Particular Switching Network Arrangement Patents (Class 370/386)
  • Patent number: 9026669
    Abstract: A number of channels of data, including audio, image, text, and support data are collected at one or more centralized servers. The individual channels are edited and processed for content and format, including the deletion and insertion of advertising content and markers to indicate locations for additional content. These channels are then sent to a plurality of transmission servers for processing one or more of the channels including the insertion of content at designated markers and the combination of the channels of data into a single, packetized data transfer stream. The transmission servers broadcast the data transfer stream to a plurality of receiving units which de-packetize the original data channels and present any selected channel to the user of the receiving unit. The receiving units send status information back to the centralized servers where the data is processed and analyzed to evaluate the present and future use of advertisements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventors: Bohdan Stryzak, Thomas E. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 9014049
    Abstract: In one embodiment, forwarding information bases (FIBs) are selectively populated in a packet switch. A packet switching device determines, based on one or more protocol signaling messages, a subset, which is less than all, on which FIBs a lookup operation may be performed for identifying forwarding information for a received particular packet. The packet switching device populates each of these FIBs, but not all of the FIBs of the packet switching device, with forwarding information corresponding to the particular forwarding value. Thus, FIB resources are consumed for only those FIBs which could actually be used, and not all of the FIBs, for forwarding packets in the data plane of the packet switching device, whether these packets are received on a primary or backup path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, John H. W. Bettink, George Leonard Swallow
  • Patent number: 9014182
    Abstract: A circuit comprising: a device determiner configured to, in a first mode of operation, receive a device selection signal via at least one of: at least one control line and at least one signal line; and a device router configured to, in a second mode of operation, route signals between the at least one of: at least one control line and at least one signal line and at least one device dependent on the device selection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Gaurav Mathur, Pratik Damle
  • Patent number: 9008080
    Abstract: A packet forwarding network may include switches that perform network forwarding operations to forward network traffic between end hosts that are coupled to the packet forwarding network. An analysis network that is controlled by a controller may be coupled to the packet forwarding network. The analysis network and the packet forwarding network may overlap. Switches such as hybrid switches in the overlapping network portions may be controlled by the controller to copy network packets without interfering with the network forwarding operations of the packet forwarding network. The analysis network may include a central portion to which analysis tools are coupled and one or more isolated portions. The controller may control the client switches of the central portion and the isolated portions to establish tunneling paths through the forwarding network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Big Switch Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Munish Mehta, Ranganath Rao, Edward R. Swierk
  • Patent number: 9001824
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch system. The switch includes a port to couple to a second switch and a control mechanism configured. During operation, the control mechanism receives from the second switch a set of configuration information. Based on the received configuration information, the control mechanism invites the second switch to join a virtual cluster switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Brocade Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shiv Haris, Phanidhar Koganti
  • Patent number: 9001691
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and machine-readable articles of manufacture improve reliability and scalability of a messaging system. In some embodiments, the system's configuration data and subscriber information are stored in a central repository of a core node, and replicated to one or more non-core nodes. Data replication may be performed in real-time or near real-time, periodically, sporadically, or otherwise. Nodes may rely on the replicated data to provide the system's subscribers and outside callers with services that do not involve updating of configuration or subscriber data. In this way, the non-core nodes may continue to process calls when the core node is unavailable. For example, the non-core nodes can route calls to the appropriate subscribers without relying on the core. As another example, die non-core nodes can take messages from callers when the core node is unavailable. The messages may be queued for posting and delivery when the core node becomes available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Murray, Steven J. Tindall, Roger E. Visser
  • Patent number: 8976802
