Abstract: A policy enables a subscriber to connect to multiple service providers simultaneously using a network address translation technique that translates an address identifying the subscriber and associated with a first service provider into an address identifying the subscriber and associated with a second service provider for a particular application. The subscriber registers with a single home service provider and connects to that single home service provider for a packet session. To connect to additional service providers that provide additional applications during the packet session, the NAT rule is downloaded from the home service provider to a router at the border between the subscriber and the access network of the home service provider. Each IP packet received at the router to or from the subscriber is filtered to determine the subscriber's address and an application identifier.

Abstract: A method and system for forwarding packets within containers in a data communication network. Each container may include packets or additional containers. Packets/containers are stored within containers in a predetermined format that includes a Type field, a Length field and a Value field. The Type field includes an indication whether the respective packet/container is the last packet/container in the respective sequence. The Length field specifies the Length of the following Value field and the Value field comprises the payload, which may comprise additional packets or containers. A header, such as an MPLS shim header, is applied to containers to be transmitted over the network. Containers are closed and scheduled for transmission once when it is determined that the addition of a packet/container to the overall container would exceed a predetermined maximum container size or when a timer measures a predetermined time period from the arrival of the first packet within the container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus dynamically assigns each of a plurality of different information streams associated with one wireless communication unit (12a), to independent communication resources from different communication resource pools from each of a plurality of different wireless network elements (14a-14n), based on, for example, quality of service requirement data determined for each of the information streams. As such, the wireless communication unit (12a) may establish two or more separate links using two or more completely independent radio resources from different wireless base stations in the same system.

Abstract: Active packets are utilized by a mobile terminal in a wireless network to set-up a wireless call via a signaling process, and for mobility management via a mobility process as the mobile terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Active packets instantiate an agent in the fixed network to handle signaling between the mobile terminal and the fixed network, and then instruct the agent to negotiate setup of an open channel between the mobile terminal and the destination device. Moreover, active packets foster the handoff of the mobile terminal as the terminal moves from one cell to another in a subnet. Finally, the signaling process and mobility process are coordinated so that lost active packets are mitigated during roaming by the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A packet transmission control method is achieved by borrowing a first one of a plurality of channels for a first one of a plurality of existing users in response to a packet receiving request, and by transmitting packets to a new user using the first channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for buffering data units in a communication switch that allows for configurable monitoring of the buffer contents is presented. Such an apparatus includes a context table that stores a plurality of independent group identifiers for each connection. Although the group identifiers may include a partition group identifier and a loss group identifier that is dependent on the partition group identifier, additional group identifiers are included in the context table for each connection that are independent of other group identifiers in the context table. Such a context table may be dynamically reconfigured in order to group connections for buffer monitoring operations related to congestion detection, traffic shaping, and data admission with respect to buffering. When a data unit is received corresponding to a particular connection, the context table is referenced to retrieve the set of group identifiers corresponding to that connection.

Abstract: A push-type information service to a client located within a local network and having only a local IP address becomes possible via a network address converting apparatus. A network address conversion program implementing the network address converting process may be stored on a storage medium. When assignment of an Internet IP address to a client is requested by a host server, an IP address assigning unit assigns an Internet IP address to that client. An address conversion table producing unit produces an address conversion table describing the correspondence between the Internet IP address assigned to the client and the local IP address of the client. An address converter notifies the host server of the assigned Internet IP address. After that, if the host server sends data to the acquired Internet IP address, the address converter converts the destination of the data to the corresponding local IP address of the client by referring to the address conversion table.

Abstract: A system and method for coordinating access to a network for a plurality of user devices includes a server configured to establish a placeholder at the server, and control logic configured to retrieve and display a subset of information indicated by the placeholder. The server is connected to the network, and the placeholder indicates information available from the network and is established upon demand from a requesting user device connected to the network and in communication with the server. The control logic retrieves and displays the information, upon demand, at a receiving user device having a device type, with the subset based on the device type.

Abstract: A PC-type computer has a system bus (e.g., a PCI bus) configured with a main CPU board, a statistical multiplexing (stat-mux) board, and a plurality of video/audio encoder boards, each configured to receive and compress a corresponding video/audio stream. The stat-mux board performs statistical multiplexing on the different compressed bitstreams to transmit multiple bitstreams over individual shared communication channels. Although each of the boards is configured to the system bus, each encoder board has a digital signal processor (DSP) with a synchronized serial interface (SSI) output port that is directly connected to an SSI input port on a DSP on the stat-mux board (which, in one embodiment, has four such DSPs each with six such SSI input ports). As such, (up to 24) compressed video/audio bitstreams generated on the various encoder boards can be transmitted directly to the stat-mux board without having to go through the system bus.

Abstract: Methods for using a conditional access system to modify access control information maintained at a set-top box or another client system. The access control information regulates the availability of information or entertainment services at the client or controls the ability of scripts executed at the client to access objects defined at the client. The conditional access system can be a conventional conditional access, such as those used by cable television providers, that has been adapted to modify the access control information. The access control information includes multiple entries, each being referenced by a token identifier. The conditional access system transmits a command and an accompanying token to the client to instruct the client how to modify the access control information. The entry that is to be modified is identified by comparing the token with the token identifiers.

