Abstract: A communication control apparatus includes search information associated with a tree structure. A mask prefix is associated with at least one entry, each entry including information on the mask length of a mask prefix associated therewith and a sort key. Each entry is assigned to a node in the tree structure according to a sorting order. Each node is linked to a different node at the next lower hierarchy via a branch based on the entry of the node. A destination address of the packet received is first extracted, and a search target node specified by a search control for an entry having information on the best matched prefix of the extracted address is then searched for. After completion of the node-by-node search process, a transfer route is determined for the packet received based on the longest prefix amongst the most appropriate prefixes of all the current search target nodes.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for distributing personalized content to potentially large numbers of recipients. A pool is selected, from among all content available for distribution, of those content elements that will be made available for simultaneous distribution, and personalized content is selected for distribution from that pool. The content of the pool can change with new selections over time. For each individual recipient, content elements in the pool are examined to determine if they are predicted to be of sufficient interest to that recipient for distribution, and if so, those content elements are distributed. If not, successive content elements in the pool are examined, relaxing the standard for sufficient interest, until at least one content element is found and distributed to the individual recipient.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a technique of determining forwarding information for at least a sub-set of members of a multi cast group, and sending, toward a downstream entity, at most a single copy of data to be multicasted to the sub-set of members and the determined forwarding information.

Abstract: Providing a corrected delivery address comprises receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion. Next providing a corrected delivery address comprises providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element. Then providing a corrected delivery address comprises receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element and providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

Abstract: A gateway object (48) for transmitting and receiving data to and from an object of a robot apparatus (1) is allocated to a radio LAN PC card (41) of the robot apparatus (1), and a gateway object (52) for transmitting and receiving data to and from an object on a personal computer (32) is allocated to a network adapter (31) of a remote system (30). When the radio LAN PC card (41) and the network adapter (31) are connected with each other by radio or wired connection, inter-object communication is carried out between the gateway object (48) of the radio LAN PC card (41) and the gateway object (52) of the network adapter (31), thereby carrying out inter-object communication between the object of the robot apparatus (1) and the object of the personal computer (32). Thus, preparation of a program is facilitated.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for changing physical layer (PHY) parameters in a PHY device of a communications system. New parameters are written to a first-in first-out queue in a serial interface, while the scheduled time for the changeover is written to a control register in the serial interface. When the time for the changeover occurs, the parameters are written to the PHY device via a port of the serial interface.

Abstract: A system and method for providing IP services. A packet is received at a line interface/network module and forwarded to a virtual routing engine The virtual routing engine determines if the packet requires processing by a virtual services engine. If the packet requires processing by the virtual services engine, the packet is routed to the virtual services engine for processing.

Abstract: Time information which is to be transmitted via a data packet network is called up from a time information source and is transmitted to a data packet transmission module. The data packet transmission module controls the transmission time of a data packet in which the time information is transmitted via the data packet network. The transmission time and the calling of the time information are aligned with respect to one another in time by a transmission signal which is generated by the time information source or by the data packet transmission module and indicates the transmission time.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to communications. The systems and techniques involve measuring a quality of a transmission from a remote location, identifying a data rate as a function of the measured quality, the identified data rate being capable of supporting a plurality of packet lengths, selecting one of the packet lengths as a function of a parameter of the measured quality, and providing feedback to the remote location, the feedback relating to the data rate and the selected one of the packet lengths. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A method of allocating ATM connections is described. The first step of the method includes determining a first bandwidth for the ATM connection based on a number of calls for the ATM connection and an estimated bandwidth per call. The estimated bandwidth per call corresponds to a maximum bandwidth required for a call. Another step includes determining an overbooking factor for the link over which the ATM connection will be allocated. Another step includes adjusting the first bandwidth based on the overbooking factor to determine a second bandwidth. Another step includes determining if the link has at least the second bandwidth available. Another step includes allocating the ATM connection for the second bandwidth if the link has at least the second bandwidth available. Another step includes denying the ATM connection if the link does not have at least the second bandwidth available.

Abstract: A system accessing and transmitting data frames includes: at least one subscriber network interface, and/or at least one inter-network interface, and a data converting device coupled with the subscriber network interface and the inter-network interface. The data converting device includes: a virtual private device, an interface device, and a processing device. The virtual private device is configured for exchanging data frames between the subscriber network interface and the inter-network interface via interface device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for locking a table within a network switch. The table is used to store entries that contain addresses of network stations connected to the network switch. A scheduler regulates access to the address table by allocating prescribed time slots during which components of the network switch can access the address table. Each component requiring access to the address table must wait until it is assigned a time slot in order to further determine if any other components are accessing the address table. If none of the other components are accessing the address table, then the component requiring access can initiate a transaction.

