Patents Assigned to Level 3 Communications, LLC
  • Patent number: 12689610
    Abstract: Implementations include providing security services to workloads deployed across various types of network environments, such as public networks, private networks, hybrid networks, customer premise network environments, and the like, by redirecting traffic intended for the service device through a security environment of the first network. After application of the security features to the incoming traffic, the “clean” traffic may be transmitted to the service device instantiated on the separate network via a tunnel. Redirection of incoming traffic to the security-providing first network may include correlating a network address of the service device to a reserved network address of a block of reserved addresses and updating a Domain Name Server (DNS) or other address resolving system with the reserved address. The return transmission tunnel may be established between the security environment and the network address of the service device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Brecl, Steven Casey, Kevin M. McBride
  • Publication number: 20260205390
    Abstract: A device for performing event-driven diagnostics may identify a service identifier of a service provided by the communications network to a customer; identify, based on the service identifier, a persisted path for the service, the persisted path generated prior to any user request to perform a diagnostic on the service, and the persisted path including devices and interfaces used to provide the service; receive performance metrics of the devices and interfaces of the persisted path; detect, without receiving any user request to perform a diagnostic on the service, based on comparisons of the performance metrics to event criteria, an occurrence of an event in the persisted path; and present, based on the occurrence of the event, a notification of the event to the customer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2026
    Publication date: July 16, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Wakumoto, Shelli Hurd, Rabih Nahas, Dayne Allen, Zhuo Jing, Efren Maldonado, Hoang Tran, Brian Sanniola
  • Patent number: 12684072
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products for consolidating toll-free and/or tolled features of two or more telecommunications networks. The networks may be consolidated via an Enhanced Feature Server (EFS) deployed in a telecommunications network. The EFS may be configured to receive a toll-free and/or tolled communication and route the communication based on the dialed toll-free number and a carrier identification code (CIC) associated with the communication, or based on the dialing number and a CIC. Routing the communication based at least on the CIC associated with the communication allows the telecommunications network to consolidate a redundant network from the telecommunications network. In circumstances where a CIC is not associated with a communication, the EFS may request a data schema from a toll-free database, or from an automatic number identification (ANI) database, and determine a CIC based on an analysis of the data schema.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: David A. Tschirhart
  • Publication number: 20260197567
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing provisioning of network services via passive optical network (“PON”) ports that have been incorrectly assigned or connected. In response to receiving an indication that a first port, of a PON terminal, to which a first customer premises equipment (“CPE”) at a first customer premises has been assigned to be connected is already being used to connect a second CPE at a second customer premises, a computing system may identify a second port that is available to provide network services, may autonomously cause re-assignment of the first CPE from the first port to the second port, within a service provider database, may autonomously cause updating of network configurations of the first CPE to enable provisioning of network services over the second port, and may autonomously cause provisioning of network services to the first CPE via the second port, based on the re-assignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2025
    Publication date: July 9, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: William Gray, Ryan Duhon, Kevin Lu
  • Publication number: 20260189500
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing name-based routing through networks. In various embodiments, a broker manager in each of a plurality of networks may receive a subscription request for a network device from a client device, each device being locally accessible or disposed in an upstream or downstream network. The broker manager uses its client broker to communicate with a locally accessible client device, and uses its mediator broker (and, sometimes, an intermediate device(s)) to communicate with a locally accessible network device. The broker manager otherwise uses its messaging brokers to communicate with control channels of one or more networks. Once subscription with the network device has been established, any commands and responses between the client device and the network device may be routed over pub/sub channels via the broker managers and their brokers using name-based routing, without routing based on IP address of the network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2026
    Publication date: July 2, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: David Sutton, Steve Toms, Shelley Goldner, Shelli L. Hurd
  • Publication number: 20260189636
    Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to using an application programming interface (API) gateway orchestration layer. A method may include identifying, by the API gateway orchestration layer, a first API request, received by an API gateway API, to access a first microservice of a first API gateway that uses a first API gateway model; identifying a second API request, received by the API gateway API, to access a second microservice of a second API gateway that uses a second API gateway model; determining, based on the first API request, a first route to the first API gateway; determining, based on the second API request, a second route to the second API gateway; routing the first API request to the first microservice based on the first route; and routing the second API request to the second microservice based on the second route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2026
