Abstract: A source device (10) sends information to a destination device (12) through intermediary network elements (14). If an intermediary network element (14) needs to discard one or more packets of information, it sends a smaller informational packet to the destination device (12). Upon receiving the informational packet, the destination device can immediately begin correctional procedures.

Abstract: A IP video delivery system (10) includes a multiplexer (30) for transmitting multiple data streams of packets over link (31) to a site having one or more receivers (22). During times of congestion, the multiplexer will discard packets from its internal queues. Packets are intelligently chosen to minimize the effects on the output from the receivers (22) by taking into account timing information related to the packets and priority.

Abstract: A IP video delivery system (10) includes a multiplexer (30) for transmitting multiple data streams of packets over link (31) to a site having one or more receivers (22). During times of congestion, the multiplexer will discard packets from its internal queues. Packets are intelligently chosen to minimize the effects on the output from the receivers (22) by taking into account timing information related to the packets and priority.

Abstract: A receiver for generating an video output from a stream of data packets includes circuitry for decoding the stream of packets into a video signal, circuitry for generating video frames from the video signal, circuitry for detecting whether a missing packet is associated with a video frame of a first type and circuitry for selectively requesting retransmission of a missing packet responsive to the detecting circuitry.

Abstract: A multiplexer selectively chooses packets for discarding during periods of congestion. In a first embodiment, thresholds for fill levels of a FIFO queue are set for a plurality of priority types. As thresholds are exceeded, incoming packet below a set priority level will be prevented from entering the queue and packets at the front of the queue below the set priority will be discarded. In a second embodiment, packets within a queue may be marked for deletion. A forward/discard list assigns an index to a new packet and maintains a list of the stream associated with each packet. A priority index list maintains a list of packets for each priority type by index number. A video metadata buffer stores the metadata for each enqueued packet. A physical video buffer stores the packets. When an incoming packet cannot be enqueued, packets of lower priority are detected by reference to the index list and marked for discard.

Abstract: A diversification route (Connection-B) is generated after establishing a first path (Connection-A) through the network (10) between an ingress client node (12) and an egress client node (14) through a first ingress network element (16) within the optical network. Information identifying the first network element is passed by the ingress client node (12) to a second network element (18) in the network. Information identifying the first path and desired diversity type is passed from the second network element (18) to the first network element (16). In response to receiving the information identifying the first path, an entity list associated with the first path is passed from the first network element (16) to the second network element (18). The second path (Connection-B) is established responsive to the information associated with the first path (Connection-A).

Abstract: Packets received at a network element are filtered according to a plurality of filtering rules, where each filtering rule includes filtering data associated with one or more fields of a received packet. Rule groups are defined to include a plurality of filtering rules having common associated fields. For each rule group, global filter masks are generated, where bit positions in the global filter mask indicate whether each filtering rule in the rule group has a predetermined value at a corresponding bit position. As packets are received, comparing the global filter masks to one or more fields in the packets to determine whether there is a possibility that one of the rules in a corresponding rule group will match data in the fields.

Abstract: A IP video delivery system (10) includes a multiplexer (30) for transmitting multiple data streams of packets over link (31) to a site having one or more receivers (22). During times of congestion, the multiplexer will discard packets from its internal queues. Packets are intelligently chosen to minimize the effects on the output from the receivers (22) by taking into account timing information related to the packets and priority.

Abstract: A multiplexer selectively chooses packets for discarding during periods of congestion. In a first embodiment, thresholds for fill levels of a FIFO queue are set for a plurality of priority types. As thresholds are exceeded, incoming packet below a set priority level will be prevented from entering the queue and packets at the front of the queue below the set priority will be discarded. In a second embodiment, packets within a queue may be marked for deletion. A forward/discard list assigns an index to a new packet and maintains a list of the stream associated with each packet. A priority index list maintains a list of packets for each priority type by index number. A video metadata buffer stores the metadata for each enqueued packet. A physical video buffer stores the packets. When an incoming packet cannot be enqueued, packets of lower priority are detected by reference to the index list and marked for discard.

