Abstract: A structure for an optical packet for transmission over an optical network comprises a packet header (30) and a packet payload (32). The header comprises first and second sections (34, 36). The first section (34) comprises a series of clock pulses (40) at the data rate of the second section of the packet header, or a multiple or sub-multiple thereof. This header structure enables the clock pulses in the first section (34) to be used to control the timing instants when the header information in the second section (36) is read. The header information can thus be read using the data in the header alone, without needing to alter the structure of the packet payload. The clock pulses can be delayed in order to enable them to be used to control the reading of data in the second section of the packet header. The invention ca be used in optical communications networks.

Abstract: A communications system and method of operating the communications system includes a high altitude communication device that communicates with a plurality of user terminals and a gateway station. The gateway station couples the users to terrestrial networks and other users. The high altitude communication device has a controller that assigns a first code to a beam of a first plurality of users. When one of the first plurality of users moves to interfere with one of the other of the first plurality of users, the beam associated with the user is reassigned another code.

Abstract: A network utilizing a link-state protocol includes a plurality of nodes with associated trunks that recover in a staggered manner. A first trunk associated with a first node is selected for recovery. After the first trunk is recovered, further trunks are selected such that N or less trunks recover at the same time until all trunks associated with the first node are selected for recovery. Node recovery is staggered at selected intervals to minimize or eliminate overload conditions. Staggered recovery in accordance with the present invention can reduce the likelihood of trunk loss due to excessive HELLO messages in an OSPF system and retransmission and retransmission lockout.

Abstract: A method and system for assigning resources in wireless communication systems is disclosed. Timeslots allocated for handling user traffic are evaluated to create a plurality of timeslot sequences. Resources are assigned to the allocated timeslots according to the timeslot sequence having the lowest total interference.

Abstract: A method for scheduling data packets from a plurality of flows into a single flow. Data packets are broken into data segments and assigned a slack value based on how long the segment can wait until transmission begins. Every time a transmission opportunity passes, the slack value of the segment is decreased. The scheduler prioritizes the segments based on their slack value.

Abstract: A method for operating a personal ad-hoc network (PAN) among a plurality of Bluetooth devices is provided. The method for operating a PAN among a plurality of Bluetooth devices includes the steps of: (a) performing an inquiry in a Bluetooth device, checking whether other Bluetooth devices are present in the communicable range of the Bluetooth device, and determining the presence of a response to the inquiry; (b) as the PAN's master, storing PAN's slave information and sending it to other slaves when a request for establishment of a connection occurs after repeating inquiry and page scans if there is no response to the inquiry in step (a); and (c) establishing a connection and then changing into a slave role if there is a response to the inquiry in step (b) from a network master, and then receiving PAN information from the network master.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmission between subscriber terminals and digital switches that employ a 4:1 time-division-multiplexing scheme includes a main path for carrying signals between the subscriber terminals and digital switches, a control path which is separate from said main path and carries control information for maintenance purpose, and an interface-&-control unit which converts the control information so as to conform to specifications of the said digital switches wherein the conversion of the control information is based on switch settings made to said interface-&-control unit.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for synchronization of topology state information between two network nodes in a communications network. The communications network has a routing protocol for intermittent advertisement of local state information throughout the network. The two network nodes include a requesting node which initiates a request for topology state synchronization and a replying node which receives the request. The replying node communicates with the requesting node to provide topology state information to the requesting node which is not possessed by the requesting node when the requesting node initiates its request. The method includes the step of selecting, prior to the request being made by the requesting node to the replying node, between a first and a second mode of synchronization.

Abstract: A digital subscriber line access multiplexer overlay onto a digital loop carrier system for transporting high speed digital data over an existing backplane which carries voice, data, and test signals between voice line cards and a carrier line. The voice signals are time division multiplexed into frames. The system includes a data bus interface for impressing the high speed data on a subset of existing backplane buses for transport along the backplane and for retrieving high speed digital data from the backplane buses. The system further includes a plurality of data line cards for connecting to the backplane and backplane subset conductors, the data line cards being adapted to couple the high speed data between the subscriber line and the backplane, whereby the high speed digital data can be routed over the backplane subset to any of the digital data line cards without interfering with the voice signals routed to voice line cards.

Abstract: A communication system (500) includes a plurality of subscriber systems (510) coupled to a plurality of twisted pair data lines (520). Each subscriber system (510) has an availability guarantee value, which may specify a level of service for the subscriber system (510). A communication server (502) is coupled to the plurality of subscriber systems (510). The communication server (502) selectively couples a subscriber system (510), responsive to a request for service, to either a first modem pool (530) or a second modem pool (540) based on the availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber system (510). Communication server (502) can also provide a soft-termination state and dynamic network address allocation for subscriber systems (510).

