Abstract: A software-defined network includes a database (105) that is accessible to a controller system (108, 109) of the software defined network and also to network elements (101-014) of the software defined network. The controller system determines configuration data and delivers it to the database. Each network element retrieves its part of the configuration data from the database and implements the retrieved part of the configuration data into its own configuration system that enables the network element to operate as a part of the software-defined network. The commonly used database facilitates maintaining the congruence between the network elements and the controller system of the software-defined network.

Abstract: A network element (101-104) of a software-defined network is adapted to construct a configuration system on the basis of configuration data received from a controller (105, 106) of the software-defined network. The network element is arranged to transmit, in response to an event indicating a need to verify the configuration system, status information to the controller. The event may include for example a loss and a subsequent re-establishment of a connection between the network element and the controller. The status information indicates a first portion of the configuration data which has been implemented in the configuration system prior to the event. After receiving the status information, the controller is able transmit an appropriate second portion of the configuration data to the network element so as to enable verification of an appropriate portion of the configuration system. Thus, there is no need to verify the whole configuration system after the event.

Abstract: The invention relates to controlling memory-usage of a functional component, e.g. a network interface of a router or a switch. A portion of a virtual memory organized to comprise virtual memory pages is reserved (201) for the use of the functional component. Mapping between the virtual memory pages and physical memory areas implemented with a physical memory is formed (202), and data items providing accesses to the physical memory areas are written (203) to one or more of the physical memory areas. The functional component is enabled to directly access to a physical memory area mapped to a virtual memory page so that the data item that provides access to this physical memory area is read (204) from the physical memory with the aid of the mapping and a virtual memory address related to the virtual memory page, and the read data item is delivered (205) to the functional component.

Abstract: A circuit board comprises one or more first electrical conductors (102-107) in a first portion of the thickness of the circuit board, one or more second electrical conductors (108, 109) in a second portion of the circuit board, at least one via-conductor (112) providing a galvanic current path between the first and second electrical conductors, a hole extending through the first and second portions of the circuit board, and an electrically conductive sleeve (114) lining the hole and having galvanic contacts with the second electrical conductors. The thermal resistance from the electrically conductive sleeve to the first electrical conductors is greater than the thermal resistance from the electrically conductive sleeve to the second electrical conductors so as to obtain a reliable solder joint between a part of the electrically conductive sleeve belonging to the first portion of the circuit board and an electrical conductor pin (119) located in the hole.

Abstract: In a data transfer network, a network device (102) receives at its first data interface an identifier message transferred via a first data transfer path from another network device (106). The network device compares the identifier message to earlier received identifier messages. If the identifier message matches an earlier received identifier message received at another data interface and transferred via a second data transfer path from the other network device, the network device updates its forwarding database to express that the other network device is accessible also via the first data interface, and transmits address information related to the other network device via the first data interface so as to determine the first data transfer path to be an alternative for the second data transfer path. The first and second data transfer paths can be used for protecting each other and/or for load sharing.

Abstract: In a system, the functionality is decentralized in a data transmission network so that the need of communications produced by and addressed to data terminals to pass by way of a single point in the data transmission network is diminished. A first data transmission installation is adapted to signal second data transmission installations, each of which is part of a ring-shaped data transmission topology, to be capable of building logical data transmission tunnels directed to the data terminals. Thereby, all the logical data transmission tunnels need not commence or, depending on the direction, terminate at the same point of a data transmission network. In addition, the data transmission installations present in a ring-shaped data transmission topology need not necessarily be taught routing information in order to enable each of these data transmission installations to send data transmission frames to be transmitted to another one of these data transmission installations.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined network includes functional entities (321-325) capable of transferring data between each other and providing connections to other network elements. One or more of the functional entities are configurable with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network. The network element is adapted to transmit, to the controller, entity-specific capability descriptors related to the functional entities configurable with the configuration data. Each entity-specific capability descriptor expresses operations capable of being carried out by the respective functional entity. As the controller is made aware of the capabilities of the functional entities, the goal of the software-defined networking to provide controlled management of the data-forwarding functionality of a network element as a whole can be extended to the functional entities, e.g.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined network includes line interface modules capable of transferring data between each other and providing connections to other network elements. Each line interface module is configurable with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network. The line interface modules are configured, in accordance with the configuration data, to support external data-forwarding functionality between the network element and other network elements and to support internal data-forwarding functionality between the line interface modules within the network element. Thus, the controller can manage the line interface modules, as separately controlled devices. The line interface modules are further adapted to support, in accordance with the configuration data, signaling functionality between the line interface modules.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a magnetic sensor circuitry (101) for detecting magnetic field and for generating a detection signal in response to the detected magnetic field, and a control circuitry (102) for controlling operation of the electrical device in accordance with the detection signal. The magnetic sensor circuitry is configured to detect a direction related to a deviation of the magnetic field from the magnetic field of the earth, and the control circuitry is configured to control the operation of the electrical device in accordance with the detected direction. The electrical device can be controlled by using e.g. a permanent magnet (105) for directing, to the magnetic sensor circuitry, magnetic field deviating from the magnetic field of the earth and having a desired orientation. Thus, the electrical device can be controlled without an electrical connector or a radio interface.

Abstract: A method for optimizing entity-specific configuration systems for functional entities of a network element of a software-defined network is presented. The entity-specific configuration systems are based on a network element-specific configuration system related to the whole network element and including configuration entries for determining operations to be carried out by the network element. The method includes forming (401) relation data that indicates, for each of the functional entities, those of the configuration entries which are irrelevant to the functional entity under consideration so that operation of the functional entity is independent of these configuration entries. The relation data enables the entity-specific configuration systems to be constructed (402) so that the entity-specific configuration system of each functional entity is free from those configuration entries which, according to the relation data, are irrelevant to the functional entity under consideration.

