Abstract: A method and system for improving the reliability of a system, such as a software system, is disclosed. “Service measurements” that are routinely measured and monitored in connection with the operation of systems (e.g., QOS (Quality Of Service) measurements) are utilized in the reliability architecture of the system. Service measurements include a number of alternative data types, such as transactions completed, messages received, messages sent, calls completed, bytes transmitted, jobs processed, etc. Any operations of the system that are typically monitored for other purposes can be utilized in the reliability architecture of the present invention. Most systems track these types of statistics as, for example, part of their billing procedures or part of their performance bench-marking or QOS processes.

Abstract: A heterogeneous mix of traffic having one or more protocol formats and supplied by one or more users or sub-networks is transported in a communication network by using digital containers that are routed and processed in network nodes interconnecting the users or sub-networks. A digital container includes a frame structure comprising a header section and a payload section, the header section including information for routing the digital container and for identifying the type of payload being carried. The payload section is capable of carrying one or more different types of traffic formatted according to one or more protocols, e.g., IP, ATM, and so on. Processing of the individual payload remains a user or sub-network responsibility while the less processor-intensive routing and processing of digital containers occurs at the network node level.

Abstract: A method and system for improving the reliability of a system, such as a software system, is disclosed. “Service measurements” that are routinely measured and monitored in connection with the operation of systems (e.g., QOS (Quality Of Service) measurements) are utilized in the reliability architecture of the system. Service measurements include a number of alternative data types, such as transactions completed, messages received, messages sent, calls completed, bytes transmitted, jobs processed, etc. Any operations of the system that are typically monitored for other purposes can be utilized in the reliability architecture of the present invention. Most systems track these types of statistics as, for example, part of their billing procedures or part of their performance bench-marking or QOS processes.

Abstract: A connection admission technique is presented that measures a delay of queries processed by a network system and allows queries to enter the network system based on a probabilistically determined variable. The technique converges the probabilistically determined variable to a performance criterion of the network system.

Abstract: The present invention is an enhanced signaling system (ESS) that provides a signaling platform that is independent of the electronics and optical switching and transmission systems. The invention provides controllability on an end-end basis to a concatenation of optical and electronic systems by the service providers and end users. Since the present invention enables control over the transport network resources by the end user and service providers, it accelerates the process of service creation and network service expansion. By providing end-end control over the connection, it allows total control of service requirements and QoS. Accordingly, service providers can allocate transport network resources in a dynamic fashion independent of other network users (when dedicated wavelengths and resources are allocated), or in conjunction with other users when sharing of transport wavelengths is allowed.

Abstract: A switching fabric has input ports, output ports, buffers and at least one switch processor, which determines the available capacity of links at a switch and communicates this information to other switches in a network on a periodic basis. Based on this knowledge, the switch processor of the present invention determines if the necessary number of contiguous time slots in a time frame are available for the call in question. The routing method of the present method uses the periodically updated bandwidth usage to determine a route from a source switch to a destination switch. By utilizing periodic updates of bandwidth usage and assigning contiguous time slots, time slot availability becomes predictable and cell streams travel jointly along the same route, which in turn eliminates cell loss and jitter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing continuation of a communication call as a user moves from the coverage area of one communication network to the coverage area of another communication network having different access media and different applications. A voice, data, video or multimedia call involving multiple end-points which may be located on different networks may be placed on hold pursuant to a pause request made by a user of one of the end-points. The networks include processors programmed to interrupt and recognize specified signals, such as a pause request signal, and to respond by providing reconnection identification information. The user making a pause request may generate a reconnection request in a different network to continue the paused call on the new network by using a calling device that is compatible with the access media and applications provided by the new network.

Abstract: A telecommunications architecture using ATM based technology is disclosed that supports wireless communications. Some embodiments of the present invention may provide a mechanism for hand-off, which has fewer costs and restrictions than other hand-off schemes the in the prior art. In one embodiment a plurality of virtual circuit identifiers is created such that each is unambiquously associated with the others. The virtual circuit identifiers are then transmitted to a wireless terminal, via a first radio port. Subsequently, the wireless terminal transmits one of the virtual circuit identifiers to second radio port.