Abstract: The present invention defines a method of unbiased policing of data flow in a network device. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the token bucket policer of the network device ‘permits’ (forwards) incoming packets even when the size of the token bucket is less than the size of the incoming packets. Permitting incoming packets that are larger than the token bucket ensures that incoming packets are not dropped because of the size of the incoming packets. Incoming packets are policed by TBP when the magnitude comparison of the token bucket and a predetermined constant value does not comply with the policing scheme defined for the incoming packets. When a packet is ‘permitted’ (forwarded), the size of the token bucket is reduced by an amount equal to the size of the packet.

Abstract: A method is described that resets a first count and resets a second count if a first transmission unit is recognized as being within a new measurement time window. The first transmission unit has a size. The method also increments the first count by the first transmission unit size and by the size of each subsequent transmission unit that is received within the new measurement time window after the first transmission unit—so long as the first count does not exceed a maximum allowable value for the first count. The method also checks if a maximum value for the second count is exceeded if it is incremented by a second transmission unit size. The second transmission unit is received within the measurement time window. The check is in response to a determination that the first count would have exceeded the first count maximum allowable valuable if the first count were incremented by the second transmission unit size.

Abstract: A switching apparatus distributes incoming calls to end point terminals that belong to a service group and that interact with the switching apparatus via messages. The messages query the end point terminals by specifying a range and asking those end point terminals that meet a criterion associated with the range to respond. By iteratively narrowing the range, for example, in a binary search fashion, one of the end point terminals is selected. In one embodiment, the range relates to fixed sequence IDs of the end point terminals and the criterion relates to whether an end point terminal is idle or not. In another embodiment, the range incorporates the idle/not idle state of the end point terminals by specifying idle time durations.

Abstract: The performance and ease of management of wireless communications environments is improved by a mechanism that enables access points (APs) to perform automatic channel selection. A wireless network can therefore include multiple APs, each of which will automatically choose a channel such that channel usage is optimized. Furthermore, APs can perform automatic power adjustment so that multiple APs can operate on the same channel while minimizing interference with each other. Wireless stations are load balanced across APs so that user bandwidth is optimized. A movement detection scheme provides seamless roaming of stations between APs.

Abstract: A router for interconnecting N interfacing peripheral devices. The router comprises routing nodes coupled to one another via switching circuitry. A first routing nodes comprises: 1) a physical medium device (PMD) module for transmitting data packets to and receiving data packets from the N interfacing peripheral devices; 2) an ingress processor for receiving incoming data packets from the PMD module; 3) an egress processor for transmitting data packets to the PMD module; and 4) a medium access control (MAC) processor for forwarding data packets from the ingress processor to the switching circuitry and forwarding data packets from the switching circuitry to the egress processor. The MAC processor determines whether a first data packet received from the ingress processor is directed to the egress processor and, if so, transfers the first data packet directly to the egress processor without forwarding the first data packet through the switching circuitry.

Abstract: A packet scheduler controls dispatch of packets containing constant bit rate (CBR) or real time variable bit rate (rt-VBR) at an ingress operation of multiplexing the packets into payloads of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) bearer virtual circuit connection. Packets can be queued in one of a number of queues according to priority. The scheduler controls assembly of common part sublayer payload data units (CPS-PDU) comprising any unused octets from a previous packet partially dispatched, and whole packets in order of priority. If a holdover timer period expires before a common part sublayer payload data unit is completed, the payload of that data unit is packed with null data; and dispatched. The packet dispatch is controlled so as to match the traffic characteristics of an underlying bearer channel.

Abstract: A router for interconnecting N interfacing peripheral devices. The router comprises a switch fabric and routing nodes coupled to the switch fabric. Each routing node comprises: i) a plurality of physical medium device (PMD) modules for transmitting data packets to and receiving data packets from selected ones of the N interfacing peripheral devices; ii) an input-output processing (IOP) module coupled to the PMD modules and the switch fabric for routing the data packets between the PMD modules and the switch fabric and between the PMD modules; and iii) a classification module associated with the IOP module for classifying a first data packet received from the IOP module. The classification module causes the IOP module to forward the first data packet based on the classification. The router architecture incorporates streams-based billing support, firewall capabilities, and data surveillance functionality.

Abstract: A method and system for discovering peer node information at a path terminating equipment node in a computer network are disclosed. The method generally includes transmitting from an originating node to a peer node a request for information in at least one SONET path overhead byte and receiving the requested information from the peer node at the originating node in the path overhead byte.