Abstract: Discovery of services between devices is provided prior to establishing a connection between devices, including wireless-enabled devices or devices that are communicatively coupled to wireless access points or other wireless communication devices. Discovering services prior to establishing a connection may facilitate finding a desired service. The services that may be discovered may be, for example, print services, camera services, PDA services or any other suitable services. Services may be discovered using 802.11, Bluetooth, UWB or any other suitable wireless technology. An information element is used to wirelessly convey information related to a service and/or information related to service discovery.

Abstract: Discovery of services between devices is provided prior to establishing a connection between devices, including wireless-enabled devices or devices that are communicatively coupled to wireless access points. Discovering services prior to establishing a connection may facilitate finding a desired service. The services that may be discovered may be, for example, print services, camera services, PDA services or any other suitable services. Services may be discovered using 802.11, UWB or any other suitable wireless technology. As one example, particular services may be requested. As another example, services that are provided by a device may be advertised.

Abstract: Discovery of services between devices is provided prior to establishing a connection between devices, including wireless-enabled devices or devices that are communicatively coupled to wireless access points or other wireless communication devices. Discovering services prior to establishing a connection may facilitate finding a desired service. The services that may be discovered may be, for example, print services, camera services, PDA services or any other suitable services. Services may be discovered using 802.11, UWB or any other suitable wireless technology. As one example, particular services may be requested. As another example, services that are provided by a device may be advertised.

Abstract: An authentication process using a combined code as a shared secret between a client and target service is provided. The combined code is provided out-of-band and includes data to perform two-way authentication for both the client and the target service. The target service may provide the client with a certificate to establish a secure channel. The client may use the data in the combined code to validate the target service. When the target service is validated, the client may provide credentials in the combined code to the target service for authentication. In one example implementation, the combined code includes a hash of a public key. The client may compute another hash of another public key in the certificate provided by the target service and validate the service by comparing the hash in the combined code and the computed hash.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for adapting a communication system to varying conditions. Using some form of discovery protocol, the communication standards supported by at least two communicants are determined. Each communicant may then periodically monitor the quality of the channel established by the communication standard and dynamically select a set of one or more communication standards to use for communicating. Further, when communicants share common non-standard parameterized implementations of communication standards, changes to the protocols which the communication standards comprise can be used to add options for a more dynamic response to changing conditions than is possible when adhering only to an established communication standard.

Abstract: A switch with tandem ports and an outlet assembly permit individual segments of cable to be used with multiple data link protocol standards. The multiple data link protocols can be used either one at a time, with each group of wires in the cable carrying the same data link protocol in different communication sessions, or can be used in tandem, with each group of wires in the cable simultaneously carrying a different data link protocol.

Abstract: A method is provided to facilitate compliance with wireless communication regulations for a regulatory domain when creating or joining an ad hoc network. The method can include interacting with a driver of a wireless communication device to facilitate compliance. Another method is provided to offer an option to enable or disable prompting to verify a regulatory domain to use to create or join an ad hoc network. Another method is provided for facilitating compliance with wireless communication regulations for a plurality of regulatory domains. The method includes using a common channel as a communication channel for a wireless communication device when joining or creating an ad hoc network, wherein the common channel is common to the plurality of regulatory domains.

Abstract: A wireless station is connected to a wireless network through an access point and can establish a direct client-to-client connection to a second wireless station. The wireless station can communicate directly with the second wireless station without involving the access point. The wireless station communicates with the wired network and with other wireless stations through the access point. The second wireless station may have an infrastructure connection to the access point or may be independent.

Abstract: A timed erasure mechanism can be used with portable computer-readable media to ensure automatic erasure of secure information, minimizing the security risks in using such media to store and transport passwords, codes, keys and similar private setup information. The portable computer-readable media can comprise volatile memory and a timed erasure mechanism in the form of a power supply and discharging circuitry that discharges the power supply after a predetermined amount of time. Alternatively, the portable computer-readable media can comprise nonvolatile memory and a timed erasure mechanism in the form of a digital time and erasure algorithms that are initiated after a predetermined amount of time. Furthermore, such portable computer-readable media can comprise a container that bears unique physical properties that can alert users to the volatile nature of the media.

Abstract: A system and methods to facilitate provision of network-based services is provided. The system comprises a signaling module that uses a first communication protocol to send a trigger signal to a potential recipient of a network-based service. The trigger signal indicates to the potential recipient that the network-based service is available for the potential recipient to access via the network. The system also includes a service module that receives a request from the potential recipient via a second communication protocol to provide to the potential recipient the network-based service that the trigger signal indicated was available.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies that facilitate a unification of bus protocols and networks via an abstraction system that can bind device models and higher level protocols to multiple bus implementations. Such abstraction system can provide a common language among buses for message transfers according to priority—e.g., semantics provided for a messaging transport component for control messages, a streaming component for high priority, and a bulk transfer component for low priority. In addition, a discovery component can identify devices on a bus or network, with an association component for determining a trust established therebetween and authenticating the devices or services.

