Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods and devices for managing network congestion. Preferred implementations of the invention allow congestion to be pushed from congestion points in the core of a network to reaction points, which may be edge devices, host devices or components thereof. Preferably, rate limiters shape individual flows of the reaction points that are causing congestion. Parameters of these rate limiters are preferably tuned based on feedback from congestion points, e.g., in the form of backward congestion notification (“BCN”) messages. In some implementations, such BCN messages include congestion change information and at least one instantaneous measure of congestion. The instantaneous measure(s) of congestion may be relative to a threshold of a particular queue and/or relative to a threshold of a buffer that includes a plurality of queues.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a session rate limit calculator and a rate limiter. The session rate limit calculator can be configured to compute a session rate limit for a given session of a plurality of active streaming media sessions based on state information for the given session and state information for a downstream bottleneck link to which the apparatus feeds the plurality of active streaming media sessions. The rate limiter can be configured to control downstream traffic for the given session based on the computed session rate limit and to provide corresponding rate-limited downstream traffic for the given session.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an HTTP streaming session may be initiated at a client device in a network. The client device may have a buffer and may be configured to request and receive one or more data segments over HTTP from an HTTP server. A first data segment at a first data source rate may be requested and subsequently received. The first data segment may be stored in the buffer. A second data source rate may then be calculated based on a storage level in the buffer, and a second data segment at the second data source rate may be requested.

Abstract: A method in one embodiment includes intercepting a message in an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicular network environment between a source and a receiver in the vehicular network environment, verifying the message is sent from the source, verifying the message is not altered, evaluating a set of source flow control policies associated with the source, and blocking the message if the set of source flow control policies indicate the message is not permitted. In specific embodiments, the message is not permitted if a level of access assigned to the source in the set of source flow control policies does not match a level of access tagged on the message. In further embodiments, the method includes evaluating a set of receiver flow control policies associated with the receiver, and blocking the message if the set of receiver flow control policies indicates the message is not permitted.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes estimating a current queuing latency, the estimated current queuing latency being associated with a queue of packets maintained in a buffer. The method also includes calculating a current drop or mark probability, the current drop or mark probability being associated with a probability that packets associated with the queue of packets will be dropped or marked. A rate at which the packets associated with the queue of packets are dequeued from the buffer is estimated in order to estimate the current queuing latency. The current drop or mark probability is calculated using the current estimated queuing latency.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes generating a transmission control protocol (TCP) flow; marking a plurality of packets of the TCP flow with one of two differentiated services code points (DSCPs) according to a proportion that is selected to control a throughput associated with the TCP flow; and communicating at least a portion of the plurality of packets to a network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining blood brain barrier (BBB) damage and treating patients who may have suffered from BBB damage due to an ischemic event are provided. The methods and apparatus involve detecting the presence of cleaved occludin fragments in a sample of blood. According to some embodiments, the method further provides determining the degree of BBB damage based on the concentration of occludin fragments in the sample. In further embodiments the present disclosure provides kits for detecting the presence of occludin fragments in a blood sample.

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: A method in one embodiment includes detecting a trigger on an electronic device and identifying an interface usage policy for an agent and a corresponding application on the electronic device. The method also includes selecting a first wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces on the electronic device for a network session between an application process of the application and a remote node, with the first wireless interface being selected based on one or more criteria in the interface usage policy. In specific embodiments the electronic device is an on-board unit of a vehicle. In more specific embodiments a second wireless interface is selected based on the interface usage policy, the first and second wireless interfaces are different physical interfaces on the electronic device. In other specific embodiments, the first and second wireless interfaces are virtual interfaces of a single physical interface on the electronic device.

Abstract: Weighted fair sharing of video bandwidth may be provided, for example, over TCP. First, a number of connections with a receiver may be opened. The number of active connections may be proportional to a weighting parameter associated with a stream. Next, the stream may be transmitted over the number of active connections and feedback information may be obtained corresponding to the stream received at the receiver. A quality adaptation may then be made based on the obtained feedback. The process may be repeated over time with the number of active connections changing along with the weighting parameters.

Abstract: An example method includes sending a virtual output queue (VOQ) length of a VOQ to an egress chip. The VOQ relates to a flow routed through an egress port associated with the egress chip. The method also includes receiving fair share information for the VOQ from the egress chip, and enforcing a control action on the incoming packets based on the fair share information. An ingress chip and the egress chip can be provided in a VOQ switch. The control action is a selected one of a group of actions, the group consisting of: (a) dropping packets, (b) pausing packets, and (c) marking packets. The method can further include receiving VOQ lengths of corresponding VOQs from respective ingress chips, where the VOQs relate to the flow. The method can also include calculating respective fair share information for each VOQ, and sending the fair share information to the respective ingress chips.

