Abstract: A plurality of multimedia data streams that are being provided via an internet protocol (IP) network is received, wherein each multimedia data stream carries multimedia content. Real-time metadata relating to the plurality of multimedia data streams is generated based on the multimedia content. The metadata is provided in real-time in a metadata stream to a plurality of user devices, via the IP network. The plurality of multimedia data streams may be multicast within the IP network. The metadata may be multicast in real-time in a metadata stream to a plurality of user devices, via the IP network.

Abstract: A network architecture (10) provides Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service as well as multimedia and Internet web-based applications while implementing features common in a traditional telecommunications network. In response to an incoming call dialed to an IP endpoint (32,34), the network will process the call, and in particular, convert the call, if in not already in a VoIP format, to such a format, while mapping signaling associated with the call into a compatible format. The VoIP call is then routed to the IP endpoint. In the event that the call requires an associated multimedia or Internet-web-based application, the network will initiate the application. Processing of the incoming call may require accessing of a common database to acquire a location routing number for the call destination. To afford dynamic addressing of the IP endpoints, each may be referenced by a corresponding Universal Resource Locator (URL) (or other indirect mapping) associated with the IP address of the endpoint.

Abstract: Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to manipulate packet routing are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes extracting a destination address from a first packet, querying a route table based on the destination address to obtain a first label associated an egress router, querying the route table based on the destination address to obtain a second label associated with an interface of the egress router, forming a second packet from the first packet, the second packet including the first and second labels, and routing the second packet to the egress router based on the first label.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: A network is configured to utilize available bandwidth to conduct bulk data transfers without substantially affecting the successful transmission of time-sensitive traffic in the network. In order to avoid this interference, the packets carrying data for bulk data transfers are associated with a low priority class such that the routers of the network will preferentially drop these packets over packets associated with the normal traffic of the network. As such, when the normal traffic peaks or there are link failures or equipment failures, the normal traffic is preferentially transmitted over the bulk-transfer traffic and thus the bulk-transfer traffic dynamically adapts to changes in the available bandwidth of the network. Further, to reduce the impact of dropped packets for the bulk-transfer traffic, the packets of the bulk-transfer traffic are encoded at or near the source component using a loss-resistant transport protocol so that the dropped packets can be reproduced at a downstream link.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of cache servers and a domain name server. Each of the cache servers is configured to respond to a content request. The plurality of cache servers is divided into a plurality of subsets and configured to respond to an anycast address for each subset to which the cache server belongs. The domain name server is configured to receive a request from a requester for a cache server address, identify an anycast address for a largest available subset, and provide the anycast address of the largest available subset to the requester.

Abstract: A method of configuring a network access device connected to an access network connected to a plurality of service networks, the network device having a first network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a first service provider provided by a first service network, with a new network address allocated to a second subscriber of services of either the first service provider, or a second service provider provided by a second service network. The method comprises the steps of: sending a request from the network access device to the access network with user credentials for the second subscriber requesting access to the first service provider or a change to the second service provider; receiving a response from the access network; and initiating a network address change request using a configuration protocol.

Abstract: A method of configuring a network access device connected to an access network connected to a plurality of service networks, the network device having a first network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a first service provider provided by a first service network, with a new network address allocated to a second subscriber of services of either the first service provider, or a second service provider provided by a second service network. The method comprises the steps of: sending a request from the network access device to the access network with user credentials for the second subscriber requesting access to the first service provider or a change to the second service provider; receiving a response from the access network; and initiating a network address change request using a configuration protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: Route advertisement requests made by a customer are received at route provisioning center (20) to effect either advertisement of a newly provisioned route or withdrawal of an existing route. In the case of a request to advertise a newly provisioned route, the request is subjected to validation, and if unable to be validated, the request is rejected. Upon validation of a new route advertisement, or following receipt of a request to withdraw an existing route advertisement, the customer-entered request is entered into an official routing database (26) for subsequent propagation to network access providers (14, 16 and 18). Periodically, a check is made to verify that the customer-entered request remains active.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and architecture for enabling multiple services or service providers to share the facilities of an access network infrastructure that provides physical connectivity to subscribers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and architecture for enabling multiple services or service providers to share the facilities of an access network infrastructure that provides physical connectivity to subscribers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimally routing a data packet through multiple autonomous networks. A data packet received at an ingress node of a first autonomous network is routed to an egress node of a second autonomous network by selecting an optimal route based on the lowest latency using internal gateway protocol (IGP) routing information of the first and second autonomous networks, which is distributed to nodes of the first and second autonomous network. The data packet is then transmitted along the selected optimal route.

Abstract: A network that supports VPNs is enhanced to allow users in one VPN to communicate with users in another VPN in the course of executing a predefined application, such as VoIP. This capability is achieved dynamically by enabling a device that can communicate with the network elements that operate to normally prohibit inter-VPN communication to direct those network elements to enable such communication, at least for the purposes the purposes of specific applications.

Abstract: Route advertisement requests made by a customer are received at route provisioning center (20) to effect either advertisement of a newly provisioned route or withdrawal of an existing route. In the case of a request to advertise a newly provisioned route, the request is subjected to validation, and if unable to be validated, the request is rejected. Upon validation of a new route advertisement, or following receipt of a request to withdraw an existing route advertisement, the customer-entered request is entered into an official routing database (26) for subsequent propagation to network access providers (14, 16 and 18). Periodically, a check is made to verify that the customer-entered request remains active.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing software breakpoints in a multiprocessor system having a number of processors each coupled to a main memory. In an illustrative embodiment, each of the processors has an instruction cache associated therewith. An instruction for which a breakpoint is to be inserted is retrieved from a corresponding instruction address in the main memory, and a breakpoint code is inserted at the instruction address in main memory. After the breakpoint code is executed by a given one of the processors, the retrieved instruction is stored in the corresponding instruction cache for that processor, and a use-once indicator is set.

Abstract: A method of configuring a network access device having a first network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a first service provider provided by a first service network, with a new network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a second service provider provided by a second service network, wherein the network access device is connected to an access network connected to a plurality of service networks. The method comprises the steps of: sending a request from the network access device to the access network requesting a change to a second service provider; receiving a response from the access network; and initiating a network address change request using a configuration protocol. In this manner, a second network address allocated to the subscriber of services of the second service provider is assigned to the network access device to enable the network access device to communicate data packets to the service network providing the selected service.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to enable multiple services or service providers to share the facilities of an access network infrastructure providing physical connectivity to subscribers. A network access device advantageously may be used in communication network services with a service or service provider that is separate from the operator of the access network infrastructure.

Abstract: A network architecture (10) provides Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service as well as multimedia and Internet web-based applications while implementing features common in a traditional telecommunications network. In response to an incoming call dialed to an IP endpoint (32, 34), the network will process the call, and in particular, convert the call, if in not already in a VoIP format, to such a format, while mapping signaling associated with the call into a compatible format. The VoIP call is then routed to the IP endpoint. In the event that the call requires an associated multimedia or Internet-web-based application, the network will initiate the application. Processing of the incoming call may require accessing of a common database to acquire a location routing number for the call destination. To afford dynamic addressing of the IP endpoints, each may be referenced by a corresponding Universal Resource Locator (URL) (or other indirect mapping) associated with the IP address of the endpoint.