Abstract: A device to provide fog-enabled multipath VPN (virtual private network) is disclosed. A first endpoint device is configured to form a fog-enabled communication path in a fog network with at least one neighboring device having at least one first IP (internet protocol) address so as to enable at least one VPN tunnel communication path, via said at least one neighboring device, between the first endpoint device and a second endpoint device with a second IP address and to enable multipath VPN tunneling between the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device. In another embodiment, a multipath VPN AP (access point) is disclosed, where the VPN AP uses at least one fog network to provide multipath VPN, and on the other hand, enables sharing of the multiple VPN by a multitude of endpoint devices that connect to the VPN AP through another fog network.

Abstract: A fog network includes a first fog network node configured to execute an application program, and a second fog network node configured to host a container. The first fog network node is configured to determine a need to offload at least a portion of the application program for execution in the second fog network node, access a registry to identify and locate a container image created from executable code of the application program stored in the fog network, and load the identified container image in the second fog network node. The second fog network node is configured to start the container in response to the container image being loaded, execute the executable code of the application program, and return a result from executing the executable code of the application program to the first fog network node.

Abstract: A fog network gateway includes at least one wireless communication interface, at least one cellular communication interface, and at least one wireline communication interface. The fog network gateway further includes connectivity logic configured to provide connection between a remote device and at least one local device via at least one of the wireless, cellular, and wireline communication interfaces, fog networking logic configured to form a fog network with the at least one local device for transmitting data thereto, and bandwidth aggregation logic configured to aggregate available bandwidth from at least two of the wireless, cellular, and wireline communication interfaces to ensure adequate bandwidth for data transmission between the remote device and the at least one local device.

Abstract: A device to provide fog-enabled multipath VPN (virtual private network) is disclosed. A first endpoint device is configured to form a fog-enabled communication path in a fog network with at least one neighboring device having at least one first IP (internet protocol) address so as to enable at least one VPN tunnel communication path, via said at least one neighboring device, between the first endpoint device and a second endpoint device with a second IP address and to enable multipath VPN tunneling between the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device. In another embodiment, a multipath VPN AP (access point) is disclosed, where the VPN AP uses at least one fog network to provide multipath VPN, and on the other hand, enables sharing of the multiple VPN by a multitude of endpoint devices that connect to the VPN AP through another fog network.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an application-level multi-path transport protocol (MPTP) mechanism for establishing a plurality of communication paths between a sender device and a receiver device to transmit and receive data packets. The mechanism at the sender end includes a plurality of send connectors each being a sender endpoint of a communication path, a path table that maintains characteristics of the bi-directional communication paths, a scheduler that determines a suitable send connector over which to transmit each data packet, and a send buffer that buffers the data packets prior to transmission. The mechanism at the receiver end includes a plurality of receive connectors each being a receiver endpoint of a communication path, a path table that maintains characteristics of the bi-directional communication paths, a receive buffer that buffers the data packets received by the receive connectors, and an assembler that reassembles the plurality of data packets in the receive buffer.

Abstract: A fog network gateway includes at least one wireless communication interface, at least one cellular communication interface, and at least one wireline communication interface. The fog network gateway further includes connectivity logic configured to provide connection between a remote device and at least one local device via at least one of the wireless, cellular, and wireline communication interfaces, fog networking logic configured to form a fog network with the at least one local device for transmitting data thereto, and bandwidth aggregation logic configured to aggregate available bandwidth from at least two of the wireless, cellular, and wireline communication interfaces to ensure adequate bandwidth for data transmission between the remote device and the at least one local device.

Abstract: An AP based intelligent fog agent, for example based on a WiFi AP, manages fog computing using WiFi, WiFi Direct, or a similar system, to connect IoT devices and enhance interoperability. The fog agent, using data analytics modules, provides edge intelligence and permits a substantial amount of computing, including network measurement, graphics processing, actuation, and control, to occur within one or two hops from the end-user. Forming proximity-based fog networks leads to hierarchical network management and strengthens security and privacy protections. P2P communications, such as messaging and content sharing, among connected devices is also facilitated connecting to it. Real-time cyber-physical system control, real-time security intelligence, content distribution and media sharing, can all benefit from the new fog agent.

Abstract: A fog network includes a first fog network node configured to execute an application program, and a second fog network node configured to host a container. The first fog network node is configured to determine a need to offload at least a portion of the application program for execution in the second fog network node, access a registry to identify and locate a container image created from executable code of the application program stored in the fog network, and load the identified container image in the second fog network node. The second fog network node is configured to start the container in response to the container image being loaded, execute the executable code of the application program, and return a result from executing the executable code of the application program to the first fog network node.

Abstract: A proximity-based data security method comprises identifying, by a data-owner device, at least N proximally-located devices; verifying, by the data-owner device, the at least N proximally-located devices as at least N trusted devices; encrypting a data set; splitting the encrypted data set into at least N data subsets; transmitting the at least N data subsets to the at least N trusted devices; digitally signing, at each of the at least N trusted devices, the received encrypted data subset and generating a digital signature; and storing the digital signature and the received encrypted data subset at each of the at least N trusted devices.

Abstract: Data communications are selectively routed via an appropriate wireless access network including wireless cellular networks and wireless LAN, according to presence status of a mobile station. A network system tracks the presence status of the mobile station, which may relate to its availability and willingness to communicate via a particular type of wireless access network such as wireless LAN. With this kind of presence status information for a mobile station as guidance for traffic routing, inbound data communication can be routed to, and outbound data communication can be sent from, the mobile station, all via the desired access network. When applied to wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi network, this presence based routing mechanism can effectively reduce traffic burden over the wireless cellular network for the wireless carriers while lowering the cost of communication for the end users under usage based data plans.

Abstract: A computer device may include logic configured to receive an indication from a user device that a user, associated with the user device, has added a business to an address book associated with the user device and include the business in the address book associated with the user device. The logic may further be configured to receive an update from a business device associated with the business; identify that the business is included in the address book associated with the user device; and send the update to the user device in response to receiving the update and based on identifying that the business is included in the address book associated with the user device.

Abstract: An availability map may associate each of a plurality of different availability information indicators with one of a plurality of availability statuses. A user may set which availability status is associated with each of the availability information indicators. A mode map may associate each of a plurality of availability statuses with one or more operational modes of a communication system. A user may set which of the operational modes is associated with each of the availability statuses. A current availability status may be determined by equating a current availability information indicator with the availability status indicated in the availability map to be associated with this current availability information indicator. Current availability information indicators may come from sources including communication devices and external networked applications.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method and system for flexible product and service bundling comprising an item presentation module that displays a plurality of items and a bundling module that receives a plurality of user selections based on the plurality of items, forms a custom bundle based on the plurality of user selections, calculates one or more discounts based on the custom bundle, calculates terms and conditions associated for each of the one or more discounts, displays the custom bundle and the one or more calculated discounts for review by the user, and processes the custom bundle based on an acceptance review by the user.