    Publication date: July 2, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Johnson, Thomas Durdin, Jeff Scheufele, John T. Pugaczewski
  • Patent number: 12671761
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing cloud-based voice calling service, video calling service, and/or over-the-top (“OTT”) services. In various embodiments, with a unified communications and collaboration interconnection (“UCCI”) interconnection established between separate hyperscalers or communication service providers that have separate administrative domains, Internet Protocol (“IP”) based communications services may be instantiated between a first user device or a first telephone number (or call identifier (“ID”)) via a first hyperscaler and a second user device or a second telephone number (or call ID) via a second hyperscaler, without touching or traversing the public switched telephone network (“PSTN”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Tina Telson, Alexander D. Griese, Corey DeLizza, Jason Brougham, Adam Uzelac
  • Patent number: 12652240
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing name-based routing through networks. In various embodiments, a broker manager in each of a plurality of networks may receive a subscription request for a network device from a client device, each device being locally accessible or disposed in an upstream or downstream network. The broker manager uses its client broker to communicate with a locally accessible client device, and uses its mediator broker (and, sometimes, an intermediate device(s)) to communicate with a locally accessible network device. The broker manager otherwise uses its messaging brokers to communicate with control channels of one or more networks. Once subscription with the network device has been established, any commands and responses between the client device and the network device may be routed over pub/sub channels via the broker managers and their brokers using name-based routing, without routing based on IP address of the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: David Sutton, Steve Toms, Shelley Goldner, Shelli L. Hurd
  • Patent number: 12641055
    Abstract: The present application describes a system and method for passively collecting DNS traffic data as that data is passed between a recursive DNS resolver and an authoritative DNS server. The information contained in the collected DNS traffic data is used to generate a virtual authoritative DNS server, or a zone associated with the authoritative DNS server, when it is determined that the authoritative DNS server has been compromised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Woodworth, Dean Ballew, Mark Dehus
  • Publication number: 20260143013
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing management of edge network protection service. In various embodiments, a computing system may receive a request from a customer to manage edge network protection services for at least one Internet circuit. Based on a determination that the customer has been provisioned one or more circuits that are capable of implementing edge network protection services, the computing system may present, or cause to be presented, options to select a circuit, from among the one or more circuits, for which edge network protection service should be provisioned or managed. When a selection of a first circuit is received from the customer, the computing system may automatically cause the selected first circuit to be configured to provision a new service instance of the edge network protection service or reconfigured to modify an existing service instance of the edge network protection service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2026
    Publication date: May 21, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Peter Brecl
  • Publication number: 20260142900
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods that provide a decision-intelligence (DI)-based, computerized framework for automatically and/or dynamically managing connectivity and/or operation of assets on/over an electronic network. The disclosed framework functions in relation to providing network management, inclusive of inventor and network reconciliation, via a network data quality management tool (NDQ). The NDQ framework is configured for advanced network data discovery, provisioning analysis, discrepancy resolution, monitoring processes, and the like. The disclosed NDQ framework serves as a comprehensive, automated solution for ensuring accurate network data and seamless network management by integrating advanced analytics, multi-platform compatibility, and automation capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2025
    Publication date: May 21, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Todd VINCENT, Randy BEESLEY, Ethan CHAMBERS, Bobby PERRITT
  • Patent number: 12634365
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing an API description of an external network service and using the API to integrate the external service into a network. An embodiment operates by receiving, from a service provider, a description of an application programming interface (API), transmitting a call to the service provider using the API for creating a new instance of a service and transmitting to the service provider a traffic flow upon which the service will be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: William Sella
  • Patent number: 12634339
    Abstract: In a network, Domain Name Service (DNS) queries may be handled by one or more resolvers and one or more authoritative name servers. If a DNS distributed denial of service attack is launched against the network, it may degrade the performance of the authoritative name servers. As such, systems and methods for protection of authoritative name servers are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: John R.B. Woodworth, Dean Ballew, Carol D. Lovell, Dan Luther, James C. Anders, Lisa Lamanna
  • Publication number: 20260135851
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing network service ordering and provisioning of secure access service edge (“SASE”) software packages. In various embodiments, a computing system may provide a user experience (“UX”) platform for a customer portal, the UX platform being accessible by a user via a user device over a first network(s); may provide, via the UX platform, options to configure, via the customer portal, one or more SASE-based network services among a plurality of network services provided by a service provider; and may autonomously orchestrate deployment and configuration of the one or more SASE-based network services via one or more customer premises equipment (“CPE”) that are associated with the user or to an entity with which the user is associated, over a second network(s), based at least in part on user selection of at least one option to configure the one or more SASE-based network services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2026