    Abstract: An arbitration technique for determining mappings for a switch is described. During a given arbitration decision cycle, an arbitration mechanism maintains, until expiration, a set of mappings from a subset of the input ports to a subset of the output ports of the switch. This set of mappings was determined during an arbitration decision cycle up to K cycles preceding the given arbitration decision cycle. Because the set of mappings are maintained, it is easier for the arbitration mechanism to determine mappings from a remainder of the input ports to the remainder of the output ports without collisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Pranay Koka, Herbert D. Schwetman, Jr., Syed Ali Raza Jafri
  • Patent number: 8976789
    Abstract: A communication protocol in a layer two (L2) network switch comprises, in response to a service request by a source node, registering the source node for packet communication service. The protocol further comprises forwarding one or more packets from the registered source node to one or more destination nodes. The protocol further comprises receiving packets from one or more destination nodes and forwarding each received packet to a corresponding registered node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sushma Anantharam, Stephan Benny, Nirapada Ghosh, Dayavanti G. Kamath, Keshav G. Kamble, Dar-Ren Leu, Chandarani J. Mendon, Nilanjan Mukherjee, Vijoy Pandey, Nandakumar Peethambaram
  • Patent number: 8971325
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a system and method enable application of policy using Layer 2 fields for a data frame, simplified data structures, or both. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a policy may be based upon a destination address (DA), a source address (SA), or a virtual local area network identification (VID) associated with a data frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Donald Pannell
  • Patent number: 8971220
    Abstract: A base station including at least a transceiver switch is provided enabling the base station to transmit and receive data in either FDD or TDD mode from an antenna. The base station may be provided with a synthesizer which can be retuned from FDD to TDD mode or alternatively, an FDD and a TDD synthesizer and a switch enabling the transmitter and receiver of the base station to process FDD or TDD mode data respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: Christopher Reed, Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8972585
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for splitting a load of monitoring a peer to peer network. The method has a first node in the peer to peer network receiving information reported by a second node in the peer to peer network, including information concerning which nodes are connected to the second node. The method further has the first node connecting to nodes different from the nodes that are connected to the second node using the received information. The method still further has the first node reporting information, including information concerning which nodes are connected to the first node, such that the second node also has access to the reported information, thereby splitting the load of monitoring the peer to peer network among the first and second nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tiversa IP, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel P. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20150055452
    Abstract: A dedicated control path architecture for systems of devices, such as stacking systems, is provided. In one embodiment, a network device for use in a system of devices can comprise a CPU complex; a first set of ports for establishing a data path between the network device and other network devices in the system of devices; and a second set of ports for establishing a control path between the network device and the other network devices in the system of devices. The control path can be separate from the data path and can allow the CPU complex to exchange control plane traffic with other CPU complexes resident in the other network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Michael Lee
  • Patent number: 8964733
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system includes multiple access switches, a switch fabric having multiple switch fabric portions, and a control plane processor. Each switch fabric portion is coupled to at least one access switch by a cable from a first set of cables. Each switch fabric portion is configured to receive data from the at least one access switch via the cable from the first set of cables. The control plane processor is coupled to each switch fabric portion by a cable from a second set of cables. The control plane processor is configured to send control information to each access switch via a cable from the second set of cables, a switch fabric portion, and a cable from the first set of cables. The control plane processor is configured to determine control plane connections associated with each access switch and is configured to determine data plane connections associated with each access switch as a result of the control plane connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunes Aybay, Jean-Marc Frailong
  • Patent number: 8964761
    Abstract: A method of a first DNS which can update server information in real time without necessarily using a TTL (Time To Live) by recording a network address of the first DNS, which has previously obtained server address information from a second DNS, in a notification list, by the second DNS, and transmitting the changed information from the second DNS to the first DNS recorded in the notification list when the previously obtained/requested server address changes, and updating the server address by the first DNS as provided by the second DNS. A DNS updating server address method may further include providing a first DNS with server address information corresponding to a domain, recording a network address of the first DNS in a notification list, corresponding to the domain and/or the server address information, and transmitting a changed server address information to the first DNS based on the notification list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soon Churl Shin, Woo Jin Yang, Sang Moon Lee
