Abstract: A technique for improving optical cross-connections comprises placing a switch in front of a number of processing units. So configured, the units are no longer dedicated to a specific link or signal. When necessary, a unit is connected/disconnected to one or more optical links by the switch to carry out any number of processing functions, such as regeneration, Raman pumping, dispersion equalization/compensation or performance monitoring. Because the units are no longer dedicated to specific links the cost of the cross-connections and the network it is a part of can be reduced.

Abstract: A new protocol layer is provided as part of a protocol stack associated with a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system. The protocol layer is preferably located above a medium access control (MAC) protocol layer and a physical protocol layer of the system and below a transport/network protocol layer. Such a subnetwork protocol layer provides, inter alia, the communications system with various mobility management functions, for example, tracking mobile user stations throughout the system, mobile station access to the system, and connection/call continuity within the system. The subnetwork protocol layer of the invention also performs packet routing functions associated with the system. Routing can be accomplished in many ways, for example, via source routing, connectionless routing, or tunneling. Further, the new protocol layer of the invention is preferably located above a data link layer with respect to the protocol stack associated with communications between network nodes.

Abstract: Units of traffic are routed between nodes in a network on corresponding sets of trunks, such that the traffic is balanced between disjoint paths. A restoration process for the traffic is implemented using service layer or transport layer switching. In a first embodiment, first and second nodes are connected by first and second sets of trunks, with each of the trunks in a given set of trunks supporting a designated portion of a given one of the units of traffic. The units of traffic are then routed such that a first half of a given one of the units of traffic is routed on a first one of the trunks in a given one of the sets of trunks, and a second half of the given unit is routed on a second one of the trunks in the given set of trunks. In other embodiments, the first and second nodes are connected by first and second sets of trunks so as to form a four-trunk ring, with each of the first and second sets of trunks including a primary trunk and a backup trunk.

Abstract: An addressing scheme for a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system, which includes a plurality of mobile user stations and a plurality of network nodes, is provided. In such addressing scheme, each mobile station is assigned an address which is a combination (preferably, a concatenation) of a unique identifier of a network node with which the mobile station is currently associated and an identifier of the mobile station. The network node identifiers may be uniquely assigned by a network administrator, while the identifiers of the mobile stations may, for example, be set to a universal MAC address assigned to the station. The address may also include a port identifier which indicates the particular application flow associated with the accompanying packets. Similarly, each network node is assigned an address which is a combination (preferably, a concatenation) of its network node identifier and, preferably, an interface identifier. The address may also include a port identifier.

Abstract: In an IP addressing aspect of the invention, a method for use in facilitating transfer of packets in an Internet Protocol (IP) based communications system, wherein the communications system includes a plurality of network nodes and a plurality of mobile user stations, comprises the steps of: (i) inserting an address option field in a packet header of a packet to be transferred in the communications system, the address option field including supplemental address related data for facilitating transfer of packets in the communications system; and processing the packet within at least one of a network node and a mobile user station in the communications system in accordance with the supplemental address related data in the address option field of the packet header. The address option field may comprise an address type field, an address length field and an address data field.

Abstract: Various methodologies and related apparatus associated with mobility management issues within a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system, which includes a plurality of mobile user stations and a plurality of network nodes, are provided. Location management techniques include tracking and/or locating mobile stations within the system. The invention makes use of home and visiting location registers in which information such as mobile station addresses and/or host names associated with mobile stations are stored. Mobile access methodologies include a complete mobile access method and a direct mobile access method. The former allows a mobile station to preferably include a unique address in the packets being transmitted, while the latter allows the station to merely use the host name of the destination station. The invention also includes various in-call mobility management techniques, including handoffs, which make use of the concept of an anchor.

