Abstract: In a message delivery system, messages are published by publishers and delivered to subscribers based on subscriptions relating to message content. Activation and de-activation notifications are supplied to applications that are bound to a queue in the message delivery system.

Abstract: A method of assigning a priority to a document in a content-routed network including a plurality of routers interconnected by links, involves matching rules against the content of a received document to assign a priority, mapping the priority onto an egress link, and mapping the egress links onto the interconnect network between content routers to achieve end-to-end quality of service.

Abstract: A networking appliance includes a chassis, an off-the-shelf motherboard mounted on said chassis, said motherboard including at least one expansion bus, one or more separately removable expansion module mounted on said chassis, and a number of card slots in the expansion module for accommodating expansion cards. A connection arrangement provides a signal connection between the card slots in the expansion modules and the expansion buses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting documents from one format to another in a speed efficient way involves a hardware module which implements several operating pipeline stages which work in parallel. The transformations are supplied and decomposed into sequences of control units. The transformation of documents consists of applying control unit sequences to input documents. The control units are themselves executed by a set of dedicated hardware resources. Furthermore the pipeline is capable of operating on more than one document at a time. Fast document transformation is a key capability of document processing systems. The use of parallel processing techniques and hardware that implements highly specialized transformation resources make this invention particularly scalable for its use in large, high speed content networks.

Abstract: A method of performing connectivity verification in a content routed network including a plurality of routers and wherein messages are transported through the network over a message transport layer, involves sending from an originating router a ping request message over the message transport layer along a user data path to a terminating router using a content routing protocol. The terminating router responds with a ping reply message upon receipt of the ping request message, and the message transport layer is monitored for the ping reply message at the originating router. Trace messages can also be sent through the network to determine whether subscribers are reachable for messages originating from a particular publisher. Also trace messages can be sent through the network to determine whether subscriptions from a particular subscriber are reachable from a particular originating router.

Abstract: A method of managing a content routed network, involves distributing published documents through said network for delivery to subscribers; maintaining data logs pertaining to said published documents at different points in the network; and correlating the data logs to obtain information about the operation of the network.

Abstract: In a method of managing a content-based network, which is typically XML-based, and optionally may be overlaid on an underlying network having a plurality of network elements interconnected by links, a link state protocol maintains each network element's topological view of the overlay network from the underlying network. A subscription management protocol ensures dissemination of published content within the content-based network independently of the link state protocol.

Abstract: A method of providing assured message delivery with low latency and high message throughput, in which a message is stored in non-volatile, low latency memory with associated destination list and other meta data. The message is only removed from this low-latency non-volatile storage when an acknowledgement has been received from each destination indicating that the message has been successfully received, or if the message is in such memory for a period exceeding a time threshold or if memory resources are running low, the message and associated destination list and other meta data is migrated to other persistent storage. The data storage engine can also be used for other high throughput applications.

Abstract: A communications apparatus includes several functional modules for implementing an application, a pair of switch modules to provide redundant switching capability for transferring frames between the functional modules. Each functional module is connected to each switch module by a frame-based communication link. A redundancy logic unit at each functional module inserts sequence numbers into outgoing frames, replicates the outgoing frames for forwarding to each of said switch modules, and monitors incoming frames from each of the switch modules to select frames for forwarding to an application based on the sequence numbers. In this way, redundancy is maintained at all times, while duplicate frames are eliminated at the receiving module.

Abstract: A method of matching subscriptions to published documents in a content-routed network involves receiving subscription information, receiving published documents, storing the subscription information and the published documents in memory, instructing an accelerator of the locations in memory of the published documents, transferring portions of the stored published documents from the memory to the accelerator on an as-needed basis, providing the subscription information to the accelerator, and processing the portions in the accelerator to perform subscription matching in the accelerator independently of other functions in the content-router. The accelerator preferably includes a pipeline. In this way, efficiently highly scalable subscription matching can be performed efficiently on a very large number of subscriptions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing call signaling messages during burst overloading and sustained overloading of a communications switch include processing that begins by receiving a plurality of call signaling messages, which may be call set-up messages, connect messages, call proceeding messages, call release messages, release complete messages, and/or link layer information. The processing then continues by comparing a queue occupancy level of a call processing queue with a first queue occupancy threshold. If the queue occupancy level compares unfavorably with the first queue occupancy threshold (e.g., the queue is storing more messages than desired), call signaling messages are enqueued into the call processing queue based on the types of the call signaling messages. For example, dispensable call signaling messages are enqueued in a LIFO manner while indispensable and essential messages are enqueued in a FIFO manner.