  • Patent number: 8964732
    Abstract: An Autonomous System domain comprising a topology transparent zone comprising a plurality of topology transparent zone nodes at least some of which are topology transparent zone edge nodes, wherein the topology transparent zone nodes are interconnected with one another via a plurality of internal links, and a plurality of neighboring external nodes connected to the topology transparent zone edge nodes via a plurality of external links, wherein no link state advertisements (LSAs) describing the internal links are distributed to the neighboring external nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Renwei Li, Huaimo Chen
  • Patent number: 8964549
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for managing communications of a wireless device in a wireless communication system based on network traffic level, and a wireless device comprising a control system configured to evaluate a network traffic level. The wireless device may be configured to transmit data, such as delay-tolerant data, based upon the network traffic level, for example transmitting data only under low traffic conditions. Deferring delay-tolerant communications may result in lower peak traffic conditions in the network. Evaluating the network traffic level may comprise measuring chip energy over total energy (Ec/Io), monitoring data on shared control channels such as HS-SCCH of a HSDPA system, inferring power allocated to channels by a dynamic power allocation scheme, or other methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sierra Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Gustav Gerald Vos, Kevin Walton, Recep Serkan Dost
  • Patent number: 8958420
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a scheduler disposed at a control device of a switch fabric system. The scheduler is configured to receive a control plane request associated with the switch fabric system having a data plane and a control plane separate from the data plane. The scheduler is configured to designate a control plane entity based on the control plane request and state information of each control plane entity from a set of control plane entities associated with the control plane and instantiated as a virtual machine. The scheduler is configured to send a signal to a compute device of the switch fabric system in response to the control plane request such that the control plane entity is instantiated as a virtual machine at the compute device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi Shekhar, Quaizar Vohra, Michael O'Gorman, Aleksandar Ratkovic, Jean-Marc Frailong, Shesha Sreenivasamurthy
  • Patent number: 8958301
    Abstract: A system and method for packet switching functionality focused on network aggregation that reduces size and power requirements of typical systems are provided in which the system and method also increases bandwidth and reduces latency from typical deployed systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: III Holdings 2, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Volpe, Mark Davis, David Borland, Ken Goss
  • Patent number: 8953603
    Abstract: A method of sending data to a switch fabric includes assigning a destination port of an output module to a data packet based on at least one field in a first header of the data packet. A module associated with a first stage of the switch fabric is selected based on at least one field in the first header. A second header is appended to the data packet. The second header includes an identifier associated with the destination port of the output module. The data packet is sent to the module associated with the first stage. The module associated with the first stage is configured to send the data packet to a module associated with a second stage of the switch fabric based on the second header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Gunes Aybay
  • Publication number: 20150036682
    Abstract: An interface switch which presents itself as switch to an enterprise fabric formed of the devices from the same manufacturer as the interface switch and that of a host or node to an enterprise fabric from a different manufacturer. This allows each enterprise fabric to remain in a higher performance operating mode. The multiplexing of multiple streams of traffic between the N_ports on the first enterprise fabric and the second enterprise fabric is accomplished by N_port Virtualization. The interface switch can be connected to multiple enterprise fabrics. All control traffic address mappings between virtual and physical addresses may be mediated and translated by the CPU of the interface switch and address mappings for data traffic performed at wire speed. Since the interface switch may preferably be a single conduit between the enterprise fabrics, it is also a good point to enforce perimeter defenses against attacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Michael W. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 8948166
    Abstract: A system of implementing switch devices in a server system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a plurality of servers coupled to a midplane board, and a first and second switch slots (where each switch slot enables coupling of a switch device to the midplane board). The first and second switch slots accept switch devices one each in each switch slot, and the first and second switch slots accept a single switch device spanning both switch slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.
