Patents by Inventor Stewart Bamford

Stewart Bamford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11936550
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Publication number: 20240031369
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a network ingress filter based on both a customer's route object and recent traffic data for the customer. In examples, even though a customer of a provider network may have many routing prefixes in its route object, the customer may genuinely generate traffic from only a very small percentage of such prefixes. Accordingly, a combination of a system to generate all the prefixes based on a route object, along with the results of collected traffic data, may be used to generate a much smaller ingress filter. In examples, this filter may comprise an intersection of the prefixes generated by the customer's route object and the prefixes that have been actively generating traffic on the inbound interface of the router (or other provider edge system). This results in a smaller ingress filter that can be reliably configured on the provider edge system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart Bamford
  • Publication number: 20230239232
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Patent number: 11621909
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Publication number: 20220417147
    Abstract: Dynamic and self-healing optimized traffic rerouting is provided. A system and method are described for determining and implementing optimized traffic routing decision. A route orchestration system monitors network resource performance characteristics information for identifying a traffic redirection triggering event and for determining an optimized traffic control decision based on the network resource performance characteristics information. The decision may include software defined networking (SDN) instructions that may be communicated to one or more network resources (e.g., PE devices, P devices, and/or routers) that may cause traffic to be rerouted the one or more targeted servers. For example, the optimized traffic control decision may be determined to improve load balancing amongst performing servers and other network resources in the network while reducing or minimizing administrative costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: John R.B. Woodworth, Dean Ballew, Stewart Bamford
  • Publication number: 20220329513
    Abstract: The present application describes a system and method for utilizing a tunnel in a networking routing protocol to provide a network segment access to additional servers when certain load balancing trigger events are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: John R.B. WOODWORTH, Dean Ballew, Brian J. STRONG, Stewart BAMFORD
  • Publication number: 20220231935
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Patent number: 11303556
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Publication number: 20210385151
    Abstract: A routing system can provide a Dynamic-Hybrid Forwarding Information Base (DHFIB). A control component of the routing system can build a routing table that includes routing information (e.g., prefixes, addresses, etc.) for use by a first routing component. The routing table can be ordered or ranked based on traffic information from the first routing component. Then, the control component can create the DHFIB from the routing table, wherein the DHFIB is a portion of the routing table and related to the first routing component. As such, the portion of the routing table selected for the DHFIB can be the set of prefixes in the routing table that represent the most frequently routed or most important prefixes in the routing table. Finally, the control component can forward the DHFIB to the first routing component to allow the routing component to route communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart Bamford, Brent Wharton Smith, Noah Kipling Weis
  • Patent number: 10594605
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods of routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), next hop determiners for routing packets in such a network, systems for routing packets in such a network, and route indicator feeders for providing modified route indicators. A method of routing packets in such a network may comprise: obtaining route indicators each comprising: an indicator of a network prefix; and an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix; identifying at least one said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising a predetermined AS identifier; storing the network prefix indicator of each said identified route indicator; receiving at least one packet having an address indicating a destination; and if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by a said stored prefix indicator, transmitting the packet on a non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart Bamford
  • Publication number: 20190081896
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods of routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), next hop determiners for routing packets in such a network, systems for routing packets in such a network, and route indicator feeders for providing modified route indicators. A method of routing packets in such a network may comprise: obtaining route indicators each comprising: an indicator of a network prefix; and an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix; identifying at least one said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising a predetermined AS identifier; storing the network prefix indicator of each said identified route indicator; receiving at least one packet having an address indicating a destination; and if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by a said stored prefix indicator, transmitting the packet on a non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventor: Stewart Bamford
  • Patent number: 10129149
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods of routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), next hop determiners for routing packets in such a network, systems for routing packets in such a network, and route indicator feeders for providing modified route indicators. A method of routing packets in such a network may comprise: obtaining route indicators each comprising: an indicator of a network prefix; and an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix; identifying at least one said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising a predetermined AS identifier; storing the network prefix indicator of each said identified route indicator; receiving at least one packet having an address indicating a destination; and if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by a said stored prefix indicator, transmitting the packet on a non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart Bamford
  • Publication number: 20170012876
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods of routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), next hop determiners for routing packets in such a network, systems for routing packets in such a network, and route indicator feeders for providing modified route indicators. A method of routing packets in such a network may comprise: obtaining route indicators each comprising: an indicator of a network prefix; and an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix; identifying at least one said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising a predetermined AS identifier; storing the network prefix indicator of each said identified route indicator; receiving at least one packet having an address indicating a destination; and if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by a said stored prefix indicator, transmitting the packet on a non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart Bamford