Abstract: A radio module that detachably connects with a host device. A radio module is provided that includes an antenna as an integral part of the radio module. The antenna satisfies regulatory requirements by being an integral part of the radio module. The radio module includes an interface circuit that provides the processing required for communication over a wireless network. The functionality of the interface can be divided between the radio module and the host device. The physical interface between a host device and the radio module may depend on which functions are implemented by the radio module and which functions are implemented by the host device. In one example, the physical interface is a standard connection that permits the radio module to be detachably connected with multiple devices. The radio module also includes a flexible cable such that the radio module can be optimally positioned within the wireless network.

Abstract: A radio module that detachably connects with a host device. A radio module is provided that includes an antenna as an integral part of the radio module. The antenna satisfies regulatory requirements by being an integral part of the radio module. The radio module includes an interface circuit that provides the processing required for communication over a wireless network. The functionality of the interface can be divided between the radio module and the host device. The physical interface between a host device and the radio module may depend on which functions are implemented by the radio module and which functions are implemented by the host device. In one example, the physical interface is a standard connection that permits the radio module to be detachably connected with multiple devices. The radio module also includes a flexible cable such that the radio module can be optimally positioned within the wireless network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for using a single transmit queue to transmit a plurality of access categories in an IEEE 802.11 system. To use a single transmit queue, conventional frame descriptors that are used to pass data frames between the wireless NIC and the host are modified to include access parameters for the packets that are associated with the frame descriptors. This allows transmission hardware to dynamically change how each packet is transmitted. For example, the contention policies may be implemented on a packet-by-packet basis, even from a single transmit queue. Also, packets of various access categories into appropriate positions within the single transmit queue.

Abstract: Methods and systems for establishing a secure network channel between two ore more devices in a communication network are disclosed. In exemplary implementations the network may be a UPnP network. A first device passes authentication information to at least a second device to permit the second device to authenticate the first device. Optionally, the first device may request to authenticate the second device, in which authentication information associated with the second device is passed to the first device. The first device uses this information to authenticate the second device. At least one of the first and second device may store authentication information in an data store associated with the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for configuring and managing network devices. The arrival (and departure) of devices on a network can be detected by a monitor. Upon detection, network devices can be simply and dynamically configured with little or no end-user intervention, for instance by automatically loading device drivers and allocating resources for the devices. Furthermore, network devices can be associated with other network devices such as a personal computer to facilitate seamless integration of network devices with a computer operating system.

Abstract: In a system and method for efficient transport of streaming data over MPLS, incoming data is multiplexed to generate a single data stream. A composite data stream is then generated by selectively combining certain packets of the single data stream with an IP header or generating new packets with a full IP header at a predetermined timing interval, and transmitted to a first MPLS converter that assigns a MPLS label to data packets in the composite data stream, in accordance with information from said IP header. The composite data stream is then transported and routed to a second MPLS converter, via a MPLS network, that strips the MPLS labels from the data packets. A discriminator separates the stripped, combined data stream into non-IP header data output via a demultiplexer to generate multiple outgoing data streams, and IP header data output to a traffic monitor that controls said routing mechanism.

Abstract: A switch with tandem ports and an outlet assembly permit individual segments of cable to be used with multiple data link protocol standards. The multiple data link protocols can be used either one at a time, with each group of wires in the cable carrying the same data link protocol in different communication sessions, or can be used in tandem, with each group of wires in the cable simultaneously carrying a different data link protocol.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for frustrating statistical attacks. A sender and receiver agree upon an encryption and integrity encoding scheme. For each “real” data packet, the sender generates integrity information, puts it in the packet, and then encrypts the packet using the agreed-upon scheme. Every now and again, the sender generates a “pseudo-data” packet encoded using a scheme different from the agreed-upon scheme. When the real-data and pseudo-data packets arrive at the receiver, they are decrypted using the agreed-upon scheme, and their validity is verified using the integrity information. Verification succeeds for real-data packets, and their data are accepted as valid. Verification fails for pseudo-data packets, however, and their data are discarded. An eavesdropper cannot differentiate pseudo-data from real-data and so cannot help but use all of the packets in its analysis.

Abstract: A mechanism that allows sharing of an existing infrastructure for access to public or private IP networks, such as the public Internet or private LANs is provided. Specifically, infrastructure owners lease the infrastructure resources on a short-term basis to different Internet Service Providers (ISPs). An ISP uses these resources to provide Internet services to subscribing customers or users. The ISP controls all aspects of the Internet service provided to the subscriber, including billing, bandwidth management, and e-mail. The ISP also ensures privacy for the subscriber by means of encryption. Leasing network resources from an existing network infrastructure frees the ISP from building an expensive access infrastructure itself while the infrastructure owner is given an opportunity to generate additional revenue from infrastructure. Importantly, neither the user, nor the ISP need to trust the access station (i.e.: the access station is untrusted) through which the access to the IP network is accomplished.