Patents by Inventor Kevin M. McBride

Kevin M. McBride has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230096135
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based orchestration using network parsimony trees. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request for network services that comprises desired characteristics and performance parameters for the requested network services without information regarding specific hardware, hardware type, location, or network, a computing system might generate a request-based parsimony tree based on the desired characteristics and performance parameters. The computing system might access, from a datastore, a plurality of network-based parsimony trees that are each generated based on measured network metrics, might compare the request-based parsimony tree with each of one or more network-based parsimony trees to determine a fitness score for each network-based parsimony tree, and might identify a best-fit network-based parsimony tree based on the fitness scores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Brett E. Dwyer, James E. Sutherland, Jamie Lin, Brent Smith, Glenn B. Balanoff, Frank Moss, Bryan Dreyer
  • Publication number: 20230039416
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing network experience shifting, and, in particular embodiments, using either a roaming or portable hypervisor associated with a user or a local hypervisor unassociated with the user. In some embodiments, a network node in a first network might receive, via a first network access device in a second network, a request from a user device to establish roaming network access, and might authenticate a user associated with the user device, the user being unassociated with the first network access device. Based on a determination that the user is authorized to access data, content, profiles, and/or software applications that are accessible via a second network access device, the network node might establish a secure private connection through a hypervisor or container communicatively coupled to the first network access device to provide the user with access to her data, content, profiles, and/or software applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Cook, Kevin M. McBride, Matthew J. Post, William R. Walker
  • Publication number: 20230038137
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing network experience shifting, and, in particular embodiments, using either a roaming or portable hypervisor associated with a user or a local hypervisor unassociated with the user. In some embodiments, a network node in a first network might receive, via a first network access device in a second network, a request from a user device to establish roaming network access, and might authenticate a user associated with the user device, the user being unassociated with the first network access device. Based on a determination that the user is authorized to access data, content, profiles, and/or software applications that are accessible via a second network access device, the network node might establish a secure private connection through a hypervisor or container communicatively coupled to the first network access device to provide the user with access to her data, content, profiles, and/or software applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Cook, Kevin M. McBride, Matthew J. Post, William R. Walker
  • Patent number: 11544101
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing network experience shifting, and, in particular embodiments, using either a roaming or portable hypervisor associated with a user or a local hypervisor unassociated with the user. In some embodiments, a network node in a first network might receive, via a first network access device in a second network, a request from a user device to establish roaming network access, and might authenticate a user associated with the user device, the user being unassociated with the first network access device. Based on a determination that the user is authorized to access data, content, profiles, and/or software applications that are accessible via a second network access device, the network node might establish a secure private connection through a hypervisor or container communicatively coupled to the first network access device to provide the user with access to her data, content, profiles, and/or software applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Cook, Kevin M. McBride, Matthew J. Post, William R. Walker
  • Publication number: 20220417345
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based disaggregated and distributed composable infrastructure. In some embodiments, a computing system might receive, over a network, a request for network services from a customer, the request comprising desired characteristics and performance parameters, without specific information regarding any of hardware, hardware type, location, or network for providing the requested services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, James E. Sutherland, Frank Moss, Brent Smith, Charles Stallings, Mitch Mollard, William O'Brien, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11509601
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based orchestration using network parsimony trees. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request for network services that comprises desired characteristics and performance parameters for the requested network services without information regarding specific hardware, hardware type, location, or network, a computing system might generate a request-based parsimony tree based on the desired characteristics and performance parameters. The computing system might access, from a datastore, a plurality of network-based parsimony trees that are each generated based on measured network metrics, might compare the request-based parsimony tree with each of one or more network-based parsimony trees to determine a fitness score for each network-based parsimony tree, and might identify a best-fit network-based parsimony tree based on the fitness scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Brett E. Dwyer, James E. Sutherland, Jamie Lin, Brent Smith, Glenn B. Balanoff, Frank Moss, Bryan Dreyer
  • Publication number: 20220360591
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing tracking or storing of equipment configuration data using immutable ledger functionality of blockchains. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a first request for first configuration data that is output by first equipment, a computing system might determine whether a communicatively coupled data repository contains the first configuration data. If so, the computing system might retrieve and send (to the requesting device) the first configuration data. If not, the computing system might send, to a blockchain system, a second request for identifying a blockchain containing a block containing the first configuration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Hunter Rudd, James E. Sutherland, Steven M. Casey