    Inventor: Kevin B. Leigh
  • Patent number: 8948024
    Abstract: Various exemplary illustrations are provided of systems and methods for simulating a communication network. An exemplary system may include a communication router rack in communication with an external network. The rack may include a structure supporting a plurality of network router cards, each including a plurality of communication ports configured to allow selective communication between communication devices connected to the router cards and the external network. The router rack may further include a switching circuit enclosed by the rack structure that is in physical communication with the plurality of network router cards. The switching circuit may be configured to determine a unique network identifier for each of the plurality of network router cards to the external network. The rack may further include an external communication port configured to be selectively connected to the external network to allow communication between the plurality of network router cards and the external network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Eggerl, Gary C. Trotter, David L. Tingley
  • Patent number: 8937942
    Abstract: In one example, a network device includes a network interface that receives a packet, a storage card that stores session data for monitored network sessions, a plurality of service processing cards that process packets of respective subsets of the network sessions, wherein each of the service processing cards comprises a respective memory to store session data for the respective subset of the network sessions processed by the corresponding service processing card, and a switch fabric coupled to the network interface, the storage card, and the plurality of service processing cards. One or more of the plurality of service cards process the received packet based on the session data stored by the storage card. The one or more of the plurality of service cards retrieve the session data for the network session to which the packet corresponds from the storage card and store the retrieved session data in the respective memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Xianzhi Li, Qingming Ma, Jianhua Gu, Sanjay Gupta, Zeyong Lin, Dongsheng Mu
  • Patent number: 8934483
    Abstract: A method of transferring data in a network is provided. Data is received at a sub-switch of a first bundled switch having a plurality of sub-switches, the sub-switch being configured to only couple to connections external to the first bundled switch. The method also includes transferring the data from the first bundled switch using a multi-lane cable coupled to a second bundled switch, a first end of the multi-lane cable coupled to a sub-switch in the first bundled switch and a second end of the multi-lane cable coupled to at least two sub-switches in the second bundled switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ariel Hendel
  • Patent number: 8929362
    Abstract: A negotiation process is conducted between a controller and a target forwarding or switching device with respect to an abstract candidate device model for a forwarding plane. The abstract candidate device model is provided by a controller and indicates intended forwarding or switching behavior for the target device that a controller desires to have implemented on the target device. The intended behavior is specified in terms of mandatory and non-mandatory behavior. A hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for the target device analyzes the abstract candidate device model and decides whether the mandatory and optional behavior that is specified by the model is supported given the architecture of the target. The HAL informs the controller whether the intended behavior is supported by the target. Additional behavior may be proposed and accepted or not before the model is finalized. The finalized model may then be implemented and used to control forwarding behavior on the target device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Todd Cohn, Edward Crabbe, Navindra Yadav
  • Patent number: 8923283
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments that provide an architecture of memory buffers for a network component configured to process packets. A network component may receive a packet, the packet being associated with a control structure and packet data, an input port set and an output port set. The network component determines one of a plurality of control structure memory partitions for writing the control structure, the one of the plurality of control structure memory partitions being determined based at least upon the input port set and the output port set; and determines one of a plurality of packet data memory partitions for writing the packet data, the one of the plurality of packet data memory partitions being determined independently of the input port set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brad Matthews, Bruce Kwan, Puneet Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8923284
    Abstract: An approach for providing multi-user access to a packet switched network via a shared Ethernet-based local area network (LAN) is disclosed. Multiple end user stations are connected to the LAN, in which each of end user stations executes a communication software that is based upon a communication protocol (e.g., Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)), which establishes a point-to-point communication session. In addition, each of the end user stations selectively encapsulates the communication protocol packets using the Ethernet-based based LAN protocol. Further, attached to the LAN is a customer premise equipment (CPE), which transmits the encapsulated packets to a line terminating equipment, which according to one embodiment is a digital subscriber line (DSL) access multiplexer that is located in a central office. The line terminating equipment transports the multiple PPP sessions to a multiplexer/demultiplexer, which is located within a regional carrier's network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. O'Dell, Louis A. Mamakos
  • Patent number: 8917722
