Abstract: A Fiber Channel switch is presented that tracks the congestion status of destination ports in an XOFF mask at each input. A mapping is maintained between virtual channels on an ISL and the destination ports to allow changes in the XOFF mask to trigger a primitive to an upstream port that provides virtual channel flow control. The XOFF mask is also used to avoid sending frames to a congested port. Instead, these frames are stored on a single deferred queue and later processed in a manner designed to maintain frame ordering. A routing system is provided that applies multiple routing rules in parallel to perform line speed routing. The preferred switch fabric is cell based, with techniques used to manage path maintenance for variable length frames and to adapt to varying transmission rates in the system. Finally, the switch allows data and microprocessor communication to share the same crossbar network.

Abstract: A technique for assigning an address (“shadow address”) to a mobile station that is compatible with the layer-2 address on the wireline network which serves the mobile station. The shadow address is then used as a wireline identifier for the destination address for frames ultimately destined for the mobile station. The shadow address is stored in a watch list for serving base stations, and any base station receiving a frame with a shadow address in its watch list process the frame to forward it the to mobile station. In this way, the shadow address facilitates carrying out soft handoff and smooth handoff.

Abstract: A VoIP (Voice over IP network) gateway device includes an identification pattern inserting section, identification pattern detecting section, pass through frame assembly section, and pass through frame processing section. The identification pattern inserting section inserts an identification pattern of a predetermined bit pattern in a receiving signal from an IP transit trunk, and sends out the signal to a digital exchange. The identification pattern detecting section detects an identification pattern from a receiving signal from the digital exchange. The pass through frame assembly section converts an RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packet obtained from the IP transit trunk into a digital voice signal in a pass through frame format having a bit rate of 64 kbps when the identification pattern detecting section detects an identification pattern.

Abstract: Presently described is a system and method for switching multimedia data communications, including but not limited to Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony, cable TV, digital audio and video. The system utilizes a single, integrated device to provide all PacketCable-compliant functionality, including enhanced user privacy, compliance with CALEA, E911 and other mandated services not available in conventional distributed PacketCable systems. High speed and efficient, low cost operation are provided by means of an optimized data unit encapsulation scheme for internal switching and routing. A proprietary fiber optic backplane and removable optical connectors are used to enable lightspeed internal communications hot-swapping of components. Furthermore, the present system is extensible to all forms of digital data switching and is secure, resistant to Denial of Service attacks, and fault-resilient.

Abstract: A communication system includes multiple network interfaces interconnected using synchronous transport resources, such as a SONET ring. These interfaces couple to various communications networks and provide access for these networks to the synchronous transport resources. In response to relatively simple commands, these interfaces may couple attached asynchronous networks to the synchronous transport resources. With appropriate messages communicated to two of these interfaces, this system provides for the provisioning of synchronous transport resources between two asynchronous networks to support network-to-network communications.

Abstract: A communication unit (30) arranged to send transmit data includes a receiver (32) arranged to recover input data transmitted at a downstream transfer rate in response to a symbol clock (20) signal. A transmitter (40) is arranged to transmit the transmit data at an upstream transfer rate in response to an upstream transmit clock signal (TX_CLKA) that is coordinated with the symbol clock signal. The frequency or repetition rate of the upstream transmit clock signal is defined at least in part by a predetermined relationship between the downstream transfer rate and the upstream transfer rate, such as a ratio of the downstream transfer rate and the upstream transfer rate.

Abstract: Opportunities to transmit ATM cells of identical level onto an ATM line are equally afforded to respective terminal side lines. In a cell assembler/disassembler, data from the terminal side lines 1100 are turned into ATM cells, and the ATM cells are assigned priority levels. Then, the ATM cells are stored in internal buffers 111–116 respectively corresponding to the terminal side lines 1100. The priority controller 1210 selects the ATM cells of the highest priority levels from within the respective internal buffers, and further selects the ATM cell of the highest priority level as an ATM cell to-be-transmitted from among the selected ATM cells. In the presence of a plurality of such ATM cells of the highest priority level, the priority controller 1210 determines the ATM cell to-be-transmitted in accordance with the priority sequence of the internal buffers in which the ATM cells of the highest priority level are stored.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the transmission of a plurality of data packets, each packet having a next-hop address, across a data network are provided. The method includes receiving the data packets at the network traffic device, buffering the data packets, identifying a selected data packet, identifying a second data packet with the same next-hop address as the selected data packet, consolidating the selected data packet with the second data packet to form a consolidated packet, and transmitting the consolidated data packet. The system and method of the present invention are particularly applicable to the optimization of voice data traffic.

Abstract: A system is described for processing messages and calls comprising: a plurality of filtering modules to apply a corresponding plurality of rule sets in succession to filter incoming and/or outgoing electronic messages and to apply the highest priority rule from among a plurality of rule sets to calls; and a pre-inbox for temporarily storing the calls and/or electronic messages as each of the plurality of rule sets are applied, the calls and/or electronic messages being removed from the pre-inbox and disposed of only after each of the plurality of rule sets have been applied to the calls and/or electronic messages.