Abstract: A networking interface device for coupling a system host having one of a plurality configurations to a network medium. The networking device has a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface for coupling the interface device to a system host configured with a PCI based system bus interface; a medium independent interface (MII) for coupling the interface device to a system host configured with a media access controller (MAC) based system bus interface; a PCI control block for managing network data packet traffic exchange between the interface device and the system host; and an MII attachment coupled between the MII and the PCI control block, the MII attachment reformatting management data packets such that the MAC based system bus interface appears to be a PCI based system bus interface by the PCI control block.

Abstract: A wireless link between a first transmitter and a first receiver in a multiple access communications system is evaluated by receiving, at the first transmitter, information that is intended for a second receiver and that is transmitted in a second transmission mode that is different from the current transmission mode and obtaining an error measure for the information that is received at the first receiver and intended for the second receiver. The obtained error measure is then used to determine if the second transmission mode is an acceptable transmission mode. In an embodiment, if the second transmission mode is determined to be acceptable, then the current transmission mode of the first receiver can be replaced by the second transmission mode. In an embodiment, the current transmission mode is replaced by the second transmission mode only if the second transmission mode is a “higher” transmission mode than the current transmission.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for pre-loading access nodes with the location of more frequently requested resources. The method includes declaring each locally supported communication protocol for participating to control message exchanges between nodes supporting a same communication protocol; receiving a message to locate a target resource; searching for information related to the location of the target resource in the Local Directory Database; broadcasting an undirected message to the other access nodes in the network to locate the target resource; receiving a control message from the destination access node providing access to the target resource, this control message comprising information related to the location of the target resource; and storing the information related to the location of the target resource in the Local Directory Database.

Abstract: Method for testing the availability of signaling points which switches through messages in digital form, the MRVT (Message Transfer Part, Route Verification Test) protocol method standardized in the Recommendations Q751.1, Q753 and Q754 of the ITU-T is inventively developed in such a way that it is possible to determine the actually used signaling routes from the test starting point to the test destination.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for handling transient anomalies in a communications or computer device or system, such an inverse multiplexing for ATM (“IMA”) device. Such transient anomalies may include out of IMA frame (“OIF”) anomalies. In one implementation, cells comprising a stream of packets are received over multiple links along with indications of OIF conditions for these links. During a period of an inactive OIF condition on a link, cells are received over the link and placed in a buffer at a next location. After an OIF condition is detected, cells are ignored and a write process waits until the OIF condition is no longer active. At which point, a buffer position is determined to place the next valid cell. This cell should be placed in the same buffer position as it would have been if there had never been an active OIF condition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for bridging of Ethernet frames between a subscriber LAN and the ATM network. In accordance with the invention a novel (time window discovery) method is used, with coordination of the network administrator and an access management system to provision a network bridging element or bridge with a set of provisioned devices authorized to forward data packets across the bridge. The bridge is allowed within a time window to learn machine-specific MAC addresses for the provisioned table. After the window is expired, or terminated by access management system, the bridge is switched back to learning mode to learn additional MAC addresses for a learned table in the traditional manner. The devices learned during the learning phase are not authorized to forward data packets across the bridge.

Abstract: A packet-transmitting system comprising a transmitter and a receiver. In the transmitter, the packet-allocating circuit receives a stream of packets. The circuit allocates the packets having PIDs a1 to b1 to the transmission channel #1, the packets having PIDs a2 to b2 to the transmission channel #2, and so forth. The circuit allocates the packets having PIDs aN to bN to the last transmission channel #N. The control-data generating circuit time-divides and multiplexes packet-group data (groups of PIDs) representing the groups of packets to be transmitted via the channels #1 to #N, thereby generating control data to be transmitted through the transmission channel #0. The packets in the channels #0 to #N are multiplexed by a CDM system.

Abstract: A communication control apparatus is provided for setting a plurality of node apparatuses to either of a transmitter and a receiver of synchronization information to synchronize the node apparatuses with each other. A storage device memorizes capability information representing either of an active capability to transmit the synchronization information and a passive capability to receive the synchronization information, owned by each of the node apparatuses. An indicating device indicates the active capabilities and the passive capabilities owned by the node apparatuses. A specifying device is operated in association with the indicated active capabilities and the passive capabilities for outputting status information effective to specify each node apparatus to a transmitter or a receiver. A plurality of memory blocks are provided in correspondence to the plurality of the node apparatuses to memorize status information.

Abstract: A downlink orderwire integrator (63) and separator (81) for use in a processing satellite (12) and a user terminal (14) in a satellite based communications system (10) is provided having a formatter (64), a cell switch (72) and a cell sieve (80). The formatter (64) generates orderwire cells (54) with each orderwire cell (54) having a header (60) and a body (62). The cell switch (72) receives the orderwire cells (54) from the formatter (64) and traffic cells (56) from at least one uplink (16) and arranges the orderwire cells (54) and the traffic cells (52) in at least one frame (48) to transmit on at least one downlink (18). The frame (48) includes a fixed custom frame portion (42) and a fixed traffic portion (50) that contains both the traffic cells (52) and the orderwire cells (54).