    Abstract: System and computer program product embodiments for fiber channel forwarder fabric login sequence in a fiber channel switch environment, where a Fiber Channel Forwarder (cFCF) is separated from a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) data forwarder (FDF), are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, at a Fiber Channel Login (FLOGI) to a target device from an initiator device, a node address acceptance notification is held from reaching the initiator device until each of the zoning distributions have been considered to have been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel G. Eisenhauer, Roger G. Hathorn, Henry J. May, Louis W. Ricci
  • Patent number: 8918631
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first identifier and a private key after a network device has been included in a data center switch fabric control plane, authenticating the network device based on the private key, sending a second identifier to the network device, and sending a control signal to the network device based on the second identifier. The first identifier is associated with the network device and unique within a segment of the data center switch fabric control plane. The second identifier is unique within the segment of the data center switch fabric control plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Jainendra Kumar, Vineet Dixit, Prabhu Seshachellum
  • Publication number: 20140369347
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to increasing radixes of digital data switches and communications switches, and related components and methods. In one embodiment, a gearbox transfers a plurality of high bandwidth signals between a communications switch and a plurality of devices. The gearbox is configured to combine one or more groups of uplink component signals into one or more respective uplink combined signals, and transmit each combined signal to the communications switch. Each uplink component signal is combined into only one of the at least one respective downlink combined signal to ensure that no individual uplink component signal is divided between multiple uplink combined signals, thereby simplifying the process of combining the uplink component signals and dividing the uplink combined signals. The communications switch is then configured to divide each uplink combined signal back into its respective uplink component signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Timothy James Orsley
  • Patent number: 8913601
    Abstract: A programmable integrated circuit is disclosed. The programmable integrated circuit comprises a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block of the plurality of circuit blocks comprising configurable blocks; and a routing network coupled to each circuit block of the plurality of circuit blocks, the routing network enabling asynchronous data communication with the plurality of circuit blocks. Each circuit block comprises an interface portion having routing circuits coupled to the routing network, the routing circuits enabling routing data to the configurable blocks of the circuit block. A method of asynchronously routing data in a circuit block of an integrated circuit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Alireza S. Kaviani
  • Patent number: 8909667
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating media item recommendations are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a method may include using at least a processor and memory for receiving candidate media items associated with one or more computing devices that either has recently played or is currently playing a media item currently being played by another computing device. The method may also include determining recommendation scores for the candidate media items based on occurrence counts of the media items within a predetermined time period. Further, the method may include generating a media item recommendation for the other computing device based on the recommendation scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Lemi Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Hugh Blake Svendsen
  • Patent number: 8908517
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an edge device of a core network may receive a plurality of packets from a peripheral network having a plurality of active connections to the core network, where each packet has a destination address and a source address. The edge device may compute a hash on the destination address or the source address of each packet, and determine whether the computed hash corresponds to the edge device. In response to the computed hash not corresponding to the edge device, the edge device may drop the packet, and in response to the computed hash corresponding to the edge device, the edge device may process the packet to forward the packet, where the dropping and processing load balances the plurality of packets over the active connections and prevents formation of loops in the core network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Pradosh Mohapatra, Sami Boutros
  • Patent number: 8908683
    Abstract: For a fiber channel forwarder fabric login sequence in a fiber channel switch environment, where a Fiber Channel Forwarder (cFCF) is separated from a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) data forwarder (FDF), at a Fiber Channel Login (FLOGI) to a target device from an initiator device, a node address acceptance notification is held from reaching the initiator device until each of the zoning distributions have been considered to have been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel G. Eisenhauer, Roger G. Hathorn, Henry J. May, Louis W. Ricci
  • Patent number: 8904466
    Abstract: A digital media distribution device that includes an encoder, a decoder coupled to the encoder, and a transcoder coupled to the decoder. The encoder is configured to encode input data that is received by the digital media distribution device into a first data format. The decoder is configured to decode output data to be output by the digital media distribution device. The transcoder is configured to convert the encoded input data from the first data format into a second data format. The digital media distribution device is configured to be coupled to a computer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Klamer, Ken Long, Arjun Ramamurthy
  • Patent number: 8902767