Abstract: A scheduling system and methodology for use in a network switch element having multiserver, multiple-arbiter architecture. Ingress ports and egress ports coupled to the cross-connect fabric of the network element are provided with multiple ingress and egress arbiters, respectively, for effectuating an iterative arbitration strategy such as RGA or RG. Arbiter architectures include singe-arbiter-per-port; single-arbiter-per-server; multiple-arbiters-per-port; and multiple-arbiters-per-server arrangements, wherein the arbiters can be implemented using RRA, BTA, Flexible Ring, or any other arbiter technology. Depending on the iteration strategy, ingress arbiter architecture and egress arbiter architecture, a variety of iterative, multiserver-capable scheduling algorithms can be obtained, which scheduling algorithms can also be implemented in QoS-aware network nodes.

Abstract: A switching device for forwarding network traffic to a desired destination on a network, such as a telephone or computer network. The switching device includes multiple ports and uses a lookup table to determine which port to forward network traffic over. The lookup table includes network addresses that are maintained in ascending or descending order. The switching device includes multiple binary search engines coupled in series including one or more precursor binary search engines and a final stage binary search engine. Together, the binary search engines perform an N iteration binary search. Additionally, a single search engine can perform multiple concurrent searches so that source and destination addresses can be obtained simultaneously and without wasted memory cycles.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing latency in establishment of a real-time communication session, such as an instant chat session for instance. The method and system provides for detecting the occurrence of a triggering event that indicates a user is likely to soon request initiation of a real-time media session, before the user actually makes the request. In response to detection of the triggering event, the method and system then provides for reserving a data connection through which the session can be set up and carried and maintaining that data connection for a certain period of time. Thereafter, if and when the user actually requests initiation of a session, a data connection will already exist, or procedures will have already begun to establish the data connection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a frame communication system composed of a code converter and a frame generator/decomposer. In order to improve a line efficiency without encapsulating transmitting data, a code converter in a frame transmitting device converts at least different specific codes X and Y within the transmitting data respectively into codes (Y, A) and (Y, B) composed of the code Y and at least specific codes A and B different from each other, and a frame generator prepares a frame of the transmitting data with the code X as a frame boundary. A frame decomposer in a frame receiving device recognizes a specific code X as a frame boundary to decompose receiving data, and a code converter converts codes (Y, A) and (Y, B) within the receiving data composed of a specific code Y, and specific codes A and B into codes X and Y.

Abstract: This invention comprises a method to manage the efficient routing of messages in a multi-hop network. This method can be implemented using a low cost, low processing power hardware platform, whereby each network node consists of an 8-bit microcontroller and additional peripherals. The data storage unit is implemented by an external memory. This method uses four internal data buffers and an extremely efficient algorithm to manage traffic of messages and buffers within the microcontroller.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the aggregation or bonding of communications paths into a higher-bandwidth, logical communications path. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to bond different physical links (e.g., xDSL over twisted pairs), different channels on the same physical line, or even different channels or frequencies in a wireless communications network. The present invention further provides methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the re-sequencing of data flows transmitted across bonded communications paths. In one embodiment, the re-sequencing methodology of the present invention adapts to the transmission delays (both absolute and relative) across the bonded communications path.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating an initial maintenance request (IMR) for an upstream channel in a communications system, wherein the communication system includes a headend and at least one remote device associated with the channel. A first propagation delay from the headend to the remote device having the greatest delay is determined. Likewise, a second propagation delay from the headend to the remote device experiencing the least delay is determined. The IMR is then defined to be shorter than the first propagation delay and at least as long as the difference between the two propagation delays. The starting point of the IMR is established by modifying the clock output of the headend. A modification value is added to the headend clock output. The modification value corresponds to a time interval that can be as long as the propagation delay from the headend to the remote having the shortest delay.

Abstract: A method is described for transporting information in frames comprising header and payload information from a first network to a second network via a third network. The first and second networks are commonly managed but are independent of management of the third network. Network nodes generate respective headers for each outgoing frame from the node but completely copies payload from an incoming frame to the outgoing frames. Upon crossing a first boundary between the first and third networks, only a first part of the header is copied into the payload such that a reduced size header in the third network fits into space that would otherwise be occupied by a second part of the header that is not copied into the payload. Upon crossing a second boundary between the third and second networks, the headers are retrieved from the payload and used to generate header information in the second network.

Abstract: A periodical processing time band during which communication is periodically conducted between a plurality of communication terminals and a data bus control apparatus and a nonperiodical processing time band during which communication is nonperiodically conducted between the plurality of terminals and the data bus control apparatus are independently provided, priority communication during each nonperiodical processing time band are determined in advance.

Abstract: The invention can enable routers in a region to share information about nodes on foreign sub-networks. The information includes the nodes' and routers' respective network layer addresses. Upon receiving a message addressed to one of the nodes, a router can tunnel the message to a router on the node's foreign sub-network for subsequent de-tunneling and delivery to the node.

Abstract: A fibre channel (FC) signal representing block encoded data is applied to a block decoder, which removes the block encoding from the data. The data is then applied to a simplified data link (SDL) protocol encoder, which maps the data into an SDL protocol packet for transmission over a SONET (Synchronous Optical Network)-based transport medium.