Abstract: Aspects include methods and apparatuses generally relating to agricultural technology and artificial intelligence and, more particularly, to counting and sizing plants in a field.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling mobility of a subscriber-specific Virtual Machine (VM) instance from one VM to another VM using a network node (such as an Evolved Packet Gateway (EPG)) in an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) in a mobile communication network. The EPG may control the VM mobility for each subscriber in the context of cloud-based services or virtualized applications. The EPG may use GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnels rooted at the EPG to Data Center (DC) VMs to govern intra-DC and inter-DC mobility of VMs and also to tie in the mobility triggers to service provider's policies. Each VM session for the mobile subscribers is anchored in the EPG, which then assumes the control of VM mobility for each subscriber through the new GTP interface with the VMs. The EPC-based control of VM mobility can provide optimization of cloud services accessed by a subscriber over a mobile connection.

Abstract: A network system and method are disclosed. The network system includes at least one docking station to which a portable electronic device is individually couplable. Each of the at least one docking station is configured to allow the portable electronic device to access a network to receive information corresponding to a personality profile associated with the respective one of the at least one docking station upon the portable electronic device being coupled to the respective one of the at least one docking station.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a connection for a subscriber is created based on a service context of the subscriber. A connection request is received from a subscriber of a network service delivery environment. The subscriber is associated with a first-level profile identifier indicative of a service context for the subscriber. One or more other subscribers can be associated with the first-level profile identifier. Lower-level profile identifiers are determined using the first-level profile identifier. The lower-level profile identifiers indicate a set of services that is available to the subscriber during the connection. Creating a connection for the subscriber that enables forwarding of packets based on the lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Service groups are dynamically created and members are dynamically assigned. A network element receives a request for a subscriber session and transmits an authentication request to a AAA server. The network element receives an authentication reply from the AAA server that includes dynamic service group configuration information that indicates that the subscriber session should be part of a service group and defines the criteria for the network element to dynamically create and join that subscriber session to a service group if an appropriate service group does not exist or dynamically join that subscriber session to an existing service group. The network element derives a dynamic service group identifier from attributes of the subscriber session based on instructions in the dynamic service group configuration information.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a connection for a subscriber is created based on a service context of the subscriber. A connection request is received from a subscriber of a network service delivery environment. The subscriber is associated with a first-level profile identifier indicative of a service context for the subscriber. One or more other subscribers can be associated with the first-level profile identifier. Lower-level profile identifiers are determined using the first-level profile identifier. The lower-level profile identifiers indicate a set of services that is available to the subscriber during the connection. Creating a connection for the subscriber that enables forwarding of packets based on the lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: A network system and method are disclosed. The network system includes at least one docking station to which a portable electronic device is individually couplable. Each of the at least one docking station is configured to allow the portable electronic device to access a network to receive information corresponding to a personality profile associated with the respective one of the at least one docking station upon the portable electronic device being coupled to the respective one of the at least one docking station.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a policy engine of a VR defines services available to subscribers in terms of profile identifiers. A scalable subscriber profile database is established having a memory requirement dependent upon the number of available service contexts by hierarchically organizing profile identifiers as leaf profile identifiers, which explicitly define services, and intermediate profile identifiers, which indirectly represent services. The policy engine receives a first-level profile identifier and determines whether it is among those stored in the database. If not, then it obtains service profile information associated with the first-level profile identifier. If the first-level profile identifier is an intermediate profile identifier having leaf profile identifiers, then it further obtains them and associated profile information and stores this information in the database.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a policy engine of a VR defines services available to subscribers in terms of profile identifiers. A scalable subscriber profile database is established having a memory requirement dependent upon the number of available service contexts by hierarchically organizing profile identifiers as leaf profile identifiers, which explicitly define services, and intermediate profile identifiers, which indirectly represent services. The policy engine receives a first-level profile identifier and determines whether it is among those stored in the database. If not, then it obtains service profile information associated with the first-level profile identifier. If the first-level profile identifier is an intermediate profile identifier having leaf profile identifiers, then it further obtains them and associated profile information and stores this information in the database.

Abstract: Service groups are dynamically created and members are dynamically assigned. A network element receives a request for a subscriber session and transmits an authentication request to a AAA server. The network element receives an authentication reply from the AAA server that includes dynamic service group configuration information that indicates that the subscriber session should be part of a service group and defines the criteria for the network element to dynamically create and join that subscriber session to a service group if an appropriate service group does not exist or dynamically join that subscriber session to an existing service group. The network element derives a dynamic service group identifier from attributes of the subscriber session based on instructions in the dynamic service group configuration information.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber connection is created with a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of a service provider. A connection request is received from a subscriber of multiple subscribers of the service provider at a subscriber manager of the virtual router. The virtual router maintains a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the multiple lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, subscriber services are modified without requiring a change to the subscriber's first-level profile identifier and without requiring the subscriber to reestablish a connection with the service provider. A database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, explicitly defining subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, defining service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the lower-level profile identifiers, are maintained within a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of the service provider. Updated service profile information, representing a change to the subscriber's service context, is received.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes a subscriber manager, a database and a virtual interface. The subscriber manager is operable to receive a connection request from a subscriber of a service provider. The database has stored therein hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected to the service provider by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the plurality of lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes multiple virtual interfaces and a policy engine. The virtual interfaces define connections between the router and corresponding subscribers of a service provider. A first virtual interface is operable to receive packets from a first subscriber and to process the packets in accordance with a first-level profile identifier. The policy engine is coupled with the virtual interfaces and operable to de-reference subscriber profiles of the subscribers on behalf of the virtual interfaces based on a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing subscriber profiles are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, from a requester, a request to determine an operation to be performed on a data packet. The method also includes determining profile identifiers associated with the requester, wherein the profile identifiers include, a first-level profile identifier associated with a lower-level profile identifier that defines the operation. The method also includes determining, based on the profile identifiers, that the operation should be performed on the data packet and transmitting an indication of the operation to the requestor, wherein the requestor performs the operation on the data packet.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes a subscriber manager, a database and a virtual interface. The subscriber manager is operable to receive a connection request from a subscriber of a service provider. The database has stored therein hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected to the service provider by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the plurality of lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber connection is created with a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of a service provider. A connection request is received from a subscriber of multiple subscribers of the service provider at a subscriber manager of the virtual router. The virtual router maintains a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the multiple lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, subscriber services are modified without requiring a change to the subscriber's first-level profile identifier and without requiring the subscriber to reestablish a connection with the service provider. A database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, explicitly defining subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, defining service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the lower-level profile identifiers, are maintained within a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of the service provider. Updated service profile information, representing a change to the subscriber's service context, is received.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes multiple virtual interfaces and a policy engine. The virtual interfaces define connections between the router and corresponding subscribers of a service provider. A first virtual interface is operable to receive packets from a first subscriber and to process the packets in accordance with a first-level profile identifier. The policy engine is coupled with the virtual interfaces and operable to de-reference subscriber profiles of the subscribers on behalf of the virtual interfaces based on a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing subscriber profiles are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, from a requester, a request to determine an operation to be performed on a data packet. The method also includes determining profile identifiers associated with the requester, wherein the profile identifiers include, a first-level profile identifier associated with a lower-level profile identifier that defines the operation. The method also includes determining, based on the profile identifiers, that the operation should be performed on the data packet and transmitting an indication of the operation to the requestor, wherein the requestor performs the operation on the data packet.