  • Publication number: 20220337679
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing extension of customer local area networks (“LANs”) and/or implementing isolated service overlays over a network. In some embodiments, a network service point that is located external to a demarcation point at each of a plurality of customer premises might establish a connection between a service provider network and a customer LAN, which has already been established within a customer premises. The system subsequently extends the customer LAN, via this connection, to span between the network service point and the customer premises. Alternatively, or additionally, the system might establish two or more isolated service overlays across the customer LAN between the network service point and the customer premises, each of the two or more isolated service overlays having network traffic that is isolated from network traffic transmitted along another of the two or more isolated service overlays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Cook, Michael K. Bugenhagen, Kevin M. McBride, Andrew V. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220278945
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based orchestration using network parsimony trees. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request for network services that comprises desired characteristics and performance parameters for the requested network services without information regarding specific hardware, hardware type, location, or network, a computing system might generate a request-based parsimony tree based on the desired characteristics and performance parameters. The computing system might access, from a datastore, a plurality of network-based parsimony trees that are each generated based on measured network metrics, might compare the request-based parsimony tree with each of one or more network-based parsimony trees to determine a fitness score for each network-based parsimony tree, and might identify a best-fit network-based parsimony tree based on the fitness scores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Brett E. Dwyer, James E. Sutherland, Jamie Lin, Brent Smith, Glenn B. Balanoff, Frank Moss, Bryan Dreyer
  • Patent number: 11425224
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based disaggregated and distributed composable infrastructure. In some embodiments, a computing system might receive, over a network, a request for network services from a customer, the request comprising desired characteristics and performance parameters, without specific information regarding any of hardware, hardware type, location, or network for providing the requested services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, James E. Sutherland, Frank Moss, Brent Smith, Charles Stallings, Mitch Mollard, William O'Brien, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20220263837
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for utilizing blockchain to implement named data networking. In various embodiments, a computing system might determine whether a cache that is communicatively coupled to the computing system contains data that is responsive to a first request received from a user. If so, the computing system might retrieve and send (to the client device) data that is responsive to the received first request. If not, the computing system might send, to a blockchain system, a second request for identifying a blockchain containing a block containing data responsive to the received first request. In response to identifying such a blockchain, the computing system might receive a copy of the identified blockchain; might abstract, from the identified blockchain, the block containing the data responsive to the received first request; might abstract the data from the identified block; and might send the data to the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Stephen Opferman, Steven M. Casey, William O'Brien, JR.
  • Publication number: 20220255948
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing a telemetry hub, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a telemetry hub that obtains sensor data from a plurality of sources and that determines one or more first actions to take in response to receiving the first sensor data. In operation, a telemetry hub might receive first sensor data from one or more sensors. The telemetry hub may determine whether the first sensor data can be trusted and whether the first sensor data is valid. Based on a determination that the first sensor data can be trusted and is valid, the telemetry hub might analyze the first sensor data to determine one or more first actions to take. The telemetry hub might then implement the one or more first actions based at least in part on the analysis of the first sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Steven M. Casey, Stephen Opferman, Hunter Rudd, James E. Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11399031
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing tracking or storing of equipment configuration data using immutable ledger functionality of blockchains. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a first request for first configuration data that is output by first equipment, a computing system might determine whether a communicatively coupled data repository contains the first configuration data. If so, the computing system might retrieve and send (to the requesting device) the first configuration data. If not, the computing system might send, to a blockchain system, a second request for identifying a blockchain containing a block containing the first configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Hunter Rudd, James E. Sutherland, Steven M. Casey
  • Patent number: 11381669
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing extension of customer local area networks (“LANs”) and/or implementing isolated service overlays over a network. In some embodiments, a network service point that is located external to a demarcation point at each of a plurality of customer premises might establish a connection between a service provider network and a customer LAN, which has already been established within a customer premises. The system subsequently extends the customer LAN, via this connection, to span between the network service point and the customer premises. Alternatively, or additionally, the system might establish two or more isolated service overlays across the customer LAN between the network service point and the customer premises, each of the two or more isolated service overlays having network traffic that is isolated from network traffic transmitted along another of the two or more isolated service overlays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Cook, Michael K. Bugenhagen, Kevin M. McBride, Andrew V. Cook
