Abstract: A diagnostic tool for identifying priority errors within a data network is realized using a priority trace data packet. The priority trace data packet is originated at an originating node of interest and terminated at a terminating node of interest. At various intermediate network nodes along the data path between the originating and terminating nodes, the priority trace packet is inspected to determine the current priority value of the priority trace packet. The current priority value is stored in a priority trace field that can be analyzed by a network management node to identify one or more sources of priority errors.

Abstract: An intelligent switch and method are described herein which help to effectively retransmit a lost packet that is associated with a television broadcast stream to one or more set-top boxes.

Abstract: A sequential iterative methodology is used to generate a solution space with different cost/availability values for multiple network architectures from which an optimal or near-optimal solution can be determined. A modeling module (10) provides a cost value for a network architecture under consideration and, once cost modeling is done, an availability analysis is performed for the architecture under analysis. If a relatively few connections prevent a model from acceptability, the availability analysis module (12) reveals the causing factors of the unsatisfactory availability for those few connections and suggests that the modeling perform further optimisations on those causing factors. This iterative process is repeated until an optimum or near-optimum acceptable solution is found; if no acceptable solution is found, the solutions generated in the availability analysis module are reviewed to find the best available solution.

Abstract: A D-server controller, a VoD-server controller and a policy server are described herein which implement diagnostic tools that proactively detect and prevent potential problems with different components and services in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network.

Abstract: A diagnostic tool for identifying priority errors within a data network is realized using a priority trace data packet. The priority trace data packet is originated at an originating node of interest and terminated at a terminating node of interest. At various intermediate network nodes along the data path between the originating and terminating nodes, the priority trace packet is inspected to determine the current priority value of the priority trace packet. The current priority value is stored in a priority trace field that can be analyzed by a network management node to identify one or more sources of priority errors.

Abstract: Control information associated with data bursts to be switched on a burst-switched router is transmitted using payload envelopes (100) on one or more control channels (16). A control channel scheduling module (86) defines sets of contiguous payload envelopes, referred to as “frontiers” (110). A frontier contains a predetermined number of payload envelopes that could be transmitted over a maximum time difference from the time of arrival of a control packet to a latest time of departure for the control packet. After selecting a control packet, a current frontier is determined from a current time and a frontier index. Scheduling information for the current and next frontiers is stored in memory (116). The memory is searched for an available gap to accommodate the control packet (144) in one of either the current set or a next frontier based on the scheduling information.

Abstract: A control architecture for an optical burst-switched network includes an electronic ingress edge router, a switch control unit at each hop, and an electronic egress edge router. The electronic ingress edge router assembles multiple data packets into a burst. The switch control units at each hop configure the optical switching matrix to switch the burst through the optical burst-switched network. Finally, the electronic egress edge router receives the burst from the optical burst-switched network and disassembles the burst into multiple data packets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for reserving data channels in an optical burst-switched network. A data channel (or a multiple of data channels) along an optical path in an optical burst-switched network is reserved by first transmitting a data channel reservation request from an electronic ingress edge router to a reservation termination node. Next, the data channel reservation request is processed at all nodes along the optical path, including the reservation termination node. A data channel reservation acknowledgement is then transmitted from the reservation termination node to the electronic ingress edge router. Finally, the data channel path is reserved once an initial burst(s) which contains a reserve data channel bit reaches the reservation termination node.

Abstract: A system and method for assembling multiple multicast data packets into a multicast burst according to multiple multicast burstification classes and switching the multicast burst through an optical burst switched network. To switch multicast data packets through an optical burst switched network according to the present invention, multicast data packets are first assembled into a multicast burst at an electronic ingress edge router according to a plurality of multicast burstification classes. The multicast burst is then switched through the optical burst-switched network to the destined electronic egress edge routers, disassembled back into multicast data packets and transmitted to multiple destinations.