Abstract: A multiple access communications network system in which a head-end controller (HC) broadcasts data and medium-access control (MAC) information over a set of downstream channels to several stations, and these stations send information to the HC over a shared upstream channel.

Abstract: A digital communications network system for multiple access has a head-end node and at least one station node at at least one other end node; the system comprises a head-end controller (3) capable of transmitting data and medium-access control information to at least one station (6), preferably a plurality of station means, over a set of downstream channels within a first frequency range, and receiving information from the station or stations over an upstream channel within a second frequency range; the upstream channel comprises at least one upstream subchannel, preferably a plurality of upstream subchannels; the system further comprises at least one connection, preferably a plurality of connections, for connecting the head-end controller with the station or stations; each station includes means for receiving data and medium-access control information from the head-end controller; further means are provided for sending a data stream at a first signal level over at least one upstream subchannel, preferably a

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for forwarding a packet between nodes in a clustered computing system. The system operates by receiving the packet at an interface node in the clustered computing system. This packet includes a source address specifying a location of a client that the packet originated from, and a destination address specifying a service provided by the clustered computing system. The system selects a server node in the clustered computing system to send the packet to from a plurality of server nodes that are able to provide the service. Next, the system forwards the packet to the server node so that the server node can provide the service to the client by, attaching a transport header to the packet, the transport header containing an address of the server node, and sending the packet to the server node through an interface. This interface is used for communications between the interface node and other nodes in the clustered computing system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses a destination address of a packet to perform a fast lookup to determine a service that is specified by the destination address. The system initially receives a packet at an interface node in the cluster of nodes. This packet includes a source address specifying a location of a client that the packet originated from, and the destination address specifying a service provided by the cluster of nodes. The system uses the destination address to perform a first lookup into a first lookup structure containing identifiers for scalable services. Note that a scalable service is a service that provides more server node capacity for the scalable service as demand for the scalable service increases. If no identifier for a scalable service is returned during the first lookup, the system sends the packet to a server node in the cluster of nodes that provides a non-scalable service.

Abstract: A method and a system for classifying a packet are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least one source address is grouped in a source group and at least one destination address is grouped in a destination group. In addition, at least one source port, one destination port, and one protocol are grouped in a protocol group. After grouping process, at least one rule is fetched according to the source group, destination group, or protocol group. After identifying the rule, specific treatment for the packet during the network transmission is identified in response to the rule or rules.

Abstract: A network switch, configured for performing layer 2 and layer 3 switching in an Ethemnet (IEEE 802.3) network without blocking of incoming data packets, includes a network switch port having a filter (i.e., a packet classifier module) configured for evaluating an incoming data packet on an instantaneous basis. The filter performs simultaneous comparisons between the incoming data stream of the data packet and multiple templates configured for identifying respective data protocols, enabling the network switch to perform layer 3 switching for 100 Mbps and gigabit networks without blocking in the network switch. Each template is composed of a plurality of min terms, wherein each min term specifies a prescribed comparison operation within a selected data byte of the incoming data packet. The templates may be programmed by a user and stored in an intemnal min term memory.

Abstract: A telecommunications system comprises a signalling network and a Voice over IP (VoIP) network. The signalling network in turn comprises gateway signalling points 6,7 for converting signalling messages between at least two different signalling protocols. The IP network comprises IP nodes 4 for routing IP datagrams, with at least certain of the IP nodes 4 being co-located with respective gateway signalling points 6,7, and with the co-located signalling points 6,7 being arranged in use to pass routing information to the respective IP nodes 4 to enable those nodes to prioritise and route incoming IP datagrams.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of managing data packets originating from data frames, the packets being presented to buffer (40) prior to processing. When a packet corresponding to the start of a frame is presented to the buffer stage, it is determined whether the filling level of the buffer (40) exceeds a first predetermined filling threshold (42) corresponding to a state of congestion and, if such is the case, this packet and all packets belonging to that same frame are systematically discarded before the buffer. The frames can e.g. originate from AAL2 connections, and each constitute a respective ATMS adaptation layer service data unit (AAL2 SDU), in which case the packets are common part sublayer (CPS) packets, and the buffer (40) stores the CPS packets before the latter are multiplexed into asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the above method.

Abstract: A network switch, configured for performing layer 2 and layer 3 switching in an Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) network without blocking of incoming data packets, includes a network switch port having a filter (i.e., a packet classifier module) configured for evaluating an incoming data packet on an instantaneous basis. The filter performs simultaneous comparisons between the incoming data stream of the data packet and multiple templates configured for identifying respective data protocols. Each template is composed of a plurality of min terms, wherein each min term specifies a prescribed comparison operation within a selected data byte of the incoming data packet. The templates may be programmed by a user and stored in an internal min term memory. Moreover, the multiple simultaneous comparisons enable the network switch to perform layer 3 switching for 100 Mbps and gigabit networks without blocking in the network switch.

Abstract: A mechanism for supplying a stream of data to a browser is provided. The browser periodically refreshes a frame document, transmitting a request for the frame document to an HTTP server. When a network element receives a request from a browser for a frame document, it generates a new frame document, and supplies it to the browser. The new version of the frame document may include new definitions for functions, that, as redefined, reflect the current status of a network element. The updates may be retrieved by invoking functions.