Abstract: A device for controlling frequency synchronization includes a processor for controlling a phase-controlled clock signal to achieve phase-locking with a reference clock signal, and for controlling a frequency-controlled clock signal so as to achieve frequency-locking with the reference clock signal. The processor is also configured to monitor a deviation between the frequency and phase-controlled clock signals, detect a change of circumstances such as temperature changes causing frequency drifting of the frequency-controlled clock signal, and replace or correct the frequency-controlled clock signal with, or on the basis of, the phase-controlled clock signal when both the monitored deviation and the detected change of circumstances show correlation confirming frequency drift of the frequency-controlled clock signal.

Abstract: In a data communication system according to the invention the functionality of the gateway device is distributed in a data communication network thereby reducing the need to direct the data traffic from and to terminals (212, 213, 214) through a single point in the data communication network. A first data communication device (207) is arranged to make, through signalling, second data communication devices (204, 205, 206) capable of directing the data communications of the terminals to the starting points of the respective logical data communication tunnels (215, 216, 217). This way there is no need for all logical data communication tunnels to start from, or depending on the direction, to end at, the same point in the data communication network.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a circuit board (101), a light source (104), and a light guide (105). The light guide receives light from the light source and conducts the received light to an end of the light guide so that the light crosses, in a direction parallel with the circuit board, an edge of the circuit board. The end of the light guide constitutes a display surface for showing the light to a user. On a fringe area extending from the edge of the circuit board a distance (D) towards the opposite edge of the circuit board, the light guide is between geometrical planes parallel and coinciding with surfaces of the circuit board. Hence, the light guide does not require room in directions perpendicular to the circuit board. Therefore, for example, more connectors, key buttons, and/or other instruments can be placed on a control panel of the electrical device.

Abstract: A device for controlling a clock signal generator includes a processor (101) for forming at least two mutually different control quantities on the basis of reception moments of timing messages such as time stamps, where the reception moments are expressed as time values based on a first clock signal and the timing messages are transmitted in accordance with a second clock signal. The processor also calculates a weighted sum of the control quantities, and controls the clock signal generator with the weighted sum so as to synchronize the first clock signal and the second clock signal. The control quantities may represent, for example, a filtered value of observed phase-errors, a phase-error corresponding to a minimum observed transfer delay, and phase-errors corresponding to a given portion of the delay distribution. Using the weighted sum of the mutually different control quantities improves the utilization of the information content of the timing messages.

Abstract: A satellite receiver module (101) for telecommunication equipment includes circuitries (102, 103) configured to receive timing information from one or more satellites and to form timing messages based on a clock signal in accordance with the received timing information. The clock signal is a stream of temporally successive clock pulses and the pulse-rate of the clock signal is accordant with a pace indicating signal received from a body device (110) of the telecommunication equipment. The satellite receiver module further includes a data interface (105) including a connector (106) for detachably attaching to the body device and for transferring the timing messages to the body device. Because the pulse-rate, i.e. the frequency, of the clock signal is accordant with the pace indicating signal received from the body device, a high-quality local oscillator is not necessary in the satellite receiver module.

Abstract: A circuit board system includes a circuit board (101), at least one electrical component (102), and a conductor part (103) in heat conducting relation with the electrical component. A surface of the circuit board includes a portion (104) that is uneven so as to increase the surface area of the portion. The portion is coated with a coating (105) made of conductor material so that a surface of the coating is uneven. The circuit board includes a heat conductive pathway (106) made of conductor material and extending from the conductor part to the coating. Thus, the coating operates as a cooling element for cooling the electrical component.

Abstract: A method for controlling a software-defined network “SDN” includes receiving (301) information provided by one or more external sources outside the software-defined network, generating (303) configuration data for changing configuration of one or more network elements of the software-defined network on the basis of the received information in response to a situation (302) where the received information indicates an occurred or forthcoming change of one or more operating conditions of the software-defined network, and sending (304) the configuration data to the network elements so as to adapt the software-defined network to changes of the one or more operating conditions.

Abstract: A method for defining a look-up system having functionality suitable for a network element of a software-defined network “SDN” includes maintaining (401) data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in alternative ways using one or more look-up tables of the set of look-up tables and each of the look-up tables has a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table. The method includes selecting (402), on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, such one of the alternative ways of constructing the look-up system which provides a look-up system that is optimal, or at least suitable, for the network element.

Abstract: A method and a device for defining implementation of a look-up table for a network element of a software-defined network “SDN” is presented. The network element includes hardware for implementing the look-up table in two or more mutually alternative ways. The method includes selecting (301) an optimal, or at least a suitable, one of the mutually alternative ways to implement the look-up table on the basis of a) the hardware available for implementing the look-up table, b) information about one or more look-up keys, and c) at least one of the following: the maximum number of entries of the look-up table, an average time between successive look-ups, an average time between successive modifications of the look-up table. The method enables the network element to be configured in a way that the hardware resources of the network element are utilized in an optimal or at least a suitable way.

Abstract: A method for configuring a network element of a software-defined network “SDN” includes retrieving (401), for different look-up tables, a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table, determining (402), on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, a resource consumption estimate for at least one look-up system including one or more of the look-up tables and having functionality suitable for the network element, and sending (404) to the network element, if the network element is capable (403) of running the look-up system, configuration data defining the look-up system. The method provides a possibility to avoid configuring network elements to overload and, on the other hand, the resource consumption estimates related to different network elements can be used for optimizing the software-defined network as a whole.