Patents by Inventor Thomas Spencer, IV

Thomas Spencer, IV 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: 11979313
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a routing device in a network, the routing device including an ingress/egress linecard; another linecard; a fabric; a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations of maintaining a forwarding information base (FIB) for routes through the routing device; moving low-volume routes of the FIB to the another linecard; and moving high-volume routes of the FIB to the ingress/egress linecard, wherein the ingress/egress linecard looks up a route of an incoming data packet, determines whether the incoming data packet bears a high-volume route prefix, forwards the incoming data packet bearing the high-volume route prefix through the fabric and out of the routing device, and sends the incoming data packet bearing a low-volume route prefix through the fabric to the another linecard, and wherein the another linecard forwards the incoming d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20240080258
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a routing device in a network, the routing device including an ingress/egress linecard; another linecard; a fabric; a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations of maintaining a forwarding information base (FIB) for routes through the routing device; moving low-volume routes of the FIB to the another linecard; and moving high-volume routes of the FIB to the ingress/egress linecard, wherein the ingress/egress linecard looks up a route of an incoming data packet, determines whether the incoming data packet bears a high-volume route prefix, forwards the incoming data packet bearing the high-volume route prefix through the fabric and out of the routing device, and sends the incoming data packet bearing a low-volume route prefix through the fabric to the another linecard, and wherein the another linecard forwards the incoming d
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20240080278
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method of receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a plurality of routes in a network through a routing device having a fabric, a first set of distributed chassis packet forwarders (DCPs) that support external service interfaces and a second set of DCPs; storing, by the processing system, the plurality of routes in a forwarding information base (FIB); determining, by the processing system, a third set of routes in the FIB having a high volume of usage; determining, by the processing system, a fourth set of routes in the FIB having a low volume of usage; copying, by the processing system, the third set of routes to the first set of DCPs; and copying, by the processing system, the fourth set of routes to the second set of DCPs. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20220045899
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 11159361
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 10659377
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to negotiate flow control for a communication session between peer devices. An example first peer device disclosed herein is to send a request message to a second peer device via an existing communication session that is subject to a first type of flow control, the request message to initiate a request for a second type of flow control for the existing communication session, the second type of flow control different from the first type of flow control. The disclosed example first peer device is also to change to the second type of flow control for the existing communication session in response to a reply message from the second peer device via the existing communication session, the reply message indicating acceptance of the request for the second type of flow control for the existing communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20190387018
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 10462229
    Abstract: Methods for re-anchoring a transport layer session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method receives a request to re-anchor a transport layer session and sends a packet notifying of a transport layer session re-anchor to a peer. The packet includes a header with a session identifier field, and a record type field that indicates that a payload of the packet comprises transport layer session re-anchor information. The method receives a confirmation of the transport layer session re-anchor notification. Another method receives a packet comprising a notification of a transport layer session re-anchor from a peer. The method updates a session management table and transmits packets to the peer using an updated address received in the notification of the transport layer session re-anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20190268273
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to negotiate flow control for a communication session between peer devices. An example first peer device disclosed herein is to send a request message to a second peer device via an existing communication session that is subject to a first type of flow control, the request message to initiate a request for a second type of flow control for the existing communication session, the second type of flow control different from the first type of flow control. The disclosed example first peer device is also to change to the second type of flow control for the existing communication session in response to a reply message from the second peer device via the existing communication session, the reply message indicating acceptance of the request for the second type of flow control for the existing communication session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 10397268
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T Intellecutal Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 10305810
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to negotiate flow control for a communication session. Example methods disclosed herein include receiving, at a first peer, a request to change from a first type of flow control to a second type of flow control from a second peer via an existing communication session. In example methods, the first peer uses the first type of flow control to control the flow of data at the first peer for the existing communication session. Example methods also include sending, via the communication session, a reply from a processor of the first peer to the second peer, the reply indicating whether the request to change from the first type of flow control to the second type of flow control for the communication session has been accepted, and further include performing, with the processor, subsequent flow control for the communication session in accordance with the reply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20180219954
    Abstract: Methods for re-anchoring a transport layer session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method receives a request to re-anchor a transport layer session and sends a packet notifying of a transport layer session re-anchor to a peer. The packet includes a header with a session identifier field, and a record type field that indicates that a payload of the packet comprises transport layer session re-anchor information. The method receives a confirmation of the transport layer session re-anchor notification. Another method receives a packet comprising a notification of a transport layer session re-anchor from a peer. The method updates a session management table and transmits packets to the peer using an updated address received in the notification of the transport layer session re-anchor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 9930123
    Abstract: Methods for re-anchoring a transport layer session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method receives a request to re-anchor a transport layer session and sends a packet notifying of a transport layer session re-anchor to a peer. The packet includes a header with a session identifier field, and a record type field that indicates that a payload of the packet comprises transport layer session re-anchor information. The method receives a confirmation of the transport layer session re-anchor notification. Another method receives a packet comprising a notification of a transport layer session re-anchor from a peer. The method updates a session management table and transmits packets to the peer using an updated address received in the notification of the transport layer session re-anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20180007083
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 9811786
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to reservations-based intelligent roadway traffic management. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a roadway usage management (“RUM”) system can receive, from a user device, a reservation request. The RUM system can extract, from the reservation request, a route to a destination location. The route can include a roadway segment to be used by a user vehicle for travel to the destination location. The RUM system can determine a time block during which entry to the roadway segment is available. The RUM system can generate a reservation response that includes the time block available to satisfy the reservation request and can send the reservation response to the user device. The user vehicle can be a partially autonomous vehicle or a fully autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 9769196
    Abstract: Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20170109659
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to reservations-based intelligent roadway traffic management. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a roadway usage management (“RUM”) system can receive, from a user device, a reservation request. The RUM system can extract, from the reservation request, a route to a destination location. The route can include a roadway segment to be used by a user vehicle for travel to the destination location. The RUM system can determine a time block during which entry to the roadway segment is available. The RUM system can generate a reservation response that includes the time block available to satisfy the reservation request and can send the reservation response to the user device. The user vehicle can be a partially autonomous vehicle or a fully autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20160294712
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to negotiate flow control for a communication session. Example methods disclosed herein include receiving, at a first peer, a request to change from a first type of flow control to a second type of flow control from a second peer via an existing communication session. In example methods, the first peer uses the first type of flow control to control the flow of data at the first peer for the existing communication session. Example methods also include sending, via the communication session, a reply from a processor of the first peer to the second peer, the reply indicating whether the request to change from the first type of flow control to the second type of flow control for the communication session has been accepted, and further include performing, with the processor, subsequent flow control for the communication session in accordance with the reply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Patent number: 9414259
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an indication relating to an invocation of an application by a mobile device; determining, in response to the indication, a quality of service based on a provisioning parameter; and instructing a network element of a communications network to manage traffic relating to the application based on the quality of service and a loading condition in the communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: AT & T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jennifer Joy, David Small, Thomas Spencer, IV
  • Publication number: 20160212219
    Abstract: Methods for re-anchoring a transport layer session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method receives a request to re-anchor a transport layer session and sends a packet notifying of a transport layer session re-anchor to a peer. The packet includes a header with a session identifier field, and a record type field that indicates that a payload of the packet comprises transport layer session re-anchor information. The method receives a confirmation of the transport layer session re-anchor notification. Another method receives a packet comprising a notification of a transport layer session re-anchor from a peer. The method updates a session management table and transmits packets to the peer using an updated address received in the notification of the transport layer session re-anchor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: DAVID B. SMALL, Thomas Spencer, IV