Abstract: In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes in a computer network, the minimalistic data collection nodes configured to generate sensed data values of a particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values. The system also comprises a plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network, the capable data collecting nodes configured to store the data values of the minimalistic data collection nodes from the DA packets. One or more points of use of the system may be configured to request the data values, wherein one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the system are configured to service the request in substantially real-time on behalf of the minimalistic data collection nodes with the stored data values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises providing an apparatus having exclusive access to each of one or more central processing units (CPUs) of a computing system and exclusive access to host resources of the computing system; and controlling, by the apparatus, execution of a virtual machine in the computing system based on the apparatus controlling access to any one of the CPUs or any one of the host resources according to prescribed policies for the virtual machine, the prescribed policies maintained exclusively by the apparatus.

Abstract: A method includes selecting a path for routing a data packet from a source node to a destination node in a vehicular ad hoc network, storing the data packet if the selected path is identified as a dead end, and establishing a communication link with a first node. The method also includes forwarding the data packet to the first node if a first distance between the first node and the destination node is less than a second distance between the source node and the destination node. More specific embodiments include sending a query for location information of the destination node, receiving the location information including two or more available paths from the source node to the destination node, and determining the path for routing the data packet is an optimal path of the two or more available paths.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the techniques herein provide that a node may receive indicia of a fault state in one or more components of a computer network. Based on the indicia, the node may then identify a network dependency group including a plurality of network components that are hierarchically associated with the one or more components. The node may then receive, from a database, a time series of performance data values corresponding to the network dependency group, wherein the time series comprises performance data values from before and after the onset of the fault state. The node may then identify altered performance data values in the time series comprising values which differ before and after onset of the fault state, and then determine a root cause of the fault state by identifying one or more particular components within the network dependency group that are associated with the altered performance data values.

Abstract: A method in one example embodiment includes identifying a power state and a battery level of a vehicle. The method also includes allocating power to critical applications (for example) in response to determining that the battery level is above a reserve threshold while the power state of the vehicle is engine-off. The method also includes allocating remaining power in excess of the reserve threshold to non-critical applications according to a power management policy. The power management policy may comprise at least one of a user power preference index and an application power preference index.

Abstract: A method includes establishing communication channels between an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicle and a plurality of nodes, tagging each of a plurality of data from the plurality of nodes with a priority level, storing the plurality of data in a priority queue according to respective priority levels, selecting a medium to present a first data of the plurality of data to a user, and presenting the first data to the user via the medium. In the method, the plurality of nodes includes a remote node and an in-vehicle device. Another method includes receiving a data from a remote node, generating a plurality of data streams from the data and transmitting the plurality of data streams across a plurality of wireless interfaces. Another method includes enhancing audio signals from a plurality of microphones and speakers. Yet another method includes various gesture based user interfaces coupled to the OBU.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a transmitter) determines a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication, and also determines priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame. Application data bits may then be placed into symbols of the communication frame, where higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed. The communication frame may then be transmitted to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols. In another embodiment, the particular constellation map may be dynamically selected from a plurality of available constellation maps, such as based on communication channel conditions and/or applications generating the data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a transmitter) determines a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication, and also determines priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame. Application data bits may then be placed into symbols of the communication frame, where higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed. The communication frame may then be transmitted to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols. In another embodiment, the particular constellation map may be dynamically selected from a plurality of available constellation maps, such as based on communication channel conditions and/or applications generating the data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a communication device of a communication network determines its available power level, and also estimates a power requirement to receive an expected transmission from a transmitter of the communication network. By determining whether the available power level is sufficient for the estimated power requirement, the device may correspondingly provide feedback to the transmitter regarding whether the available power level is sufficient for the estimated power requirement (e.g., if insufficient, either ignoring the transmission or returning an explicit reply). In another embodiment, further power conservation may be afforded through a radio-triggered wake-up mechanism.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the techniques herein provide that a node may receive indicia of a fault state in one or more components of a computer network. Based on the indicia, the node may then identify a network dependency group including a plurality of network components that are hierarchically associated with the one or more components. The node may then receive, from a database, a time series of performance data values corresponding to the network dependency group, wherein the time series comprises performance data values from before and after the onset of the fault state. The node may then identify altered performance data values in the time series comprising values which differ before and after onset of the fault state, and then determine a root cause of the fault state by identifying one or more particular components within the network dependency group that are associated with the altered performance data values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local node in a communication network determines a set of its neighbor nodes, and determines a respective occurrence frequency at which each particular neighbor node is to be probed based on a rate of change in distance between the local node and the particular neighbor node. The local node may then probe each particular neighbor node according to the respective occurrence frequency to determine the rate of change in distance between the local node and each particular neighbor node, and one or more routing metrics for reaching each particular neighbor node. As such, the local node may select, based on the probing, a suitable preferred next-hop node of the set of neighbor nodes for a corresponding routing topology.

