Patents by Inventor Marouane Balmakhtar

Marouane Balmakhtar 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).

  • Patent number: 10361922
    Abstract: A Software-Defined Network (SDN) distributes Proxy Correlation Index (PCI) control in an SDN data-plane. An SDN controller transfers SDN signaling that indicates a data-plane PCI configuration. An SDN data machine processes the SDN signaling and configures a PCI generator and a flow controller to implement the data-plane PCI configuration. The SDN data-plane machine processes user data flows per a Flow Description Table (FDT) and generates Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the user data flows. The PCI generator generates PCIs based on the KPIs and the data-plane PCI configuration. The flow controller updates the FDT based on the PCIs and the data-plane PCI configuration. The SDN data-plane machine processes the user data flows per the updated FDT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar, Carl Joseph Persson
  • Publication number: 20190222486
    Abstract: A data communication system controls Software Defined Network (SDN) Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) executes the SDN VNFs and responsively transfers SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) computer. The MANO computer processes the SDN KPIs from the NFVI to determine an NFVI task to perform for the SDN VNFs. The NFVI task comprises at least one of: SDN VNF relocation, SDN VNF off-boarding, SDN VNF darkening, SDN VNF lightening, and SDN VNF on-boarding. The MANO computer transfers NFVI control data indicating the NFVI task to the NFVI. The NFVI performs the NFVI task for the SDN VNFs responsive to the NFV control data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Publication number: 20190215741
    Abstract: A data communication system delivers voice-conferencing and video-conferencing to User Equipment (UE). A wireless communication network establishes a signaling bearer between the UE and an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The IMS initiates a video-conference bearer for the UE over the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network exchanges video data over the video-conference bearer using Carrier Aggregation (CA). In response to a UE handover to a target wireless access node, the wireless communication network signals the IMS to convert the video-conference bearer into a voice-conference bearer based on Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology at the target wireless access node. The IMS initiates a voice-conference bearer for the UE over the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network exchanges voice data over the voice-conference bearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Aaron Paul Hinkle, G. Murat Karabulut
  • Patent number: 10341195
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Software Defined Network (SDN) controls NFV resources consumed by Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) that support a data service. An NFV Infrastructure (NFVI) executes SDN application VNFs, SDN controller VNFs, and SDN virtual Switches (vSWs) to support the data service. The NFVI responsively transfers SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). An NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) system processes the SDN KPIs to generate VNF control data to darken one of the SDN VNFs. The NFV MANO system processes the VNF control data to generate and transfer NFV control data to darken the SDN VNF. The NFVI darkens the SDN VNF responsive to the NFV control data by restricting access to NFVI hardware for the SDN VNF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Arun Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 10326669
    Abstract: A wireless communication network delivers a wireless communication service. The wireless communication network comprises a base station computer system and a network server. The base station computer system executes a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) virtual layer and responsively supports base station Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). The base station computer system executes base station VNFs and responsively delivers wireless communication services and generates base station Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The network server processes the base station KPIs and responsively directs the base station computer system to modify its support of a base station VNF. The base station computer system modifies its support of the base station VNF responsive to the network server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Patent number: 10321460
    Abstract: An Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) access point receives and processes beamforming feedback data from User Equipment (UE) to form a beamforming feedback loop, transmits a beamformed radio signal to the UE, and determines if the beamforming feedback loop is experiencing a beamforming lag condition, and if so, switches to a closed-loop spatial multiplexing transmit protocol. The OFDM access point receives and processes closed-loop spatial multiplexing feedback data from the UE to form a closed-loop spatial multiplexing feedback loop, transmits a closed-loop spatial multiplexed radio signal to the UE, and determines if the closed-loop spatial multiplexing feedback loop is experiencing a spatial multiplexing lag condition, and if so, switches to an open-loop spatial multiplexing transmit protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Nagi A. Mansour, Marouane Balmakhtar, Aaron J. Pawlowski, Kaushik Goswami
  • Patent number: 10318723