Abstract: A communication switch that includes a multiprocessor control block and a method therefore is presented. The multiprocessor control block includes a centralized resource and routing processor that controls resource allocation and routing functionality within the switch. A plurality of intermediate processors operably coupled to the resource and routing processor perform call processing for corresponding portions of the connections supported by the switch, where such call processing includes issuing resource allocation requests to the resource and routing processor. Each of the intermediate processors further performs functions associated with a signaling layer portion of the protocol stack. The multiprocessor control block also includes a link layer processor operably coupled to the plurality of intermediate processors, where the link layer processor also couples to a switching fabric of the communication switch.

Abstract: A method is provided for seamless migration from a scaleable optical add/drop multiplexer to a network switching node in an optical transport network. The method includes: providing a pre-deployed optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) at a network node in the optical transport network; introducing an additional optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) at the network node; and interconnecting the pre-deployed OADM to the additional OADM using a photonic cross-connect switch, where the photonic cross-connect switch is operable to route optical signals amongst the optical transport lines connected to the pre-deployed OADM and the upgraded OADM.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting documents from one format to another in a speed efficient way involves a hardware module which implements several operating pipeline stages which work in parallel. The transformations are supplied and decomposed into sequences of control units. The transformation of documents consists of applying control unit sequences to input documents. The control units are themselves executed by a set of dedicated hardware resources. Furthermore the pipeline is capable of operating on more than one document at a time. Fast document transformation is a key capability of document processing systems. The use of parallel processing techniques and hardware that implements highly specialized transformation resources make this invention particularly scalable for its use in large, high speed content networks.

Abstract: A method of managing a content routed network, involves distributing published documents through said network for delivery to subscribers; maintaining data logs pertaining to said published documents at different points in the network; and correlating the data logs to obtain information about the operation of the network.

Abstract: An optical cross-connect switch is provided for routing optical data signals in an optical transport network.

Abstract: A method of matching subscriptions to published documents in a content-routed network involves receiving subscription information, receiving published documents, storing the subscription information and the published documents in memory, instructing an accelerator of the locations in memory of the published documents, transferring portions of the stored published documents from the memory to the accelerator on an as-needed basis, providing the subscription information to the accelerator, and processing the portions in the accelerator to perform subscription matching in the accelerator independently of other functions in the content-router. The accelerator preferably includes a pipeline. In this way, efficiently highly scalable subscription matching can be performed efficiently on a very large number of subscriptions.

Abstract: A method is provided for seamless migration from static to agile optical networking at a network switching node in an optical transport network. The seamless method includes: providing an optical signal splitter at the input of thenetwork switching node, the signal splitter being adapted to receive an optical multiplexed signal having a plurality of data signals and at least one data signal being agile; providing an optical signal combiner at the output of the network switching node; and introducing a photonic cross-connect switch between the signal splitter and the signal combiner, where the photonic switch is operable to switch the agile data signals.

Abstract: A method of assigning a priority to a document in a content-routed network including a plurality of routers interconnected by links, involves matching rules against the content of a received document to assign a priority, mapping the priority onto an egress link, and mapping the egress links onto the interconnect network between content routers to achieve end-to-end quality of service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling multicast group subscriptions in a multicast distribution circuit is presented. When a router included in the multicast circuit receives notification to terminate support of a particular multicast group (group leave request), data flow with respect to that multicast group is initially maintained on the communication link coupling the router to the hosts. Queries are issued to hosts on the communication link to determine whether continued support of the particular group is desired by any hosts coupled to the communication link. If, while waiting for a positive response to the queries issued, a request to join an additional multicast group is received, bandwidth availability on the communication link is examined to determine if adequate bandwidth is available for supporting the newly requested group addition. If adequate bandwidth is available, the newly requested group is added to those groups supported on the communication link.