    Publication date: May 14, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D. Smith, Gurpreet S. Sidhu, Darren N. Wolner, Michael F. Robles, Nanette B. Zeile, Mark Thomas Johnson, David Scott Adler, Mark Alan Ramach, Priyadarshini Dande
  • Patent number: 12627744
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing object-based changes to filter-intent over multicast or publication/subscription (“Pub/Sub”) distribution. In various embodiments, a computing system (e.g., a managed device among a plurality of managed devices and/or its corresponding agent) may receive, from a network filter orchestration conductor, a global filter-intent list including a first filter intent that references a corresponding filter-intent object. The computing system may determine whether the at least one first filter intent applies to the managed device. If so, the computing system may translate the at least one first filter intent into a first filter that is specific to a first configuration of the managed device, in some cases, by building the first filter based at least in part on the at least one first filter intent. The computing system may subsequently apply the first filter to one or more network communications handled by the managed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Dean Ballew, John R. B. Woodworth, Brian J. Strong, Robert J. Whelton, Thomas P Donahue, John A. Schiel, Mark Dehus
  • Patent number: 12627570
    Abstract: In one implementation for the identification of connection areas in a telecommunications network, a customer set is obtained for a communications node in the telecommunications network. The customer set includes an existing connection type and a collection of network sites including the connection type is generated from the customer set. An overlay of customer sites without the connection type may be applied to the collection of network sites to generate an intersection of non-connected customer sites within the collection of network sites including the connection type. The intersection provides an indication of underserviced sites connection to the telecommunication network for potential network growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: William Gray, James Sayre, Stephen Limburg
  • Publication number: 20260128985
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing route-based service chaining of applications. In various examples, after receiving a data packet, at least one router may determine a plurality of routes to a destination address associated with the data packet, based on route announcements advertised by a plurality of service applications. The at least one router may select each of the routes based on at least routing policies and local preference values associated with the plurality of routes. The at least one router may send the data packet to each service application in turn over routes among the plurality of routes from highest priority to lowest priority, with the data packet returning to the at least one router after traversing through a service application(s) along each route, until the data packet is sent over the final route to a customer device at the destination address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Applicant: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Feldpusch, Stephen Powell, Bobby W. Metz
  • Publication number: 20260129122
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing 911 or enhanced 911 (“E911”) address update. In various embodiments, in response to a trigger event, a computing system may determine whether E911 address data associated with a customer that is stored in an E911 database requires updating. If so, the computing system may update the E911 database with address data associated with the customer that has been validated or verified (if available). Where no validated or verified address associated with the customer is available, the computing system may send a message to the customer to provide updated 911 or E911 address data; may receive, from a user device associated with the customer via an API over a network(s) operated by the service provider, updated 911 or E911 address data from the customer; and may update the E911 database with the received updated 911 or E911 address data from the customer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Bridget McAndrew, Anne Kempen, Sudhir Dadi, Corey Curtis, Michael Robles, Kevin Michelsen
  • Publication number: 20260129005
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery. After receiving a request for network services and measurement data associated with a plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services, a computing system may calculate a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each network element. Each weighted score for a corresponding resource may be based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value corresponding to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource and a measured usage value based on the measurement data. For each network element, the computing system may calculate an availability score based on the weighted scores, and may output either the availability score and/or a resource allocation decision for that network element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Bobby W. Metz
  • Patent number: 12615186
    Abstract: Systems and methods for ingesting, managing, and distributing configuration data in one or more computing networks are provided. In examples, a flexible configuration definition framework is provided to allow for simplified ingestion, management, and distribution of configuration data to various computing devices in complex networks. Rather than table data, the framework permits expression of configuration settings in a non-relational, text-based data format to allow easy searching and filtering of configuration data and targeted distribution of data to machines and applications within the network(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Busche, Laurence Lipstone, William Power