Abstract: A grant-free transmission mode may be used to communicate small traffic transmissions to reduce overhead and latency. The grant-free transmission mode may be used in downlink and uplink data channels of a wireless network. In the downlink channel, a base station transmits packets to a group of UEs in a search space without communicating any transmission code assignments to the UEs. The UEs receive the downlink packets using blind detection. In the uplink channel, UEs transmit packets in an access space using assigned access codes which are either independently derived by the UEs or otherwise communicated by the base station using a slow-signaling channel. Hence, the grant-free transmission mode allows mobile devices to make small traffic transmissions without waiting for uplink grant requests.

Abstract: An embodiment method includes receiving service parameters for a service and locating logical network nodes for a service-specific data plane logical topology at respective physical network nodes among a plurality of physical network nodes according to the service parameters, a service-level topology, and a physical infrastructure of the plurality of physical network nodes. The method also includes defining connections among the logical network nodes according to the service parameters, the service-level topology, and the physical infrastructure, and defining respective connections for a plurality of UEs to at least one of the logical network nodes according to the service parameters, the service-level topology, and the physical infrastructure. The method further includes defining respective functionalities for the logical network nodes.

Abstract: A method embodiment includes implementing, by a base station (BS), a grant-free uplink transmission scheme. The grant-free uplink transmission scheme defines a first contention transmission unit (CTU) access region in a time-frequency domain, defines a plurality of CTUs, defines a default CTU mapping scheme by mapping at least some of the plurality of CTUs to the first CTU access region, and defines a default user equipment (UE) mapping scheme by defining rules for mapping a plurality of UEs to the plurality of CTUs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a representative bandwidth calculation in a network include receiving a request for representative bandwidth information; obtaining network measurements; combining, filtering, and retiming network measurements based on the request to determine the representative bandwidth information. The systems and methods convert the combined, filtered, and retimed network measurements into the representative bandwidth information which has an additive property in an algebraic domain. The additive property enables the representative bandwidth information to be used for admission control, overbooking determinations, network planning, and/or dynamic pricing in the network.

Abstract: Hierarchical Software Defined Network (SDN) architectures can be used to reduce complexity of traffic engineering in large or diverse network environments. In hierarchical SDN architectures, a network is sub-divided into multiple regions, and each region is assigned to a different SDN controller. Network status information is collected and consolidated at a regional level, and fed upstream through the SDN control plane until it reaches a root SDN controller. The root-SDN controller computes cost-based parameters, which are distributed to regional SDN controllers for local provisioning. The cost-based parameters can include Lagrangian variables estimations or other parameters that constrain regional traffic engineering optimization in a manner that advances global traffic engineering objectives.

Abstract: In a wireless (e.g., machine-to-machine) network, items of user equipment compete for wireless communication resource slots (“resources”). In a contention period, an item of user equipment (a UE) sends a first signal to a base station using a first resource. The first resource is mapped to a second resource in a data transmission period. If the base station successfully receives the first signal, it sends a second signal to the UE to confirm that the UE has been awarded the second resource and can transmit data in the data transmission period.

Abstract: Systems and methods for instantiating a network service in a network include receiving a service request for a network service; determining network resources in the network to instantiate the network service; determining a price for the network resources utilizing forecasts with adjustments to the price based on a current network status; providing the price in response to the service request; and responsive to acceptance of the price, causing instantiation of the network service through the network resources in the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods of service enhancement in a Software Defined Networking (SDN) network include performing an evaluation of one or more services in the SDN network for service enhancements; performing a scoring of the service enhancements of the one or more services; and causing implementation of at least one of the service enhancements in the SDN network. The evaluation can be based on temporarily implementing the service enhancements and measuring a benefit thereof. The evaluation can also be based on estimating the service enhancements based on historical measurements from the SDN network.

Abstract: A method for performing optical channel telemetry. The method may include generating various channel estimates of an optical channel, wherein the channel estimates are generated by an optical detector. The method may further include determining, from the channel estimates, various channel properties regarding the optical channel. The method may further include determining, using a summarization function and the channel properties, a channel summary that describes a portion of the optical channel during a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time corresponds to a processor interval of a computer processor. The method may further include transmitting, over a network, the channel summary to an optical network controller.

