Abstract: A non-blocking switching architecture having a fabric that is capable of switching on two levels by formatting signals crossing the switching fabric as “microcells” having a predetermined format. The microcells are routed by the switching fabric from an ingress line card to destination devices that can include egress line cards and/or processing resources. The processing resources can reformat the signals carried by the microcells to a second format. The reformatted signals can then be packaged as microcells and routed to a selected processing resource to provide switching in the second format. The processing resources transform the switched signals in the second format to a signal in the original format, which is carried by the switching fabric as microcells to an egress line card.

Abstract: There are provided a printing apparatus which can maintain an optimal transfer rate with an external device by an optimal buffer management, and a reception buffer management method thereof. In the printing apparatus according to this invention, assume that data received in unit of packet using a wireless interface from the external device is stored in a plurality of reception buffers. A maximum receivable data amount which can be used for receiving the data from the external device is determined on the basis of the number of the confirmed empty reception buffer(s). The data transmittable amount notified of the external device is then compared with the maximum receivable data amount. When receiving a request from the external device, the printing apparatus replies to the external device to change the notified data transmittable amount, in accordance with the comparison result.

Abstract: A switch segments variable length frames into cells for transmission over a cell-based switch fabric and handles rate differences between the input data rate and the switch fabric data rate. The fabric handles multiple cell packets by maintaining a switch path until a certain number of cells are transmitted as indicated in a length field in the first data cell. The first cell contains a full data payload, and a length field value sufficient to handle a maximum length frame. Subsequent cells can contain less than a full data payload, with the number of valid bytes in the cell being indicated in the length field. The last cell used to segment the frame contains an end of frame indicator. The indicator signals the destination port side of the switch to terminate the packet path in the switch fabric prematurely—before the number of cells indicated in the first data cell.

Abstract: A data transmission scheduler subsystem for a multi-channel bank communication system architecture contains a plurality of ‘per port’ schedulers. Each per port scheduler is resident in the system's primary channel bank, and is operative to controllably cause customer-destined data, that has been buffered from a communication network into switch fabric storage circuitry of the primary channel bank, to be controllably read out for downlink transmission to associated destination data ports of the channel banks at the destination data ports' data rates.

Abstract: A method for decreasing routing latency of a switching platform comprises identifying ports which have changed their operational state and modifying the port polling code associated with the respective ports so that operational ports are polled for frames to be routed, while non-operational ports are not polled. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a fiber channel switch. Non-operational ports are identified as having operational states below a pre-determined threshold level of functionality. The polling code for the ports is modified while polling operations are carried out in the switch. The code for a newly operational port is modified by copying into the code one or more instructions that poll the port for a frame and routes the frame. The code for a newly non-operational port is modified by copying into the code a branch instruction that bypasses the remainder of the polling code for the port.

Abstract: A method and system for interworking between an Ethernet communication network and an ATM network, in which a first network interface is operable to communicate with the Ethernet communication network using an Ethernet communication protocol. A second network interface is operable to communicate with the ATM communication network using an ATM protocol. A processing unit is in communication with the first network interface and the second network interface, in which the processing unit encapsulates frames received from the Ethernet network into ATM frames, decapsulates frames received from the ATM network to recover Ethernet frames and maps parameters corresponding to the received one of the ATM and Ethernet frames into the other of the ATM and Ethernet frames, the mapped parameters including connection configuration control plane information and data plane parameters corresponding to individual frames.

Abstract: The invention includes, among other things, a system for passing TDM traffic through a packet switch. In one embodiment, the system includes a packet switch that has a plurality of data ports and is capable of routing FSDU packets between the plurality of data ports. A TDM encapsulation circuit process a TDM data flow that is incoming to the switch. A circuit demultiplexer processes the incoming data flow to buffer data associated with different TDM circuits into different buffer locations. A timer monitors the amount of time available to fill the FSDU, and when the time period reaches the frame boundary, an FSDU generator generates an FSDU that is filled with data associated with the TDM circuits. Header information is added for allowing the packet switch to route the generated FSDU to a port associated with the respective TDM circuit.

