Patent number: 10742514
    Abstract: A method for determining network topology of a provider network includes selecting a first network element, selecting a first port on the first network element, and iteratively performing connectivity validation tests using the first port, wherein each connectivity validation test is associated with a type of network element and yields a result that indicates whether a second port on a second network element of the associated type is connected to the first port. A system for discovering topology of a network, the system comprising a topology discovery engine in operable communication with a near network element and operable to identify a first port of a far network element that is connected to a second port of the near network element by remotely altering operation of the near network element to cause the second network element to respond in a manner that identifies the first port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua D. Voigt, Christopher T. Coston, Robert J. Feuerstein, Daniel Youngblood, Dan Rosenstock, Troy Kau, Greg Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 10742447
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure involve systems and methods for utilizing Virtual Local Area Network separation in a connection, which may be a single connection, between a customer to a telecommunications network and a cloud environment to allow the customer to access multiple instances within the cloud through the connection. A customer may purchase multiple cloud resource instances from a public cloud environment and, utilizing the telecommunications network, connect to the multiple instances through a communication port or connection to the cloud environment. To utilize the single connection or port, communication packets intended for the cloud environment may be tagged with a VLAN tag that indicates to which cloud instance the packet is intended. The telecommunications network may route the packet to the intended cloud environment and configure one or more aspects of the cloud environment to analyze the attached VLAN tag to transmit the packet to the intended instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Austin D. Ritchie
  • Patent number: 10742723
    Abstract: A load-balancing cluster includes a switch having a plurality of ports; and a plurality of servers connected to at least some of the plurality of ports of the switch. Each server is addressable by the same virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) address. Each server in the cluster has a mechanism constructed and adapted to respond to connection requests at the VIP by selecting one of the plurality of servers to handle that connection, wherein the selecting is based, at least in part, on a given function of information used to request the connection; and a firewall mechanism constructed and adapted to accept all requests for the VIP address for a particular connection only on the server that has been selected to handle that particular connection. The selected server determines whether it is responsible for the request and may hand it off to another cluster member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Maksim Yevmenkin, David Fullagar, Christopher Newton, Jeffrey Koller
  • Patent number: 10742521
    Abstract: A system has multiple service endpoints running on a plurality of devices, wherein each particular service endpoint consumes control resources specifying a configuration for the particular service endpoint. A method includes evaluating a configuration object using first external resource inputs to produce an evaluated configuration object; generating a template, the generating using the evaluated configuration object and second external resource inputs; rendering the template with a set of actual parameter values to produce a localized control resource, the rendering using third external resource inputs; and providing the localized control resource to at least one service endpoint in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Lewis Robert Varney, Laurence R. Lipstone, William Crowder, Andrew Swart, Christopher Newton
  • Publication number: 20200252425
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for utilizing an access log of a proxy server device of a content delivery network (CDN) to detect and mitigate a denial of service (DOS) on a web or content server hosted by the CDN. Through an analysis of the content requests received at the proxy server listed in the access logs, one or more IP addresses may be identified as involved in a potential DOS attack or other suspicious behavior. Once identified, the suspicious activities of the one or more IP addresses may be tracked and aggregated over a particular period of time, with each detected suspicious request to the content server being counted. The count of suspicious requests to the content server may then be compared to one or more threshold values and a remediation action may occur when the thresholds are met or exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Donahue, Henry Yu
  • Patent number: 10735553
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for providing services to customers or other users of a telecommunications network through implementation of one or more micro-services instantiated on the network. Through the micro-services, one or more of the processes or functions used to provide the services from the network may be separately located logically within the network, thereby divorcing such processes from dedicated service components of the network. The breaking apart of the processes to be instantiated within the network on a generic computing device of the network, otherwise known as “micro-services”, allows the telecommunications to adjust or scale the available services in response to operating conditions of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Dana A. Johnston, Adam C. Uzelac, Claudia M. Combellas