  • Patent number: 11343201
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing intent-based orchestration using network parsimony trees. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request for network services that comprises desired characteristics and performance parameters for the requested network services without information regarding specific hardware, hardware type, location, or network, a computing system might generate a request-based parsimony tree based on the desired characteristics and performance parameters. The computing system might access, from a datastore, a plurality of network-based parsimony trees that are each generated based on measured network metrics, might compare the request-based parsimony tree with each of one or more network-based parsimony trees to determine a fitness score for each network-based parsimony tree, and might identify a best-fit network-based parsimony tree based on the fitness scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Brett E. Dwyer, James E. Sutherland, Jamie Lin, Brent Smith, Glenn B. Balanoff, Frank Moss, Bryan Dreyer
  • Publication number: 20220158975
    Abstract: Implementations include providing security services to workloads deployed across various types of network environments, such as public networks, private networks, hybrid networks, customer premise network environments, and the like, by redirecting traffic intended for the service device through a security environment of the first network. After application of the security features to the incoming traffic, the “clean” traffic may be transmitted to the service device instantiated on the separate network via a tunnel. Redirection of incoming traffic to the security-providing first network may include correlating a network address of the service device to a reserved network address of a block of reserved addresses and updating a Domain Name Server (DNS) or other address resolving system with the reserved address. The return transmission tunnel may be established between the security environment and the network address of the service device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Peter BRECL, Steven CASEY, Kevin M. MCBRIDE
  • Patent number: 11323456
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing a telemetry hub, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a telemetry hub that obtains sensor data from a plurality of sources and that determines one or more first actions to take in response to receiving the first sensor data. In operation, a telemetry hub might receive first sensor data from one or more sensors. The telemetry hub may determine whether the first sensor data can be trusted and whether the first sensor data is valid. Based on a determination that the first sensor data can be trusted and is valid, the telemetry hub might analyze the first sensor data to determine one or more first actions to take. The telemetry hub might then implement the one or more first actions based at least in part on the analysis of the first sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Steven M. Casey, Stephen Opferman, Hunter Rudd, James E. Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11297069
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for utilizing blockchain to implement named data networking. In various embodiments, a computing system might determine whether a cache that is communicatively coupled to the computing system contains data that is responsive to a first request received from a user. If so, the computing system might retrieve and send (to the client device) data that is responsive to the received first request. If not, the computing system might send, to a blockchain system, a second request for identifying a blockchain containing a block containing data responsive to the received first request. In response to identifying such a blockchain, the computing system might receive a copy of the identified blockchain; might abstract, from the identified blockchain, the block containing the data responsive to the received first request; might abstract the data from the identified block; and might send the data to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. McBride, Stephen Opferman, Steven M. Casey, William O'Brien, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20220060483
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing data and source validation for equipment output data and/or for equipment failure predict. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a first request for first data that is output by first equipment, a computing system might retrieve and analyze the first data to determine whether the first data can be trusted. If so, the computing system might send the first data to the requesting device. If not, the computing system might send a second request for identifying a blockchain containing a block containing a copy of the first data. In response to the blockchain system identifying such a blockchain, the computing system might receive the identified blockchain; might abstract the block containing the copy of the first data from the identified blockchain; might abstract the first data from the block; and might send the first data to the requesting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Casey, Kevin M. McBride, William O'Brien, JR., Stephen Opferman
  • Patent number: 11212159
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing interconnection gateway and/or hub functionalities between two or more network functions virtualization (“NFV”) entities that are located in different networks. In some embodiments, a NFV interconnection gateway (“NFVIG”) might receive a set of network interconnection information from each of two or more sets of NFV entities, each set of NFV entities being located within a network separate from the networks in which the other sets of NFV entities are located. The NFVIG might be located in one of these networks. The NFVIG might abstract each set of network interconnection information, and might establish one or more links between the two or more sets of NFV entities, based at least in part on the abstracted sets of network interconnection information. The NFVIG might provide access to one or more virtualized network functions (“VNFs”) via the one or more links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Fargano, Charles I. Cook, Kevin M. McBride, William O'Brien, Jr., John McManus