    Abstract: A Central Processing Unit (CPU) comprising an internal Network-On-Chip (NOC) core and multiple internal System-On-Chip (SOC) cores communicates with external CPUs comprising external NOC cores and external SOC cores. The internal NOC core exchanges hardware trust data with the internal SOC cores and the external NOC cores to maintain hardware trust. The internal SOC cores execute Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and responsively exchange user data with the internal NOC core for the NFV VNFs. The internal NOC core exchanges an allowed portion of the user data for the VNFs among the internal SOC cores and the external NOC cores. The internal NOC core blocks a disallowed portion of the user data to an internal SOC core or an external NOC core when hardware trust fails between the internal NOC core and the individual SOC core or NOC core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle Walter Paczkowski, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Patent number: 10313193
    Abstract: A Software-Defined Network (SDN) distributes Proxy Correlation Index (PCI) information across an SDN data-plane. A central SDN controller receives inbound SDN signaling from a source SDN controller serving a source geographic area indicating a PCI threshold breach in the SDN data-plane in the source geographic area. The central SDN controller generates PCI information that characterizes the PCI threshold breach. The central SDN controller selects a target SDN controller in a target geographic area responsive to the PCI threshold breach. The central SDN controller transfers outbound SDN signaling having the PCI information for delivery to the target SDN controller in the target geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Arun Rajagopal, Carl Joseph Persson
  • Patent number: 10305960
    Abstract: A method includes extracting a priority indicator from network communications that corresponds to a relative priority assigned by a client to one or more logical streams for a multiplexed transport connection. A stream quantity indicator is identified from network communications that corresponds to a number of logical streams initiated by the client for the multiplexed transport connection. The multiplexed transport connection is mapped to a connection profile based on one or more connection attributes of the multiplexed transport connection. Using the connection profile, a deviation of the multiplexed transport connection from a benchmark of the connection profile for the priority indicator and the stream quantity indicator is identified. A network access service of the client is altered based on the identifying of the deviation of the multiplexed transport connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Rajesh Nautiyal
  • Patent number: 10284434
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Software Defined Network (SDN) controls NFV resources consumed by Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) that support a data service. Multiple NFV Infrastructures (NFVIs) execute SDN application VNFs and SDN controller VNFs, and SDN virtual Switches (vSWs) to support the data service. The NFVIs responsively transfer SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). An NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) system processes the SDN KPIs to generate VNF control data to relocate one of the SDN VNFs. The NFV MANO system processes the VNF control data to generate and transfer NFV control data to relocate the SDN VNF. The first NFVI and the second NFVI relocate the one SDN VNF from the first NFVI to the second NFVI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Patent number: 10278100
    Abstract: A Long Term Evolution (LTE) Mobility Management Entity (MME) manages a service level for an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) media session for a User Equipment (UE). The MME exchanges first control data with the UE to establish an IMS signaling bearer and a media session bearer. The MME identifies a UE hand-over between LTE access nodes during the IMS media session and determines an access technology difference between the LTE access nodes. The MME determines when the service level for the IMS media session should be modified based on the access technology difference and exchanges service modification data with the IMS. The MME exchanges second control data with the UE to indicate a modification to the service level for the IMS media session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Aaron Paul Hinkle, G. Murat Karabulut
  • Patent number: 10243959
    Abstract: A cloud computing system. The system comprises a network, a data store communicatively coupled to the network, a plurality of compute nodes, at least some of the compute nodes comprising a cloud computing framework agent coupled to an agent gate keeper, where the cloud computing framework agent communicates with the network via the agent gate keeper, an image management component coupled to an image management gate keeper, where the image management component manages images that execute in the compute instances on the compute nodes and communicates with the network via the image management gate keeper, and a security engine coupled to the network that receives a request to initiate an image on a compute instance, analyzes the image to determine an authentication metric, and when the authentication metric matches a validated authentication value, sends the image to the image management component for loading and instantiating in the computer instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Carl J. Persson, Arun Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 10237274
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) controls a Software Defined Network (SDN) Application Programming Interface (API) between a source SDN Virtual Network Function (VNF) and a target SDN VNF. NFV circuitry executes the source SDN VNF and transfers an identity code embedded in the source SDN VNF to Management and Orchestration (MANO) circuitry. The MANO circuitry translates the SDN VNF identity code into API privileges between the source SDN VNF and the target SDN VNF. The MANO circuitry transfers the SDN API privileges to the target SDN VNF. The NFV circuitry executes the source SDN VNF and transfers SDN API data from the source SDN VNF to the target SDN VNF. The NFV circuitry executes the target SDN VNF and processes the SDN API data based on the SDN API privileges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Arun Rajagopal
  • Publication number: 20190020553
