Abstract: A system and method for pricing and exchanging content is provided, which includes a data plane formed by a peer-to-peer content sharing network or a central server allowing for client-server content transfers, and a control plane formed by a central server in communication with the data plane via the Internet. The data plane allows for the storage of digital content provided by users and the transfer of content therebetween, and the control plane provides a virtual market in which such content is sold between users using virtual currency that can be exchanged for real currency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy for an access network are disclosed. For example, the method receives an access network structure, and removes one or more unnecessary 2D edges or 3D edges from a simplex cover for the access network structure. The method then performs a search on the simplex cover; and, generates a new access network structure that includes the redundancy.

Abstract: Methods are generally described for distributing and storing contents over a wireless network in a home or another similar environment. A storage device may be configured to automatically download content using broadband communications. A wireless device may establish communication with the storage device when within range for wireless communications. The established communications with the storage device may be a direct wireless communication link or an indirect communication link through other networking devices. The wireless device may download contents from the storage device during an idle time when the wireless device has sufficient power available. Downloaded content may be manually or automatically selected. Downloading may be handed off from one storage device to another storage device that has greater wireless signal strength. Downloading may be multicast from a network device to both the wireless device and the storage device.

Abstract: A cross-layer protocol may generally provide joint control of power and schedule in a fully distributed manner without any centralized coordination for an interference-limited wireless network. Under the described protocol, each wireless device may use a detection trial to locally detect interference condition and randomly back off in a distributed manner. Based on the result of the detection trial, the wireless device may then shift between (1) a pure power control mode with power control and (2) a time sharing mode with joint power and scheduling control. The wireless device may also use the amount of backlog in its queue buffer to determine the duration of a silence period in the time sharing mode and an increment to the power level provided by the power control algorithm.

Abstract: An extension to TCP is generally provided that allows TCP to handle heterogeneous applications, especially those with delay and smoothness-sensitive contents, and wireless transmission media having noisy, fading radio channels. The TCP extension decouples reliability control from rate control, sacrificing reliability for delay control (transmission rate and retransmission decision) that may be suitable for delay and smoothness-sensitive contents. Furthermore, the TCP extension may select TCP variants and modifications to the TCP variants based on one or more of application needs, channel conditions, or local observables such as loss and delay to better adapt to different types of applications and physical layers.

Abstract: Embodiment of the disclosure set forth methods for sharing data in a wireless network. Some example methods include storing in a database a content related information associated with a first mobile device, receiving a request for the content related information from a second mobile device, searching the database for the content related information, and transmitting a search result to the second mobile device to enable the transfer of content between the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to generate node-disjoint routing paths from a root node to each node in a network node set, identify potential intermediate office node (IO) candidate pairs from the generated node-disjoint routing paths, generate a per central office node (CO) serving cost estimate for each IO candidate pair, and identify a low cost IO candidate pair having at least two node-disjoint paths to the root node without traversing nodes along a diverse path between the low cost IO candidate pair and subtending CO nodes.

Abstract: One embodiment of the disclosure sets for a method for synchronizing multiple mobile devices in a wireless network, which includes the steps of calculating a time interval for a first mobile device to respond to a request, receiving timing information of the first mobile device, determining a first offset associated with the first mobile device based on the time interval and the timing information, receiving a first data stream including the timing information of the first mobile device, and inserting a first dataset into the first data stream based on the first offset before transmitting the first data stream.

Abstract: A hierarchical wireless network is provided with a mesh backbone network portion and a switching tree network portion. The mesh backbone network portion includes first tier nodes each having at least one wireless link to another first tier node. The first tier nodes execute a link-state protocol for routing packets. The switching tree network portion includes second tier nodes each having a single wireless link to one first tier node and at least one wireless link to one third tier node, and third tier nodes each having a single wireless link to one second tier node. The second tier and the third tier nodes execute switching rules for switching packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy for an access network are disclosed. For example, the method receives an access network structure, and removes one or more unnecessary 2D edges or 3D edges from a simplex cover for the access network structure. The method then performs a search on the simplex cover; and, generates a new access network structure that includes the redundancy.

Abstract: Peer-to-peer communications sessions involve the transmission of one or more data streams from a source to a set of receivers that may redistribute portions of the data stream via a set of routing trees. Achieving a comparatively high, sustainable data rate throughput of the data stream(s) may be difficult due to the large number of available routing trees, as well as pertinent variations in the nature of the communications session (e.g., upload communications caps, network link caps, the presence or absence of helpers, and the full or partial interconnectedness of the network.) The selection of routing trees may be facilitated through the representation of the node set according to a linear programming model, such as a primal model or a linear programming dual model, and iterative processes for applying such models and identifying low-cost routing trees during an iteration.