    Abstract: Real-time, high fidelity communication effects are simulated. A transmitter in a platform simulation is requested to send a surrogate message to a receiver in the platform simulation. Communications effects are computed in response to the message, and the communications effects are saved for later use. When a future communication event involving the transmitter and receiver occurs, the saved effects are used to simulate the communication effects for that event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Custer, Robert J. Harrison, Brian J. Waltersdorf
  • Patent number: 8902883
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for scheduling within a switch is described. A set of input signals is received from input ports. The set of input signals is associated with a set of packets at the input ports. A request for each packet from the set of packets is generated based on the set of input signals. Each request has an input-port indicator, an output-port indicator and a service-level indicator. The packets are scheduled based on the service-level indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Kamran Sayrafian-Pour
  • Patent number: 8897294
    Abstract: An interface switch which presents itself as switch to an enterprise fabric formed of the devices from the same manufacturer as the interface switch and that of a host or node to an enterprise fabric from a different manufacturer. This allows each enterprise fabric to remain in a higher performance operating mode. The multiplexing of multiple streams of traffic between the N_ports on the first enterprise fabric and the second enterprise fabric is accomplished by N_port Virtualization. The interface switch can be connected to multiple enterprise fabrics. All control traffic address mappings between virtual and physical addresses may be mediated and translated by the CPU of the interface switch and address mappings for data traffic performed at wire speed. Since the interface switch may preferably be a single conduit between the enterprise fabrics, it is also a good point to enforce perimeter defenses against attacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 8897155
    Abstract: An information providing apparatus includes: a map information storage unit which maintains map information with which at least one of position information, address information, and names of buildings or shops is associated; a communication parameter obtaining unit which obtains communication parameters associated with the position information; an image information creating unit which creates image information in which the communication parameters associated with the position information are described on the map information; and a display unit which displays the image information created by the image information creating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8891516
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for providing link aggregation (LAG) to heterogeneous switches includes receiving, at a switch controller, LAG requests forwarded by switches and determining that multiple LAG requests corresponding to a server have been received, grouping the multiple LAG requests into LAG groups according to a switch from which they were received and correlating all the LAG groups with the server, instructing each of the switches to setup a LAG group with the server according to the LAG groups determined by the switch controller, and creating alternate flows that correspond to flows through each of the switches to the server through direction from the switch controller. The switches may rely upon OpenFlow to communicate with the switch controller, in some approaches. In addition, other methods for providing LAG to heterogeneous switches are also described, along with systems and computer program products which provide LAG to heterogeneous switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vinit Jain, Dayavanti G. Kamath, Abhijit P. Kumbhare, Renato J. Recio
  • Patent number: 8879410
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to WRAs that implement removable memory units (RMUs). The ability to load operational, maintenance, and mission data through RMUs is critical for avionics platform safety and logistics. However, due to strong hardware dependence, universality, or rather platform-invariance is not currently available for aircraft data acquisition (including the real-time recording of new performance, operational (flight) and environmental data) or mission data loading via prior art WRAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Kostrzewski, Sookwang Ro, Kang Lee, Thomas Forrester, Michael Alan Thompson, Tomasz Jannson
  • Publication number: 20140321460
    Abstract: A communication path switching device is configured to determine whether or not a specified network device where exclusion from a communication path or addition to the communication path is specified through an input device can perform path switching based on the individual pieces of information on a coupling configuration and a presence or absence of an independent control function; refer to a storage device for the individual pieces of information on the coupling configuration and a coupling policy to change the coupling policy according to a result of the determination; and processing of issuing, according to the result of the determination and the individual pieces of information in the storage device, a path switching instruction to a network device having the independent control function and a network device not having the independent control function that are path switching targets on a communication path directed to the specified network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sayuri KANEKO, Junji KINOSHITA, Kazuma YUMOTO, Osamu TAKADA
  • Patent number: 8873559
    Abstract: In an interconnection network, multiple nodes are connected to one of a first layer of switches. The first layer of switches is connected to one another through a second layer of switches. Each of the nodes is connected through one of multiple shared links connecting the first layer switches and the second layer of switches. A pipelined broadcast manager schedules broadcast steps for a pipelined broadcast through the crossbar switches according to each separate, single static route set through at least one of an inter-switch broadcast phase during which at least one packet is passed from at least one switch of the crossbar switches to another of the crossbar switches and an intra-switch broadcast phase during which the at least one packet is passed only among a selection of nodes connected to the another of the crossbar switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Bin Jia
