Abstract: A system assigns network traffic flows to appropriate queues and/or queue servicing algorithms based upon one or more flow parameters contained in reservation requests associated with the traffic flows. The system may be disposed at an intermediate network device within a computer network. The intermediate network device includes a reservation engine, a packet classification engine, an admission control entity, a traffic scheduler, and a flow analyzer. The flow analyzer includes or has access to a memory that is preprogrammed with one or more heuristic sets for use in evaluating the flow parameters of reservation requests. When a reservation request that includes one or more flow parameters characterizing the bandwidth and/or forwarding requirements of the anticipated traffic flow is received, the flow analyzer applies the heuristic sets. Depending on which set of heuristics, if any, the parameters satisfy, the flow analyzer selects the appropriate queue and/or queue servicing algorithm for the flow.

Abstract: A system automatically discovers and maintains geographic location information for entities and devices making up a computer network. The system preferably includes a computing unit and a geographic location generator, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The computing unit includes a location discovery entity and a message generator. The GPS receiver, which is mounted to and in communication with the computing unit, may be augmented with an inertial navigation unit to facilitate the generation of location information inside of buildings where GPS signals can be difficult to receive. The computing unit further includes a network communications facility so that it can communicate with one or more network devices, such as a network switch. The switch includes a location recording/reporting entity and a location database.

Abstract: A call adaptation system tracks adaptation schemes used for transmitting audio packets in a Voice Over IP call. A user response to the Voice Over IP (VoIP) call is monitored. The call adaptation system then dynamically varies the adaptation schemes used for transmitting the audio packets according to the monitored user response.

Abstract: A system dynamically discovers the geographic location of entities of a computer network. A network entity is configured to include a location determination engine and a radio frequency (RF) receiver unit. A plurality of RF base stations are disposed in the area proximate to the network entity. Each RF base station has a beacon for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal encoded with the location, e.g., the physical coordinates, of the respective RF base station and the time of transmission. The encoded RF signals are received by the RF receiver unit at the network entity and passed to the location determination engine, which uses the received information to compute its location. The location determination engine then reports its location by loading the computed location into a network message and transmitting that message to a central repository.

Abstract: A switch detects port failures and identifies a MAC address associated with the port failure. The switch then sends a failure notification message to other ports on the switch that identifies the MAC address associated with the port failure. The network processing devices on the other ports use the failure notification message to quickly determine if routes need to be reconfigured around an adjacency on the switch.

Abstract: Providing data security involves receiving a request message at an intermediate network node. The request message is associated with a number of data packets from a communication device. The intermediate network node determines whether the request message has a satisfactory security hint. If the request message does not have a satisfactory security hint, the intermediate network node performs a security procedure on the data packets. If the request message has a satisfactory security hint, the intermediate network node relies on a security transform present in the data packets and routes the data packets without performing the security procedure.

Abstract: A communications system includes base transceiver stations providing wireless services for mobile units. The system further includes a packet network coupling the stations to a gateway. To distribute information received for communication to a mobile unit, the gateway may encapsulate the information as a multicast packet addressed to a multicast address. This multicast address corresponds to a multicast group associated with the mobile unit. The packet network distributes copies of the multicast packet to a group of stations that are registered for the multicast group. These stations may then communicate information from the multicast packet to the mobile unit using wireless communications techniques.

Abstract: Voice and data streams transmitted from a conventional DSVD modem are interfaced directly to a network access server through a modified DSVD modem according to the invention. The voice and data is formatted into network data packets that are then routed directly to different endpoints through the network access server. The modified DSVD modem includes a packet framer that removes conventionally transmitted V.76 DSVD framing formats and stuffs bytes into the voice and data to form network packets. The network access server then routes the voice and data packets to the different endpoints identified in a packet header. Since the voice and data are output from the DSVD modem in data packets, the voice and data can be routed more efficiently to different network endpoints.

Abstract: Providing data security involves receiving a request message at an intermediate network node. The request message is associated with a number of data packets from a communication device. The intermediate network node determines whether the request message has a satisfactory security hint. If the request message does not have a satisfactory security hint, the intermediate network node performs a security procedure on the data packets. If the request message has a satisfactory security hint, the intermediate network node relies on a security transform present in the data packets and routes the data packets without performing the security procedure.

Abstract: Managing contacts involves receiving data corresponding to a user. The data includes information associated with communication devices or communication services. Contacts associated with the user are generated in accordance with the data. An indication is associated with each of the one or more contacts, where the indication corresponds to a processing rule specifying a condition and an action to be performed if the condition is satisfied. At least one contact is provided to process a communication session associated with the user in accordance with the indication of the provided contact.

