Abstract: A method includes determining, at a network tracking system, a first usage value for a user account during a time interval by applying a first correction factor to a first data value determined from a first cell count of cell counter data retrieved from a network device of a network. The method also includes determining, at the network tracking system, a second usage value for the user account during the time interval based on session information from a plurality of network devices of the network. The method further includes generating a cumulative usage value based on the first usage value and the second usage value.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: A method includes determining, at a network tracking system, a first usage value for a user account during a time interval by applying a first correction factor to a first data value determined from a first cell count of cell counter data retrieved from a network device of a network. The method also includes determining, at the network tracking system, a second usage value for the user account during the time interval based on session information from a plurality of network devices of the network. The method further includes generating a cumulative usage value based on the first usage value and the second usage value.

Abstract: A method includes determining a first upload usage value and a first download usage value for a user account for a time interval from cell counter data retrieved from a first network device. The method includes determining a second download usage value for the user account for the time interval based on session information from a second network device. The method includes adding an upload usage value based on the first upload usage value and the second upload usage value to a cumulative upload usage value for the user account and adding a download usage value based on the first download usage value and the second download usage value to a cumulative download usage value for the user account. The method also includes sending the cumulative upload usage value and the cumulative download usage value to a billing system.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: A method includes determining a first upload usage value and a first download usage value for a user account for a time interval from cell counter data retrieved from a first network device. The method includes determining a second download usage value for the user account for the time interval based on session information from a second network device. The method includes adding an upload usage value based on the first upload usage value and the second upload usage value to a cumulative upload usage value for the user account and adding a download usage value based on the first download usage value and the second download usage value to a cumulative download usage value for the user account. The method also includes sending the cumulative upload usage value and the cumulative download usage value to a billing system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure network usage are provided. A particular method includes collecting first usage data from a first network device of a network at a network usage tracking system. The first network device determines the first usage data based on an inband measurement of data passing through the first network device. The method includes collecting second usage data from a second network device of the network at the network usage tracking system. The first network device and the second network device are different network devices. The method includes matching the first usage data and the second usage data to user accounts. The network usage data is determined based on the first usage data, the second usage data, and the user accounts.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for calculating a capacity for high speed packet access data in a link in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method initializes parameters associated with streaming data, long elastic data and short elastic data, determines, via a processor, a capacity value such that a quality of service metric is met for the streaming data, the long elastic data and the short elastic data and provisions the link with the capacity value if the quality of service metric is met.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure network usage are provided. A particular method includes collecting first usage data from a first network device of a network at a network usage tracking system. The first network device determines the first usage data based on an inband measurement of data passing through the first network device. The method includes collecting second usage data from a second network device of the network at the network usage tracking system. The first network device and the second network device are different network devices. The method includes matching the first usage data and the second usage data to user accounts. The network usage data is determined based on the first usage data, the second usage data, and the user accounts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for lowering the viscosity of a fat based mixture comprising solids and fat that have been previously refined to a powdery mass characterized in that the powdery mass is submitted to elongational flow effective as such to provide breaking up of the agglomerates and intimate interactions of the solids with the fat thereby resulting in the production of a pasty mass with coating of the solids with the fat. The method enables to replace conching in a traditional conche or at least reduce conching time or increase the subsequent loading and throughput of the fat based mass in traditional conches.

Abstract: In a particular illustrative embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving data at a central server system from multiple customer premises equipment (CPE) devices. The CPE devices are located at subscriber premises remote from one another. The method further includes associating the received data from geographically-related CPE devices and comparing the associated data to determine a problem related to one or more of the geographically-related CPE devices.

Abstract: A method for determining performance of data communication lines in a DSL network is provided. The method includes determining a performance metric for at least one line from a first set of data that included measurements for each of a plurality of parameters related to the at least one line; establishing a benchmark utilizing a second set of measurements that includes at least one additional measurement for the plurality of parameters; and comparing the performance metric with the benchmark to determine the performance of the at least one line.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for detecting faults related to lines linked to provide network services. The method includes storing a synthetic value for the performance of a line, receiving a measured value of a performance parameter of the line measured at a customer end and comparing the synthetic value with the measured value to determine if a fault condition exists.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine digital subscriber line (DSL) configuration parameters based on current and historical DSL performance characteristics are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises obtaining first data representative of a current maximum attainable DSL speed for a telephone line, collecting second data representative of historical maximum attainable DSL speeds for the telephone line, and determining a maximum capable DSL speed for the telephone line based on the first and the second data.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a data communications system. The data communication system includes a plurality of digital subscriber lines, a digital subscriber line multiplexer coupled to each of the plurality of digital subscriber lines, and a data switch coupled to the digital subscriber line multiplexer via a communication link. The data communications system is configured such that the number of digital subscriber line users supported by the digital subscriber line multiplexer is determined based on an estimated maximum number of users, the estimated maximum number of users determined based on an average peak bandwidth per user value, a data communication capacity of the communication link, and a data transmission slowdown indicator. The communication capacity is based on a user type selected from a set of available user types.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for lowering the viscosity of a fat based mixture comprising solids and fat that have been previously refined to a powdery mass characterized in that the powdery mass is submitted to elongational flow effective as such to provide breaking up of the agglomerates and intimate interactions of the solids with the fat thereby resulting in the production of a pasty mass with coating of the solids with the fat. The method enables to replace conching in a traditional conche or at least reduce conching time or increase the subsequent loading and throughput of the fat based mass in traditional conches.

Abstract: A method for automatically designing a switched metro Ethernet data is provided. During execution of the method, data network information, customer demand information, equipment information, and at least one design constraint is received. Based thereon, a potential topology design for the switched metro Ethernet data network is automatically established. The potential topology for the switched metro Ethernet data network can be a tree topology that is rooted at a predetermined hub node and that has a plurality of leaves. Each leaf is located at a customer location. In a particular embodiment, an aggregation node is placed at the hub node. Further, an aggregation node is placed at a predetermined redundant hub node. Additionally, an aggregation node is placed at another location in the tree topology.