  • Patent number: 8872972
    Abstract: A router module is arranged in a housing of a smart television. The router module is externally connected to a modem for surfing the Internet. The router module is electrically connected to a micro processing unit of the smart television. Therefore, the smart television is connected to the Internet through the router module. A wireless transmission chip of the router module is configured to process Internet signals. An antenna module is configured to wirelessly transmit the Internet signals, so that wireless network is shared to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Nai-Chien Chang
  • Patent number: 8866625
    Abstract: A system and a method for aggregating and transmitting process metadata of a heterogeneous production system, the production system including a plurality of process devices to manufacture a product, the method comprising the steps of sending a user request from a communication device to a central unit, generating a metadata profile based on the user request at the central unit, accessing at least one of the plurality of the process devices of the process via an aggregation module of the central unit by using standardized control signals that were generated upon a user request, the aggregation module having access to the process devices, locating and authenticating the manufactured product in the process by the aggregation module based on authentication data; capturing process-specific data specific to the manufactured and authenticated product from the process at the aggregation module based on standardized control signals; transmitting the process-specific data from the aggregation module to the central unit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Christina Schlenther, Markus Spuehler
  • Publication number: 20140307588
    Abstract: A system and method for a symmetric switching fabric includes a first switching tier that includes a plurality of leaf switches, a second switching tier that includes one or more spine switches, and a plurality of interlinks for coupling the leaf switches to the spine switches. Each of the leaf switches includes one or more first ports configured to couple each of the leaf switches to other network devices outside the switching fabric and one or more second ports for coupling each of the leaf switches to each of the spine switches. A ratio of a number of first ports and a number of second ports is selected based on an oversubscription ratio. For each pair of a first switch selected from the leaf switches and a second switch selected from the spine switches, a same number of first interlinks selected from the plurality of interlinks couple the first switch to the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Kwangsuk Kim, Annie A. Dang, Wanqun Bao
  • Patent number: 8855016
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks, and to ad hoc networks using aircraft in particular. A method of maintaining data links to and from a source node in an ad hoc mobile network is provided. The network comprises nodes including neighbor nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication with the source node. The neighbor nodes comprise active neighbor nodes and inactive neighbor nodes, the active neighbor nodes being connected to the source node via respective active data links and the inactive neighbor nodes having respective inactive data links to the source node. One or more lost neighbor nodes are identified and revised configurations of data links are considered that account for the change in neighbor nodes. A new configuration is selected based at least partly on the cost of sending messages from the source node using the revised configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David Scarlatti, Roberto Molina, Nicolas Pena Ortiz, Anibal Ollero, Carlos Montes Relanzon
  • Patent number: 8848728
    Abstract: A forwarding system includes a first processor coupled to connecting devices using a plurality of uplinks, and a second processor coupled to the connecting devices using a plurality of downlinks. The first processor includes, in a memory, one or more queues each corresponding to the second processor, a priority, and/or to a packet cast type (e.g., unicast or multicast). The first processor is configured to select a particular queue, select a particular uplink based on a comparison of measurements corresponding to respective loads of the plurality of uplinks, and cause a fragment or the entirety of a packet in the particular queue to be forwarded to the second processing device using the selected uplink and corresponding connecting device. The second processor is configured to reassemble the packet, reorder the packet into a flow, and forward the packet from the forwarding system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell Israel (M.I.S.L) Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoram Revah, Aviran Kadosh
  • Publication number: 20140269688
    Abstract: A packet data network traffic management device comprises a plurality of ports comprising at least a first port, a second port, and a third port; and a plurality of deterministic multi-threaded deterministic micro-controllers, each of the micro-controllers associated with a corresponding one of the ports to control packet data through the corresponding port; and the plurality of multi-threaded deterministic micro-controllers cooperatively operate to selectively communicate data packets between the plurality of ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: ANDREW DAVID ALSUP, TAYLOR M. WRAY, KURT H. COONROD
  • Patent number: 8837470
    Abstract: The present technology considers multi-stage network topologies where it is not possible to evenly stripe uplinks from a lower stage of the network topology to switching units in an upper stage of the topology. This technology proposes techniques to both improve overall throughput and to deliver uniform performance to all end hosts with uneven connectivity among the different stages while delivering uniform performance to all hosts. To achieve improved network performance in case of asymmetric connectivity, more flows may be sent to some egress ports than to others, thus weighting some ports more than others, resulting in Weighted Cost Multi Path (WCMP) flow distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Junlan Zhou, Amin Vahdat, Arjun Singh