Abstract: In a mobility management aspect of the invention, several unique mobility management control messages are defined for use in performing various mobility management functions in the communications system with respect to the mobile user stations and network nodes. These messages may comprise: (i) a Location Update Message (LUM); (ii) a Location Confirm Message (LCM); (iii) a Location Query Message (LQM); (vi) a Location Reply Message (LRM); (v) a Registration Message (RM); and (vi) a Registration Reply Message. One or more of these messages are used in the IP-based system to perform mobility management functions such as location management, mobile access and in-call mobility management.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP)-based network incorporates an application level switching server and a number of packet endpoints. A packet endpoint multiplexes application sessions destined for different packet endpoints into one multiplexed session that is terminated with the application level switching server. The latter extracts each application session (or packets associated therewith) and repackages, or switches, them into other multiplexed sessions such that at least two switched packets are transmitted to different packet endpoints. The multiplexed sessions utilize either RTP/UDP/IP or UDP/IP encapsulation.

Abstract: In an IP addressing aspect of the invention, a method for use in an Internet Protocol (IP) based communications system, comprises the steps of: (i) assigning a temporary location IP address (e.g., LIPA) to a mobile user station in the communications system, the address being a combination of an identifier of the mobile user station (e.g., MID) and an identifier of a network node in the communications system with which the mobile user station is currently associated (e.g., RID); and transferring packets to and from the mobile user station in accordance with the temporary location IP address. The method may further comprise the step of changing the temporary location IP address assigned to the mobile user station when the station becomes associated with another network node of the communications system, the changed address being a combination of the identifier of the mobile user station and an identifier of the new network node.

Abstract: The specification relates to a device and method utilized for packaging voice data (and other delay critical ‘connection’ or ‘flow’ type application data) for point-to-point transport from one Packet Circuit Gateway (PCG) to a second PCG over Label Switching Routers (LSRs) within an Internet Protocol (IP) network; the beneficial aspects of the packaging format being: (i) a reduced overhead requirement when compared to conventional IP telephony due to inclusion of a switching label in lieu of an appended IP header, thereby increasing network bandwidth efficiency, and (ii) the increased transport speed associated with layer two label switching when compared to layer three forwarding.

Abstract: A network architecture comprised of nodes and a transport network capable of recovering from failures within the network. The network architecture incorporates select functions into the nodes for managing the data flow between individual edge routers and their connection through core routers to the transport network. The select function allows an individual node to recover independently without signaling other nodes over the transport network. Utilizing the select function, the failure of a single core router can be recovered locally without recovery signaling over the transport network.

Abstract: A new protocol layer is provided as part of a protocol stack associated with a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system. The protocol layer is preferably located above a medium access control (MAC) protocol layer and a physical protocol layer of the system and below a transport/network protocol layer. Such a subnetwork protocol layer provides, inter alia, the communications system with various mobility management functions, for example, tracking mobile user stations throughout the system, mobile station access to the system, and connection/call continuity within the system. The subnetwork protocol layer of the invention also performs packet routing functions associated with the system. Routing can be accomplished in many ways, for example, via source routing, connectionless routing, or tunneling. Further, the new protocol layer of the invention is preferably located above a data link layer with respect to the protocol stack associated with communications between network nodes.

Abstract: A quality of service guarantee for voice and other delay sensitive transmissions within an Internet Protocol (IP) network is provided by identifying the IP network path utilized for IP packet transmission between source and destination edge devices and virtually provisioning IP network path bandwidth for priority voice traffic. Priority for voice packets and admission control of new voice calls (and other delay sensitive traffic) based on the remaining available capacity over the IP network path guarantees that high priority voice (and other delay sensitive traffic) meet stringent delay requirements. A Virtual Provisioning Server is utilized to maintain bandwidth capacity data for each path segment within the IP network and to forward the bandwidth capacity data to a Signaling Gateway. The Signaling Gateway determines whether to accept or reject an additional delay sensitive traffic component based upon available bandwidth capacity for an IP network path.