Abstract: Peer-to-peer communications sessions involve the transmission of one or more data streams from a source to a set of receivers that may redistribute portions of the data stream via a set of routing trees. Achieving a comparatively high, sustainable data rate throughput of the data stream(s) may be difficult due to the large number of available routing trees, as well as pertinent variations in the nature of the communications session (e.g., upload communications caps, network link caps, the presence or absence of helpers, and the full or partial interconnectedness of the network.) The selection of routing trees may be facilitated through the representation of the node set according to a linear programming model, such as a primal model or a linear programming dual model, and iterative processes for applying such models and identifying low-cost routing trees during an iteration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for configuring a network topology with alternative communication paths. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network management system (NMS) having a network identification element that identifies a tree topology of network elements in a communication system comprising a root node and a plurality of leaf nodes, a network configuration element that specifies a desired number of alternative communication paths between each of the plurality of leaf nodes and the root node, and a network restructuring element that determines a configuration of additional lateral and vertical communication paths superimposed on a portion of the plurality of leaf nodes that achieves a desired cost objective according to the desired number of alternative paths and associated cost attributes. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for network design are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, embedded network information describing at least one existing network element and a plurality of physical locations available for locating new network nodes may be received. A demand forecast for a coverage area of a proposed network may also be received. In an embodiment in which a proposed network has a core layer, a number of core layer nodes to be included in the proposed network may also be received. In an embodiment in which a proposed network has an aggregation layer, a number of aggregator layer nodes to include in the proposed network may be calculated by adding a positive integer to a lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes. Consideration may be given to these and other inputs in connection with generating a network design.

Abstract: A system and method for Ethernet network design are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, embedded network information describing at least one existing network element and a plurality of physical locations available for locating new network nodes may be inputted. A demand forecast for a coverage area of a proposed network may also be inputted. In an embodiment in which a to-be-designed network has at least a core layer and an aggregation layer, a number of core layer nodes and aggregator nodes to be included in the proposed network may also be inputted. Consideration may be given to these and other inputs in connection with generating a potential network design for the proposed network, and a cost of implementing the potential network design may be calculated.

Abstract: Systems and methods of delivering video content are provided. A method of delivering video content is provided that includes predicting a channel change request at a network device. The predicted channel change request indicates a predicted stream of video content. The method also includes generating a control signal at the network device related to the predicted channel change request and storing the control signal at a data storage device associated with the network device. In an illustrative embodiment, the network device stores the control signal when the network device is associated with a first data capacity. Additionally, the network device sends a video content request to a service provider server when the network device is associated with a second data capacity. The video content request is related to the predicted stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for configuring a network topology with alternative communication paths. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network management system (NMS) having a network identification element that identifies a tree topology of network elements in a communication system comprising a root node and a plurality of leaf nodes, a network configuration element that specifies a desired number of alternative communication paths between each of the plurality of leaf nodes and the root node, and a network restructuring element that determines a configuration of additional lateral and vertical communication paths superimposed on a portion of the plurality of leaf nodes that achieves a desired cost objective according to the desired number of alternative paths and associated cost attributes. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to generate node-disjoint routing paths from a root node to each node in a network node set, identify potential intermediate office node (IO) candidate pairs from the generated node-disjoint routing paths, generate a per central office node (CO) serving cost estimate for each IO candidate pair, and identify a low cost IO candidate pair having at least two node-disjoint paths to the root node without traversing nodes along a diverse path between the low cost IO candidate pair and subtending CO nodes.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for deploying a network architecture. A first stage and a second stage of the network architecture are deployed. The second stage is deployed from the first stage. A total deployment across the first stage and the second stage of deployment is determined together before the first stage is deployed.

Abstract: A system and method for Ethernet network design are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, embedded network information describing at least one existing network element and a plurality of physical locations available for locating new network nodes may be inputted. A demand forecast for a coverage area of a proposed network may also be inputted. In an embodiment in which a to-be-designed network has at least a core layer and an aggregation layer, a number of core layer nodes and aggregator nodes to be included in the proposed network may also be inputted. Consideration may be given to these and other inputs in connection with generating a potential network design for the proposed network, and a cost of implementing the potential network design may be calculated.