    Abstract: A wireless communication network delivers a wireless communication service. The wireless communication network comprises a base station computer system and a network server. The base station computer system executes a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) virtual layer and responsively supports base station Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). The base station computer system executes base station VNFs and responsively delivers wireless communication services and generates base station Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The network server processes the base station KPIs and responsively directs the base station computer system to modify its support of a base station VNF. The base station computer system modifies its support of the base station VNF responsive to the network server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Patent number: 10171450
    Abstract: A system for authenticating client devices for communication with one or more wireless communications networks, includes a client device configured to receive a client-side global time from a time tracking system and generate a response to an authentication challenge based on the authentication challenge, the client-side global time, a client device identifier associated with the client device, and optionally location data that corresponds to a location of the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Ramana Venkata Gollamudi
  • Patent number: 10172063
    Abstract: A wireless network backhaul node serves eNodeBs. The backhaul node exchanges user data and network signaling between the eNodeBs and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) core. The backhaul node receives loading information from the eNodeBs and determines overloaded eNodeBs and underloaded eNodeBs. The backhaul node selects handover thresholds for the eNodeBs to inhibit handovers from the underloaded eNodeBs to the overloaded eNodeBs and to encourage handovers from the overloaded eNodeBs to the underloaded eNodeBs. The backhaul node transfers the selected handover thresholds to the eNodeBs. The backhaul node also performs X2 and/or S1 handover assistance for the eNodeBs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Aaron Paul Hinkle
  • Patent number: 10164914
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Software-Defined Network (SDN) communicates across network boundaries with other NFV SDNs to support a data communication service. An NFV orchestrator transfers forwarding graphs for service, NFV, and SDN Network-to-Network Interfaces (NNIs) to an SDN controller. The SDN controller converts the forwarding graphs into forwarding instructions and transfers the forwarding instructions for the service, NFV, and SDN NNIs to an NFV SDN switching system. The NFV orchestrator uses the NFV NNI to transfer its forwarding graphs over the NFV SDN switching system across the network boundary to another NFV orchestrator. The SDN controller uses the SDN NNI to transfer its forwarding instructions over the NFV SDN switching system across the network boundary to another SDN controller. The NFV SDN switching system uses the service NNI to transfer user data across the network boundary to another NFV SDN switching system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar, Lyle Walter Paczkowski
  • Publication number: 20180332052
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) maintains hardware-trusted communications. In the NFVI, a hardware-trust controller executes at a Ring 0 security level. A target Virtual Switch (vSW) executes under control of the hardware-trust controller. The hardware-trust controller transfers hardware-trust data to the target vSW that indicates hardware-trusted vSWs. The target vSW receives a Virtual Data Unit (VDU) from a source vSW. The target vSW transfers the VDU when the source vSW is one of the hardware-trusted vSWs. The target vSW blocks the VDU when the source vSW is not one of the hardware-trusted vSWs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Lyle Walter Paczkowski, James Patrick Sisul, Marouane Balmakhtar
  • Patent number: 10116646
    Abstract: A Software-Defined Network (SDN) data-plane machine stores flow data and a hardware-trust key. The SDN data-plane machine receives and processes a hardware-trust challenge based on the hardware-trust key to generate and transfer a hardware-trust response. The SDN data-plane machine receives and routes user data based on the flow data. The SDN data-plane machine receives flow modification data from SDN controllers and determines if the SDN controllers are authorized by the hardware-trust controller before modifying the flow data. The SDN data-plane machine receives and routes additional user data responsive to the modified flow data. The SDN data-plane machine reports SDN controllers that attempt to modify the flow data but that are not authorized by the hardware-trust controller to modify the flow data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Marouane Balmakhtar, Arun Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 10110462
    Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) data system controls virtual Probe (vProbe) deployment in an NFV Infrastructure (NFVI). An NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) system receives Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the NFVI and processes the KPIs to generate NFV indices. The MANO system processes the NFV indices to trigger a vProbe deployment in the NFVI. Before vProbe deployment, the NFV MANO system compares the NFV indices that triggered the vProbe deployment to false-positive vProbe deployment criteria. The NFV MANO system blocks the vProbe deployment when the NFV indices that triggered the vProbe deployment correspond to the false-positive vProbe deployment criteria. The NFV MANO system initiates the vProbe deployment when the triggering NFV indices do not correspond to the false-positive vProbe deployment criteria. The NFVI may execute SDN applications and controllers that communicate over a virtual switch that hosts the vProbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Rajagopal, Marouane Balmakhtar, Carl Joseph Persson