Abstract: The invention solves the problem of DTMF delay by shifting the delay and in-band signal processing to the receiving packet gateway. The transmitting gateway continues to process and transmit voice packets while also detecting DTMF signals. The receiving gateway's jitter buffer holds voice packets for the worst-case DTMF detection period. As the receiving gateway is about to play out a voice packet it checks to see if a packet has arrived indicating DTMF was present. If not, the voice is played out as usual. If DTMF is present, the voice is muted and a DTMF generator invoked by the receiving gateway to recreate the DTMF signaling. The audio remains muted until no more time periods are marked as containing DTMF. In this way, the delay in voice playout due to the possible presence of DTMF is completely subsumed in the normal jitter buffer delay.

Abstract: A method for distributed diagnostics in a communication network includes generating at least one debug message operable to initiate a debugging function in a plurality of network components and comprising a debug address. The debug address identifies a communication type and a target location. The communication type identifies a mechanism used to communicate debugging information collected by the plurality of network components to the target location. The method also includes communicating the debug message to at least one of the network components.

Abstract: A system automatically discovers and maintains geographic location information for entities and devices making up a computer network. The system preferably includes a computing unit and a geographic location generator, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The computing unit includes a location discovery entity and a message generator. The GPS receiver, which is mounted to and in communication with the computing unit, may be augmented with an inertial navigation unit to facilitate the generation of location information inside of buildings where GPS signals can be difficult to receive. The computing unit further includes a network communications facility so that it can communicate with one or more network devices, such as a network switch. The switch includes a location recording/reporting entity and a location database.

Abstract: A dial string is received from a session application that interfaces with a packet-based or circuit-switched system such as VoIP, PSTN, PBX, etc. Regular expression match patterns are compared with the input dial string. The dial plan mapper identifies one of the match patterns providing a longest match with the dial string and outputs call configuration information associated with the identified match pattern. The configuration information contains call parameters necessary for establishing the telephone call with the call destination. The configuration information format allows the dial plan mapper to specify any one of the wide variety of different session protocols that may be associated with a particular call destination.

Abstract: Voice packets are redirected in packet telephony applications to a codec proxy system that makes voice endpoints involved in an end-to-end call appear to be using the voice codec required of it by the other endpoint, even if the endpoints do not possess the required codec capability. The codec proxy system acts as a broker during initial capability negotiations, and as a real-time transcoding facility between disparate codec capabilities once voice traffic begins. The resulting system allows non-standard, cost-optimized and/or feature specific packet voice endpoints to interoperate in a standards-based network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inter-domain routing of calls in a network, where the network represents a first wide area network. A routing node of the network advertises its access to a range of addresses in a second wide area network and a cost for access to the range of addresses to all adjacent nodes in the network. Each of the adjacent nodes inserts an entry in its own routing table associating access to the range of addresses in the second wide area network with the network address of the routing node and the cost for access. Each adjacent node then modifies the cost for access by adding its own cost and advertises its access to the range of addresses in the second wide area network and the modified cost for access to all of its adjacent nodes.

Abstract: Voice and data streams transmitted from a conventional DSVD modem are interfaced directly to a network access server through a modified DSVD modem according to the invention. The voice and data is formatted into network data packets that are then routed directly to different endpoints through the network access server. The modified DSVD modem includes a packet framer that removes conventionally transmitted V.76 DSVD framing formats and stuffs bytes into the voice and data to form network packets. The network access server then routes the voice and data packets to the different endpoints identified in a packet header. Since the voice and data are output from the DSVD modem in data packets, the voice and data can be routed more efficiently to different network endpoints.

Abstract: A receiver manages multiple speakers in a packet network telephone call. A packet gateway receives audio packets from the multiple speakers over the packet network. Memory in each receiver stores the audio packets and information about the multiple speakers in the telephone call. A processor selects which audio packets and what speaker information to retain in memory. The processor determines which of the selected audiopackets to store in memory and mix together to produce an audio output signal by determining from the speaker information which of the multiple speakers are actively talking and which speaker has not actively talked for the longest period of time.

Abstract: A signal state management (SSM) system avoids both the overhead of maintaining call state and complex signaling in a packet network gateway, while simultaneously providing a more scalable system by not placing too great a state or processing burden on the signaling or call processing server. The SSM system sends an event/action table from a call agent to the gateway that directs the gateway to detect and accumulate specified signaling events generated by a telephone. The gateway accumulates the signaling events according to the event/action table and notifies the call agent only when the signaling events specified in the event/action table are detected. The call agent then sends a new event/action table to the gateway that commands the gateway to detect and accumulate a new set of signaling events. After notifying the call agent, the gateway operates in a quarantine where all signaling events are queued.

Abstract: A call authorization system moves state maintenance for authorization based phone calls from a central authorization server to different gateways in a packet switched network. A simple authorization session protocol is used between the authorization server and the gateways to minimize network traffic. The authorization session protocol releases the authorization server from having to maintain states for open authorization based phone calls.