Abstract: An apparatus for providing distributed router architecture includes a processing element and a resource availability element. The processing element may be configured to receive indications of receipt of data associated with a service for routing to a destination address. The resource availability element may be in communication with the processing element and may be configured to monitor resource usage over a plurality of distributed resource planes. The processing element may be further configured to allocate a resource associated with routing the data based on the monitored resource usage.

Abstract: During communication over the network, periods of silence may exist. The system may enable a user at a user terminal to determine one or more events that trigger the addition of a comfort signal. The system may monitor packet transmission to isolate the one or more events. The system may selectively add the comfort signal to the transmission in reaction to the triggering of the one or more events. The comfort signal may be added during periods of silence, as background noise, or during periods of silence and as background noise.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a distributed router architecture includes a processing element and a resource availability element. The processing element may be configured to receive indications of receipt of data associated with a service for routing to a destination address. The resource availability element may be in communication with the processing element and may be configured to monitor resource usage over a plurality of distributed resource planes. The processing element may be further configured to allocate a resource associated with routing the data based on the monitored resource usage.

Abstract: A system and method for equal access over a wireline and/or wireless packet-switched network including a receiver to receive, from a requestor, a request for equal access to a service provider, and a processor to present one or more equal access criteria to be satisfied by the requestor, and in the event the one or more equal access criteria are satisfied by the requester, to allow, to the requestor, equal access over a wireline and/or wireless packet-switched network to the service provider.

Abstract: During communication over the network, periods of silence may exist. During these periods, the system may enable a user at a user terminal to define characteristics of a comfort signal. The system may monitor transmission to detect periods of silence. The system may adapt the monitored transmission by adding the defined comfort signal during the periods of silence, as background noise, or during periods of silence and as background noise.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, an exemplary method includes establishing a secure packet-switched connection for exchanging predefined signaling messages between network elements associated with distinct network domains, determining and implementing at least one media exchange technology for transporting media between the network domains, exchanging signaling and media border processing information between the network domains, exchanging access device information between the network domains, determining and implementing at least one service policy associated with the network domains, and providing a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface configured for peering at least one session between the network domains based on the predefined signaling messages, media exchange technology, signaling media border processing information, access device information, and service policy.

Abstract: A method of an embodiment may include receiving a request for a toll free priority call from a caller, verifying authorization of a caller for priority service, translating a caller provided number to a routable destination number, and routing the toll free priority call with priority to the routable destination number.

Abstract: During communication over the network, periods of silence may exist. During these periods, the system may enable a user at a user terminal to define characteristics of a comfort signal. The system may monitor transmission to detect periods of silence. The system may adapt the monitored transmission by adding the defined comfort signal during the periods of silence, as background noise, or during periods of silence and as background noise.

Abstract: During communication over the network, periods of silence may exist. During these periods, the system may enable a user at a user terminal to select a type of comfort signal to be played. The system may monitor transmission to detect periods of silence. The system may adapt the monitored transmission by adding the selected comfort signal during the periods of silence, as background noise, or during periods of silence and as background noise.

Abstract: During communication over the network, periods of silence may exist. The system may enable a user at a user terminal to determine one or more events that trigger the addition of a comfort signal. The system may monitor packet transmission to isolate the one or more events. The system may selectively add the comfort signal to the transmission in reaction to the triggering of the one or more events. The comfort signal may be added during periods of silence, as background noise, or during periods of silence and as background noise.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a distributed router architecture includes a processing element and a resource availability element. The processing element may be configured to receive indications of receipt of data associated with a service for routing to a destination address. The resource availability element may be in communication with the processing element and may be configured to monitor resource usage over a plurality of distributed resource planes. The processing element may be further configured to allocate a resource associated with routing the data based on the monitored resource usage.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a priority message in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and identifying, via the IMS, resource availability through a first network and a second network. The method further includes routing, via the IMS, the priority message through one of the first network or the second network based on the identified resource availabilities of the first network and the second network.

Abstract: A system is provided for maintaining Quality of Service (“QoS”) parameters of data transmissions. A packet-switched network framework is provided. The network framework includes at least one router for routing the data transmissions over the network framework. The network framework also includes multiple links, including a first link and a second link. The first link forms at least part of a first path over the network framework, and the second link forms at least part of an alternate, second path over the network framework. A link utilization monitor is configured to monitor a link utilization rate of the first link and to determine whether the rate has exceeded a predetermined maximum utilization threshold. The router is configured to reroute data transmissions over the second link when the rate is determined to have exceeded the predetermined maximum utilization threshold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically establishing a set of calls in a network is presented. A first device determines a maximum number of simultaneous calls that can be processed by a second device. The first device then determines a time interval necessary to allow calls to be established in a set of channels associated with the second device. Using the maximum number of simultaneous calls and the time interval previously determined, the set of calls are established.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring call setup time is presented. A first device in a network sends a signal to a second device. The first device monitors for a response from the second device and adjusts an answer tone setting for the second device based on the response. After which, the first device calculates an elapsed time between sending the signal and a receipt of the response.

Abstract: A method and system for transmitting a video stream in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network comprises steps of encoding the video into an MPEG-2 variable bit rate video stream, shaping the encoded variable bit rate video stream to conform to the traffic contract parameters for a Variable Bit Rate (VBR) connection in the network, and transmitting the shaped variable bit rate video stream on the VBR connection based on the traffic contract parameters. For a given network bandwidth, switch buffer space, and equivalent video quality, the network can statistically multiplex a larger number of variable bit rate video streams by maximizing the utilization of the network bandwidth and switch buffer space that the network allocates to each video stream.