Abstract: A method includes establishing communication channels between an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicle and a plurality of nodes, tagging each of a plurality of data from the plurality of nodes with a priority level, storing the plurality of data in a priority queue according to respective priority levels, selecting a medium to present a first data of the plurality of data to a user, and presenting the first data to the user via the medium. In the method, the plurality of nodes includes a remote node and an in-vehicle device. Another method includes receiving a data from a remote node, generating a plurality of data streams from the data and transmitting the plurality of data streams across a plurality of wireless interfaces. Another method includes enhancing audio signals from a plurality of microphones and speakers. Yet another method includes various gesture based user interfaces coupled to the OBU.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes in a computer network, the minimalistic data collection nodes configured to generate sensed data values of a particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values. The system also comprises a plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network, the capable data collecting nodes configured to store the data values of the minimalistic data collection nodes from the DA packets. One or more points of use of the system may be configured to request the data values, wherein one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the system are configured to service the request in substantially real-time on behalf of the minimalistic data collection nodes with the stored data values.

Abstract: A method includes joining a vehicular access network (VAN) comprising cooperative communication between a plurality of on-board units (OBU) in respective vehicles, scanning the VAN to pick up a coverage of at least one infrastructure access point (IAP), which operates on a control channel in a radio access tree (RAT) comprising a plurality of cells, listening to a channel allocation information from the IAP that includes a request for a mobile cell gateway (MCG) at a nominal location in the RAT, and sending a candidacy message to the at least one IAP to become an MCG. Certain embodiments include establishing the VAN in a highway, and in urban areas, aggregating traffic in a cell and transmitting to the IAP via the MCG, and other features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a transmitter) determines a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication, and also determines priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame. Application data bits may then be placed into symbols of the communication frame, where higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed. The communication frame may then be transmitted to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols. In another embodiment, the particular constellation map may be dynamically selected from a plurality of available constellation maps, such as based on communication channel conditions and/or applications generating the data.

Abstract: A method includes joining a vehicular access network (VAN) comprising cooperative communication between a plurality of on-board units (OBU) in respective vehicles, scanning the VAN to pick up a coverage of at least one infrastructure access point (IAP), which operates on a control channel in a radio access tree (RAT) comprising a plurality of cells, listening to a channel allocation information from the IAP that includes a request for a mobile cell gateway (MCG) at a nominal location in the RAT, and sending a candidacy message to the at least one IAP to become an MCG. Certain embodiments include establishing the VAN in a highway, and in urban areas, aggregating traffic in a cell and transmitting to the IAP via the MCG, and other features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a universal programming module on a first device collects context and state information from a local application executing on the first device, and provides the context and state information to a context mobility agent on the first device. The context mobility agent establishes a peer-to-peer connection with a second device, and transfers the context and state information to the second device, such that a remote application may be configured to execute according to the transferred context and state information from the first device. In another embodiment, the context mobility agent receives remote context and remote state information from the second device, wherein the remote application had been executing according to the remote context and remote state information, and provides the remote context and remote state information to the universal programming module to configure the local application to execute according to the remote context and remote state information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local node in a communication network determines a set of its neighbor nodes, and determines a respective occurrence frequency at which each particular neighbor node is to be probed based on a rate of change in distance between the local node and the particular neighbor node. The local node may then probe each particular neighbor node according to the respective occurrence frequency to determine the rate of change in distance between the local node and each particular neighbor node, and one or more routing metrics for reaching each particular neighbor node. As such, the local node may select, based on the probing, a suitable preferred next-hop node of the set of neighbor nodes for a corresponding routing topology.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a router operating in a hierarchically routed computer network may receive collected data from one or more hierarchically lower devices in the network (e.g., hierarchically lower sensors or routers). The collected data may then be converted to aggregated metadata according to a dynamic schema, and the aggregated metadata is stored at the router. The aggregated metadata may also be transmitted to one or more hierarchically higher routers in the network. Queries may then be served by the router based on the aggregated metadata, accordingly.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an energy-harvesting communication device of a communication network accumulates energy, e.g., electromagnetic energy. Upon detecting that the accumulated energy surpasses a sufficient threshold, the communication device may transmit a message into the communication network using the accumulated energy as an unreliable and unsynchronized broadcast transmission to any available receiver within the communication network.