Abstract: A secure telecommunications system includes an external network and an internal network on which traffic travels. The system includes a switch connected to the network. The system includes a first inspection engine and a second inspection engine which are connected to the switch, which receive traffic from the switch, process the traffic to determine whether it is desired traffic or undesired traffic, which prevent undesired traffic from passing through it and which sends desired traffic back to the switch. The system includes a first destination connected to the switch which receives desired traffic from the switch that has been processed by the first inspection engine. The system includes a second destination connected to the switch which receives desired traffic from the switch that has been processed by the second inspection engine. A method for sending traffic over a secure telecommunications system.

Abstract: A switching system. The switching system includes a first switch having a primary receive port and a secondary receive port. The switching system includes a second switch connected to the first switch. The second switch has n receive ports, where n is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer. The second switch has m transmit ports, where m is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer. The transmit ports are decoupled from the receive ports. The second switch has a connecting mechanism that includes a multicast mechanism which sends data out a primary transmit port of the m transmit ports to the primary receive port of the first switch to define a primary path, and out a secondary transmit port of the m transmit ports to a secondary receive port of the first switch to define a redundant path to the primary path so that if there is a failure of the primary path to provide the data to the first switch, the data is received by the first switch through the redundant path.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring data on a network. The apparatus includes a switch comprising a primary component for switching the data through the switch. The apparatus includes a secondary component for switching the data through the switch if the primary component fails. The apparatus includes a mechanism for counting the data that has been received, transmitted or dropped by the switch without including any redundancy in the counting of the data due to the primary component and secondary component both able to switch data through the switch. A method for transferring ATM cells on a network. The method includes the steps of switching the ATM cells with an ATM switch of the ATM network having a primary component for switching the cells and a secondary component for switching the cells if the primary component fails.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing a packet including a buffer in which packets are stored. The apparatus includes a mechanism for determining an average buffer fill of the buffer, where the average buffer fill is an average fill state of the buffer. The determining mechanism is connected to the buffer. The apparatus includes a mechanism for calculating a drop probability associated with the packet which identify is the probability the packet will be dropped from a the buffer. The apparatus includes a mechanism for generating a random number. The apparatus includes a mechanism for discarding the packet from the elements if the drop probability is greater in than the random number. A method for access control.

Abstract: An apparatus for establishing circuits in an ATM network. The apparatus includes a controller which attempts to establish a circuit according to original quality of service requirements of a UPC associated with the circuit, which determines available resources of the ATM network and which automatically relaxes the original quality of service requirements associated with a circuit for the circuit to be formed in the ATM network with the available resources of the ATM network. The apparatus includes a memory which stores a plurality of different quality of service requirements. The memory is connected to the controller for the controller to obtain different quality of service requirements for the controller to automatically relax the original quality of service requirements with different quality of service requirements. A method for establishing circuits in an ATM network.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing packets. The apparatus includes a memory for holding packets. The apparatus includes a mechanism for storing at least two packets in the memory with only one packet boundary indicator associated with them. A method for storing packets. The method includes the steps of receiving packets at a memory. Then there is the step of storing with a memory controller at least two packets in the memory with only one packet boundary indicator associated with them.

Abstract: A switching system for a data stream utilizing striping with a parity stripe, so if a fabric of the system fails, the data stream can still be reconstructed with the parity stripe. The system uses receive and transmit interfaces which implement space division, and fabrics which implement hybrid space/time division.

Abstract: A multiple key self-sorting table. The table includes a plurality of intelligent self-sorting modules. Each module of the plurality of modules having an entry with at least one value. Each module making a decision to perform one of a plurality of acts, and preferably four acts, when there is an addition or deletion of an entry to the table; it holds its current value, stores a new entry, takes an entry from its immediately adjacent module with a higher value or takes an entry from its immediately adjacent module with a lower value; and performing the decision. A method for sorting a table.

Abstract: An optical switch for switching data in a network. The switch includes a housing. The switch includes a transmitter receiver means which transmits to or receives from the network the data. The transmitter receiver means is disposed in the housing. The first optical path forms a first closed optical loop along which the data flows in a first direction. The switch includes a second optical path forming a second closed optical loop along which the data flows in a second direction. The second direction is opposite the first direction. The first and second optical paths each having a portion in which the transmitter receiver means is inserted into or removed from the first and second optical paths without disruption of switching of data by the switch. A method for switching data in a network.

Abstract: An apparatus for sharing a resource. The apparatus includes a plurality of a configurable number of groups, each group of the plurality of groups having a configurable share size of the resource. The apparatus includes a controller which chooses which group of the plurality of group are active and the share size of the resource each active group is to have. The controller modifying which groups are active and the share size of the resource of each active group during operation of the apparatus without affecting or stopping the operation of the apparatus. A method for sharing a resource. The method includes the steps of choosing with a controller of an apparatus which groups of a plurality of groups of the apparatus are active and a share size of the resource each active group is to have.