Abstract: A software designed protocol (SDP) network node includes a receiver, and a processor operatively coupled to the receiver. The receiver receives instructions, and receives packets. The processor updates a configuration of the SDP network node in accordance with the received instructions, and processes the received packets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for network service pricing and service resource management, implemented by a server communicatively coupled to a Software Defined Networking (SDN) network configured to provide the network service. The systems and methods includes receiving a service request for a network service in the SDN network; determining one or more price categories and one or more network resources for the service request, wherein the network resources are selected to instantiate the network service; adjusting a price of the network resources by adjusting the price within a range of the price categories based on current and known future network information of the SDN network; and responsive to acceptance of the price, instantiating the network service through the network resources in the SDN network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for service enhancement discovery in a Software Defined Networking (SDN) network include obtaining network measurements for one or more candidate services in the network; utilizing the network measurements to determine one or more service enhancements for the one or more candidate services; determining a cost and a benefit for each of the service enhancements for the one or more candidate services; and providing the service enhancements for the one or more candidate services based on associated cost and associated benefit of each of the service enhancements.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reducing traffic over a wireless link through the compression or suppression of high layer packets carrying predictable background data prior to transportation over a wireless link. The methods include intercepting application layer protocol packets carrying the predictable background data. In embodiments where the background data is periodic in nature, the high layer packets may be compressed into low-layer signaling indicators for communication over a low-layer control channel (e.g., an on off keying (OOK) channel). Alternatively, the high layer packets may be suppressed entirely (not transported over the wireless link) when a receiver side daemon is configured to autonomously replicate the periodic background nature according to a projected interval. In other embodiments, compression techniques may be used to reduce overhead attributable to non-periodic background data that is predictable in context.

Abstract: Dynamic policy systems and methods for implementing network management of a network include pre-calculating management policies for the network, in an off-line manner, based on past observed network load taking into consideration seasonality of network load, forecasts of the network load, and planned events on the network load; selecting a policy from the pre-calculated management policies, to manage the network in an on-line manner, wherein the selecting is either time-based or performance-based; and performing network management functions in the network utilizing the selected policy.

Abstract: A software designed protocol (SDP) network node includes a receiver, and a processor operatively coupled to the receiver. The receiver receives instructions, and receives packets. The processor updates a configuration of the SDP network node in accordance with the received instructions, and processes the received packets.

Abstract: A method for agile wireless access network includes determining, by a network controller, capabilities and neighborhood relations of radio nodes in the radio access network. The network controller then configures a backhaul network infrastructure for the radio access network in accordance with the capabilities and the neighborhood relations of the radio nodes.

Abstract: Traffic-adaptive network control systems and methods for a network, implemented by a server, include monitoring data associated with the network; generating a traffic forecast based on the monitored data; generating a schedule of actions based on a comparison of the traffic forecast to observed data; and causing orchestration of the actions in the network based on the generated schedule. The network can include a Software Defined Networking (SDN) network.

Abstract: Modem reclamation systems and methods for optimizing optical modem use in a network include determining costs and capacity range for Lx adjacencies in the network based on Lx information and L0 information, wherein Lx is a digital layer with routed traffic and L0 is a media layer with optical modems that are reclaimed when their utilization is reduced in the digital layer; determining an order of Lx connection moves that minimizes the costs of the Lx adjacencies, to reclaim or minimize the optical modem use; and performing the Lx connection moves based on the order and updating the Lx adjacencies.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for pausing data transmission in a full-duplex wireless network. Embodiments eliminate the deadlocks in the full duplex MAC layer and improve the system efficiency. In an embodiment, a method in a wirelessly enabled and full duplex enabled network component for pausing an ongoing data transmission includes beginning a transmission, with the network component, of first data to a first station; determining, with the network component, that transmission of a second data to a second station is required before completion of the transmission of the first data to the first station; transmitting, with the network component, a pause indicator to the first station notifying the first station that transmission of the first data will be paused; transmitting, with the network component, the second data to the second station; and resuming transmitting, with the network component, the first data to the first station.

Abstract: A method for performing optical channel telemetry. The method may include generating various channel estimates of an optical channel, wherein the channel estimates are generated by an optical detector. The method may further include determining, from the channel estimates, various channel properties regarding the optical channel. The method may further include determining, using a summarization function and the channel properties, a channel summary that describes a portion of the optical channel during a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time corresponds to a processor interval of a computer processor. The method may further include transmitting, over a network, the channel summary to an optical network controller.