Abstract: A system includes an on-board unit (OBU) in communication with an internal subsystem in a vehicle on at least one Ethernet network and a node on a wireless network. A method in one embodiment includes receiving a message on the Ethernet network in the vehicle, encapsulating the message to facilitate translation to Ethernet protocol if the message is not in Ethernet protocol, and transmitting the message in Ethernet protocol to its destination. Certain embodiments include optimizing data transmission over the wireless network using redundancy caches, dictionaries, object contexts databases, speech templates and protocol header templates, and cross layer optimization of data flow from a receiver to a sender over a TCP connection. Certain embodiments also include dynamically identifying and selecting an operating frequency with least interference for data transmission over the wireless network.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving media data at an adaptive streaming client; updating an estimated available bandwidth associated with a media stream associated with the media data; filtering the estimated available bandwidth; mapping the filtered estimated available bandwidth to a media bitrate for the media stream; and updating a target segment delay that is to control time intervals between consecutive segment downloads of the media stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods and devices for managing network congestion. Preferred implementations of the invention allow congestion to be pushed from congestion points in the core of a network to reaction points, which may be edge devices, host devices or components thereof. Preferably, rate limiters shape individual flows of the reaction points that are causing congestion. Parameters of these rate limiters are preferably tuned based on feedback from congestion points, e.g., in the form of backward congestion notification (“BCN”) messages. In some implementations, such BCN messages include congestion change information and at least one instantaneous measure of congestion. The instantaneous measure(s) of congestion may be relative to a threshold of a particular queue and/or relative to a threshold of a buffer that includes a plurality of queues.

Abstract: In one implementation, an input queue switch provides latency fairness across multiple input ports and multiple output ports. In one embodiment, each input port maintains a virtual output queue for each associate output port. The virtual output queues across multiple inputs are aggregated for each specific output port. The sum of the lengths of the virtual output queues is compared to a threshold, and based on the comparison, feedback may be generated to control the operation of the input port for subsequent packets. The feedback may instruct the input port to stop buffering or drop packets destined for the output port with the sum of the lengths of the virtual output queues associated to the specific output port that exceeds the threshold. In another embodiment, each packet has an arrival timestamp, and a virtual output queue having the oldest timestamp is selected first to dequeue.

Abstract: Media-aware and TCP-compatible bandwidth sharing may be provided. In various embodiments, a network node may periodically update a virtual congestion level for a transmission stream in a network. The transmission stream may comprise at least one video stream and at least one data stream. The network node may then calculate, based at least in part on the virtual congestion level, a random packet marking probability or a random packet drop probability. In turn, the network node may either drop or mark transmission packets according to the calculated marking and dropping probability. The network node may further calculate an optimal video transmission rate for the at least one video stream and adjust a video transmission rate for the at least one video stream accordingly. Rate-distortions parameters for the at least one video stream may influence the optimal video transmission rate calculation for the at least one video stream.

Abstract: Microalgae are potential energy resources for production of biofuels, such as biodiesel, ethanol, and butanol. A method for enhancing cell growth of microalgae enhances transgenic expression of a bicarbonate transporter (HCO3? transporter) in microalgae and thereby obtains a genetically modified microalgae capable of enhanced inorganic carbon fixation, efficient photosynthesis, and expeditious cell growth. The genetically modified microalgae are fit for use in biofuel production.

Abstract: Techniques for improving the performance of flow control mechanisms such as Pause are provided. The techniques provide for maintaining a fair distribution of available bandwidth while also allowing for fewer packet drops, and maximizing link utilization, in a distributed system. For example, in one embodiment, techniques are provided for achieving a fair share allocation of an egress port's bandwidth across a plurality of ingress ports contending for the same egress port.

Abstract: An example method includes sending a virtual output queue (VOQ) length of a VOQ to an egress chip. The VOQ relates to a flow routed through an egress port associated with the egress chip. The method also includes receiving fair share information for the VOQ from the egress chip, and enforcing a control action on the incoming packets based on the fair share information. An ingress chip and the egress chip can be provided in a VOQ switch. The control action is a selected one of a group of actions, the group consisting of: (a) dropping packets, (b) pausing packets, and (c) marking packets. The method can further include receiving VOQ lengths of corresponding VOQs from respective ingress chips, where the VOQs relate to the flow. The method can also include calculating respective fair share information for each VOQ, and sending the fair share information to the respective ingress chips.

Abstract: Example embodiments of a system and method for providing a congestion measurement in a network are disclosed. In an example embodiment information is received at an information transfer rate, from a source network device. A sample of the information may be taken before the information is transmitted to a destination network device. In an example embodiment, a congestion measurement value is computed that corresponds to the sample and represented with at least two bits. A multi-bit indicator of the congestion measurement value is then transmitted to control the information transfer rate of information arriving in the future.