Abstract: A security system. The security system comprises N surveillance nodes, where N is greater than or equal to 17 and is an integer. Each surveillance node providing a video source of a scene of a location of the surveillance node. The security system comprises a monitoring node having a display in communication with the N surveillance nodes. The security system comprises a controller which simultaneously continuously shows on the display a live scene of the surveillance node when a predetermined event occurs at the surveillance node, and a recorded scene of the node for a predetermined time which spans before, during and after the predetermined event, the controller in communication with the monitoring node and the N surveillance nodes. Alternatively, N is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer, and the security system comprises an ATM network through which the N surveillance nodes, the monitoring node and the controller communicate. A method for maintaining security.

Abstract: A power entry panel for a power conditioner. The power entry panel includes an input terminal block which receives power. The power entry panel includes a mating connection for passing power from the input terminal block to the power conditioner. The mating connection is directly connected and in contact with the input terminal block. An input terminal block for a power entry panel. A method for transferring power.

Abstract: A telecommunications system. A switch for routing established SPVx connections of a telecommunications network having a telecommunications system. A manipulating mechanism for manipulating the order in which connections of a telecommunications network of a telecommunications system are released when there is a failure in the network and established connections fail. A method for responding to failures in a telecommunications network of a telecommunications system.

Abstract: A system for determining shared broadcast domains. The system includes a network having devices which have physical ports and/or logical interfaces, and having a network management system. The network management system having a mechanism for learning features about ports or interfaces of devices of the network. The system includes a mechanism for identifying which ports or interfaces on each device are part of a same broadcast domain from the learned features. The identifying mechanism in communication with the network management system. A network management system. A method for determining shared broadcast domains of network devices and ports or interfaces includes the steps of learning features about ports or interfaces of devices of a network by a network management system. There is the step of identifying which ports or interfaces on each device are part of a common broadcast domain from the learned features.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing data of transactions includes a memory having a plurality of queues having locations where the data is stored, and shared memory. Each queue of the plurality of queues has a minimum threshold of the memory which the queue is guaranteed to have for use which no other queue of the plurality of queues can use, and a maximum threshold of the memory which the queue can use, when the maximum threshold is greater than the minimum threshold. The apparatus includes an admitting mechanism for admitting the data to the locations in the memory. The admitting mechanism having a first block of logic which is used to calculate the minimum threshold and the maximum threshold for each queue, and a single centralized block of logic to contain calculations for determining whether or not the shared memory can support a transaction. The first block of logic and the centralized block of logic independent of each other.

Abstract: A communication system for providing high speed data services to a subscriber using optical fibers comprises a first optical interface unit (OIU) and a second OIU. The first OIU transmits optical representations of signals from an electrical communication path to the second OIU, which forwards electrical representations of those signals to a subscriber. The second OIU transmits optical representations of electrical signals from the subscriber to the first OIU, which forwards those signals to the electrical communication path. The second OIU further forwards electrical representations of another received optical signal to the subscriber. In one embodiment, the first OIU is located at a network node element such as a HDT, for example. In another embodiment, the second OIU is located at an optical node device such as an ONU, for example.

Abstract: A switch for a network. The switch includes an input port mechanism which receives traffic of connections from the network. Each connection has a priority. The switch includes an output port mechanism which sends traffic of connections to the network. The switch includes a controller which serves connections and which monitors the connections received by the input port mechanism and sent by the output port mechanism and releases connections according to a connection's priority when a predetermined condition exists in the switch. The controller is connected to the input port mechanism and the output port mechanism. Each connection requests a specific bandwidth from the controller. A method for switching connections. The method includes the steps of monitoring traffic of connections received by a switch. Then there is the step of releasing connections from the switch according to the connection's priority when a predetermined condition in the switch exists.

Abstract: A power distribution backplane includes a pair of metal panels bonded to opposite sides of a dielectric spacer. One panel is for power and the other for ground, and each is painted a different color. Connectors are provided on each panel in connector areas, with some connectors being accessible from both sides of each panel, and busbars extend out from one end of each panel.

Abstract: A power system includes a plurality of power supply units (“PSUs”), each PSU having an output that is coupled to the output of other PSUs in the power system. Each PSU includes a power factor correction (“PFC”) assembly for receiving an AC input and generating a first DC output. A DC/DC converter assembly is coupled to the PFC assembly, and receives the first DC output and generates a second regulated DC output. A control assembly is coupled to the DC/DC converter assembly, and is operative to monitor the DC/DC converter assembly output and in response thereto provide control signals to the DC/DC converter assembly.

Abstract: A method of transmitting bidirectional telephony communication signals on a single optical fiber. The bidirectional signals are transmitted in one direction as NRZ coded signals at a first clocking pulse rate, and in the other direction as modified a hybrid form of ON-OFF keying coded signals having pulse transitions at a second clocking pulse rate which is a multiple (preferably eight times (8×)) of the first clocking pulse rate, wherein the modified Manchester coded signal is modified by ON-OFF keying.