Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource.

Abstract: A system and method that enables network quality of service to be based on qualitative factors. RSVP signaling is extended to allow RSVP messages to be identified as qualitative, and to pass qualitative information with the messages. RSVP-aware network devices such as routers in the message path analyze the qualitative information and apply policy based thereon to perform admission control and allocation of resources based on qualitative factors. An application identifier is provided, along with a sub-application identifier that provides fine-grained qualitative information, such as to identify what type of network service an application is requesting. Qualitative signaling may employ RSVP integrated with differentiated services by returning a DCLASS object in an RSVP message, to assign an application's traffic to one or more aggregate classes based on a policy evaluation, which may use qualitative factors against policy for each request.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A high-resolution, per-packet measurement tool for analyzing a computer network that operates by sending a predetermined number of packets from a sender machine to a receiver machine with measurement information inserted into the packet. The system kernel at the sending machine stamps a sequence number and the sender's local time into the data section of each packet. When packets arrive at the receiver machine, they are similarly stamped by the receiving machine's kernel with the receiving machine's local time. The maintained packet information serves as the basis for latency analysis. For example, one set of latencies can be obtained with QoS mechanisms turned on, and another set with QoS mechanisms turned off, whereby the benefits of the QoS mechanisms can be accurately determined. To analyze the latencies, the present invention normalizes each time and each latency into relative latency information. Clock skew and timer jumps may be handled as part of the normalization.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A traffic control application programming interface for abstracting the use of traffic control components to client applications to provide quality of service. The traffic control interface accepts input from a client application and based on that input, communicates with the operating system to control kernel level traffic control components. The client can register with the traffic control interface, and it can open and close interfaces, add, modify, and delete flows on those interfaces, and attach or delete filters on the flows. The client can also obtain data on any currently active interface, flow, or filter. The traffic control interface will send the appropriate message to the operating system, directing that the necessary tasks be performed by either a packet scheduler or a packet classifier. Those kernel level components then return through the operating system the results of the operations requested, and that return data will be passed back to the client application.

Abstract: The invention provides Quality of Service assurances in a manner expected in other media to communications over paths that include one or more wireless links. The invention combines a subnet bandwidth manager (“SBM”) at an access point (“AP”) to track allocations of wireless bandwidth. The invention further incorporates multiple priority levels for packet transmission in a two-prong stochastic scheme. The first prong reserves bandwidth at each of the intermediate nodes in a transmission path subject to a veto by any intermediate node. The second prong modulates the transmission probability of a packet based on the previous failed attempts at transmission and the priority level of the packet. The overall result of this hybrid scheme is to not shut out users with the lowest priority, e.g., “best effort” priority, while assuring adequate bandwidth to higher priority applications.

Abstract: A high-resolution, per-packet measurement tool for analyzing a computer network that operates by sending a predetermined number of packets from a sender machine to a receiver machine with measurement information inserted into the packet. The system kernel at the sending machine stamps a sequence number and the sender's local time into the data section of each packet. When packets arrive at the receiver machine, they are similarly stamped by the receiving machine's kernel with the receiving machine's local time. The maintained packet information serves as the basis for latency analysis. For example, one set of latencies can be obtained with QoS mechanisms turned on, and another set with QoS mechanisms turned off, whereby the benefits of the QoS mechanisms can be accurately determined. To analyze the latencies, the present invention normalizes each time and each latency into relative latency information. Clock skew and timer jumps may be handled as part of the normalization.

Abstract: A high-resolution, per-packet measurement tool for analyzing a computer network that operates by sending a predetermined number of packets from a sender machine to a receiver machine with measurement information inserted into the packet. The system kernel at the sending machine stamps a sequence number and the sender's local time into the data section of each packet. When packets arrive at the receiver machine, they are similarly stamped by the receiving machine's kernel with the receiving machine's local time. The maintained packet information serves as the basis for latency analysis. For example, one set of latencies can be obtained with QoS mechanisms turned on, and another set with QoS mechanisms turned off, whereby the benefits of the QoS mechanisms can be accurately determined. To analyze the latencies, the present invention normalizes each time and each latency into relative latency information. Clock skew and timer jumps may be handled as part of the normalization.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource. Advantageously, a suspended handle can be reinstated to assume the assigned state. In one embodiment, the handle system is implemented by incorporating a suitable field in a handle database that is used to indicate that a handle is suspended. In another embodiment, no additional fields are necessary.

Abstract: A traffic control application programming interface for abstracting the use of traffic control components to client applications to provide quality of service. The traffic control interface accepts input from a client application and based on that input, communicates with the operating system to control kernel level traffic control components. The client can register with the traffic control interface, and it can open and close interfaces, add, modify, and delete flows on those interfaces, and attach or delete filters on the flows. The client can also obtain data on any currently active interface, flow, or filter. The traffic control interface will send the appropriate message to the operating system, directing that the necessary tasks be performed by either a packet scheduler or a packet classifier. Those kernel level components then return through the operating system the results of the operations requested, and that return data will be passed back to the client application.

Abstract: A traffic control application programming interface for abstracting the use of traffic control components to client applications to provide quality of service. The traffic control interface accepts input from a client application and based on that input, communicates with the operating system to control kernel level traffic control components. The client can register with the traffic control interface, and it can open and close interfaces, add, modify, and delete flows on those interfaces, and attach or delete filters on the flows. The client can also obtain data on any currently active interface, flow, or filter. The traffic control interface will send the appropriate message to the operating system, directing that the necessary tasks be performed by either a packet scheduler or a packet classifier. Those kernel level components then return through the operating system the results of the operations requested, and that return data will be passed back to the client application.

Abstract: A system and method that enables network quality of service to be based on qualitative factors. RSVP signaling is extended to allow RSVP messages to be identified as qualitative, and to pass qualitative information with the messages. RSVP-aware network devices such as routers in the message path analyze the qualitative information and apply policy based thereon to perform admission control and allocation of resources based on qualitative factors. An application identifier is provided, along with a sub-application identifier that provides fine-grained qualitative information, such as to identify what type of network service an application is requesting. Qualitative signaling may employ RSVP integrated with differentiated services by returning a DCLASS object in an RSVP message, to assign an application's traffic to one or more aggregate classes based on a policy evaluation, which may use qualitative factors against policy for each request.

Abstract: The present described embodiments are embodied in a system and method for generating and validating reference handles for consumers requiring access to resources in a computer system. The system of the present described embodiments includes a resource manager having a handle administrator, a plurality of consumers, and a plurality of resources. The handle administrator includes an assignment routine, a release routine, and a dereference routine. The assignment routine issues new handles, the release routine releases handles that are no longer required (thus rendering the handle invalid), and the dereference routine dereferences handles into a pointer to a resource, which entails verifying that the handle is valid.

Abstract: Embodiments for communicating between a headend and multiple subscriber units in an interactive video entertainment network are described. The headend includes multiple ATM switch ports connected for data communications through individual communications channels. In one aspect, an assignment of an individual subscriber unit to one or more communications channels is requested. Next, relative available capacities of the communications channels are assessed. The individual subscriber unit is then assigned to one or more communications channels and corresponding ATM switch ports based on the assessed capacities of the communications channels. The individual subscriber unit is set to communicate with the headend over its assigned communications channels. An ATM virtual connection between the individual subscriber unit and the headend is then established through the communications channels and corresponding ATM switch ports assigned to the individual subscriber unit.