Abstract: A source device (10) sends information to a destination device (12) through intermediary network elements (14). If an intermediary network element (14) needs to discard one or more packets of information, it sends a smaller informational packet to the destination device (12). Upon receiving the informational packet, the destination device can immediately begin correctional procedures.

Abstract: System and method for facilitating channel change operations in an Internet Protocol television (“IPTV”) system are described. One embodiment is a method of implementing a channel change in an IPTV system comprising a set top box (“STB”) connected between a TV and an access network. The method comprises, responsive to a request to view a new channel, the STB sending a control message to the access network to join an IP multicast group pair comprising a normal video stream and a companion video stream for the new channel; and responsive to receipt of the control message, the access network transmitting to the STB the normal video stream and the companion video stream.

Abstract: System and method of implementing a channel change in an Internet Protocol Television (“IPTV”) system are described. In one embodiment, method comprises steps of, responsive to a channel change request, decoding and displaying a video stream of a requested channel, wherein the displayed video stream has a resolution quality less than a normal resolution quality; increasing the resolution quality of the displayed video stream by an incremental amount ?R; and subsequent to the increasing, determining whether the resolution quality of the displayed video stream is equal to the normal resolution quality and, responsive to a negative determination, repeating the increasing and determining.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods that provide a messaging service application for a user subscribed to a mobile phone service with a personal productivity platform for capturing and transmitting information. Subscribed users can initiate the messaging service application automatically or manually. Upon initiation, the messaging service application can then receive and record voice messages, and translate and process them by converting voice messages into text messages. Furthermore, it can further process the messages by accepting additional distribution commands defined by the user either manually or verbally. The processed message is then transmitted to the mobile network. An application/media server, associated with the mobile network, then takes the processed messages and relays them to a user-defined application, such as the user's email or the user's calendar.

Abstract: A network system (10), comprising a plurality of nodes (ERx, CRx). Each node in the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate with at least one other node in the plurality of nodes. Each node of the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of queues (32x) and is operable to perform the steps of receiving a plurality of packets and, for each received packet in the plurality of packets, coupling the received packet into a selected queue in the plurality of queues, wherein a respective selected queue is selected in response to the respective received packet satisfying one or more criteria. Each node of the plurality of nodes is also operable to perform the step of assigning a weight (Wx) to each respective queues in the plurality of queues.

Abstract: A router (Rx) for coupling into a computer network (24) along which network traffic flows in a form of packets. The router comprises at least one monitoring circuit (52) coupled to the network. The at least one monitoring circuit is operable to examine packets communicated to the router and to provide information associated with selected ones of the examined packets. The router also comprises circuitry (54) for processing the provided information. The router also comprises circuitry (56) for including the processed information into one or more packets.

Abstract: An ACD accessory (10) and a GUI accessory (100), which may be integrated into a phone or provided as a separate device, are coupled between the PSTN and the user's legacy phone (12) to provide enhance services. The ACD accessory (10) provides visual display and selection capabilities for menus provided by the ACD system (14). The GUI accessory (100) provides enhance control of telephony features and enhanced data services though a graphical proxy server (134).

Abstract: A communication device is described herein that is capable of interworking between a voice application and a text application which enables a user to select whether they want to use voice communications or text communications to communicate with a user of a remote communication device (e.g., voice-only-capable communication device, text-only-capable communication device, voice-and-text capable communication device).

Abstract: A diversification route (Connection-B) is generated after establishing a first path (Connection-A) through the network (10) between an ingress client node (12) and an egress client node (14) through a first ingress network element (16) within the optical network. Information identifying the first network element is passed by the ingress client node (12) to a second network element (18) in the network. Information identifying the first path and desired diversity type is passed from the second network element (18) to the first network element (16). In response to receiving the information identifying the first path, an entity list associated with the first path is passed from the first network element (16) to the second network element (18). The second path (Connection-B) is established responsive to the information associated with the first path (Connection-A).