Abstract: A technique for improving optical cross-connections comprises placing a switch in front of a number of processing units. So configured, the units are no longer dedicated to a specific link or signal. When necessary, a unit is connected/disconnected to one or more optical links by the switch to carry out any number of processing functions, such as regeneration, Raman pumping, dispersion equalization/compensation or performance monitoring. Because the units are no longer dedicated to specific links the cost of the cross-connections and the network it is a part of can be reduced.

Abstract: The specification relates to a method and apparatus supporting multiple access, bi-directional data and multimedia transfer described over a hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) network, though applicable to transmissions over other media as well. The protocol associated with the present invention supports downstream broadcast transmission from headend to cable modem, and also provides for allocation of bandwidth for cable modems to transmit back to the headend. The protocol supports different access modes such as STM, ATM, and VL; within each subframe of a subframe/frame/masterframe structure. The protocol is utilized over a system which provides for forward error correction (FEC) and scrambling/descrambling, while eliminating the deleterious effects on the error correcting capability of the FEC due to the bit error spreading associated with a scrambling/descrambling function.

Abstract: An Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network comprising a plurality of ATM switches may be arranged so that it receives calls from Synchronous Transfer Mode (STM) switches that employ in-band signaling by first converting in-band signals received from an STM switch to an out-of-band signaling message and then transmitting the message to the ATM switch that will route the associated call toward its destination. At an interface which interfaces the ATM switch with the out-of-band signaling network, the contents of the received message are converted to a form suitable for presentation to the ATM switch. For example, the identity of the trunk over which the call will be routed from the STM switch to the ATM switch is converted to a virtual channel identifier.

Abstract: A simplified data link protocol which may be implemented in a very high-speed transmission system, e.g., SONET, processes a datagram received from an IP facility according to QoS considerations and scrambles a datagram before it is again scrambled by a transmission system, e.g., a SONET transmitter, to ensure that the pattern of a user's data does not match the transmission scrambling pattern. The data link protocol scrambler also employs a novel synchronization scheme. We also use a pointer system which identifies the location of a datagram in a frame to eliminate flags and the need to process user data to ensure that it does not contain and a boundary flag.

Abstract: Various methodologies and related apparatus associated with mobility management issues within a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system, which includes a plurality of mobile user stations and a plurality of network nodes, are provided. Location management techniques include tracking and/or locating mobile stations within the system. The invention makes use of home and visiting location registers in which information such as mobile station addresses and/or host names associated with mobile stations are stored. Mobile access methodologies include a complete mobile access method and a direct mobile access method. The former allows a mobile station to preferably include a unique address in the packets being transmitted, while the latter allows the station to merely use the host name of the destination station. The invention also includes various in-call mobility management techniques, including handoffs, which make use of the concept of an anchor.

Abstract: In a packet voice system, discarding of a packet is performed as a function of previously discarded packets. In one embodiment, a packet voice system includes an ATM Adaptation Layer Type 2 (AAL2) and Service Specific Convergence Sublayer (SSCS) System. In this system, a transmission buffer stores AAL2 voice packets for transmission, each AAL2 voice packet comprising a sequence number, the values of which range from 0 to n−1, and a source identifier, k. When traffic congestion is detected, the transmitter portion of the SSCS System selectively discards one packet from a source k at the output of the transmission buffer if no packet from source k was dropped in either the last n−1 packets or over a predefined prior interval of time. Another embodiment of the invention discards packets at the input of the transmission buffer.

Abstract: A simplified data link protocol which may be implemented in a very high-speed transmission system, e.g., SONET, processes a datagram received from an IP facility according to QoS considerations and scrambles a datagram before it is again scrambled by a transmission system, e.g., a SONET transmitter, to ensure that the pattern of a user's data does not match the transmission scrambling pattern. The data link protocol scrambler also employs a novel synchronization scheme. We also use a pointer system which identifies the location of a datagram in a frame to eliminate flags and the need to process user data to ensure that it does not contain and a boundary flag.