Abstract: A system and method suitable for processing television signals includes a local collection facility that has a plurality of receivers receiving a plurality of channel signals a plurality of encoders generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals, a multiplexer multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at a multiplexer to form first multiplexed signals, an ATM switch forming a primary ATM circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility, and an ATM network adapter forming first ATM signals from the multiplexed signals and communicating the first ATM signals to a remote facility through the primary ATM circuit and the ATM switch. The system also includes a remote facility that includes a monitoring system generating control signals to tear down the primary ATM circuit and communicating the control signal to tear down the primary ATM circuit to the local collection facility.

Abstract: Traffic from a number of different service type users is multiplexed into minicells for transmission over an ATM link. Service type information is transmitted in a service specific field and is stored. This stored information is used to derive length information to delineate the different length user minicells. The technique occupies less bandwidth than the conventional methods for transmitting cell length information.

Abstract: A system and method suitable for processing television signals includes a remote facility and a local collection facility in communication with the remote facility. The local facility has a plurality of receivers receiving a plurality of channel signals and a plurality of encoders generating a plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals. The local collection facility includes a primary multiplexer multiplexing the plurality of encoded signals to form a first multiplexed signal and communicates the first multiplexed signal to the remote facility. A monitoring system at a remote facility commanding switching to a back-up multiplexer at the local collection facility. The back-up multiplexer multiplexing the plurality of encoded signals to form a second multiplexed signal and communicating the second multiplexed signal to the remote facility. The remote facility generating an output signal in response to the second multiplexed signal.

Abstract: A packet handler includes an interface circuit corresponding in one-to-one relation to each input/output port of a switch. A switch interface including a disconnection circuit and a distribution circuit controls the packet from each interface circuit to a corresponding input port and the packet from the output ports of the switch to each interface circuit. In a set of interface circuits, one redundant transmission path can be replaced arbitrarily with two non-redundant independent transmission paths. The packet communication system can thus accommodate redundant transmission paths and non-redundant transmission paths in an arbitrary ratio.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to assign permanent virtual circuits (PVC) to subscribers are disclosed. A disclosed example method to assign a PVC to a subscriber comprises obtaining a parameter representative of a port associated with the subscriber, computing a virtual circuit identifier (VCI) for the PVC from the parameter, and storing the virtual circuit identifier in association with the PVC.

Abstract: The disclosure presents techniques for merging multiple data flows in a network such as a Passive Optical Network (PON). The PON comprises an interface module and network nodes connected to the interface module via an optical fiber link. Each network node further serves client devices. The client devices request multiple data flows, requiring the interface module to serve multiple data flows to a network node for delivery to the devices. The interface module merges received data flows to permit multiple flows to be processed by a single segmentation and reassembly (SAR) engine, reducing hardware cost and complexity within the node. However, subunits associated with different data flows within a merged data flow are not interleaved with one another. Instead, the subunits associated with an original unit of information are transmitted contiguously within the merged data flow, facilitating identification and reassembly of the subunits for a particular microflow.

Abstract: A system and method of performing device detection and service discovery in a mobile ad hoc communications network, each network node storing a local application directory. One of the network nodes is selected to be a directory server node that stores a combined application directory. The directory server node sends an inquiry message to a listening node when the listening node enters the coverage area of the directory server node. The listening node sends a notification message to the directory server node that includes the local application directory stored in the listening node. The directory server node compares the received local application directory to the combined application directory and updates the combined application directory accordingly. The directory server node sends an update message to each network node by sending an update portion of the combined application directory. Each network node updates the local application directories accordingly.

Abstract: The real-time reassembly of data received over an ATM network is enabled by a system including two digital memories, an indicator for indicating one of the two memories as a process memory and another one of the two memories as a storage memory, a buffer memory, a processor which processes the digital contents of a cell stored in the process memory and stores the digital contents of a subsequent cell in the storage memory. In operation of the system, the processing of the contents of the process memory is completed prior to completion of the receiving and storing of the contents of the subsequent cell in the storage memory.

Abstract: A new type of data transport service which uses a frame relay layer 2 data link connection identifier (DLCI) to select among various service types, feature sets, and/or closed user groups (CUGs). A layer 3 address may be extracted from a layer 2 frame, and the layer 3 address information may be used to route a data packet over a packet-switched network according to the service classes, feature sets, and/or CUGs selected. At the destination, the layer 3 data packet may again be enclosed in a layer 2 frame with a DLCI indicating the service classes, features sets, and/or CUGs. Because the use of conventional permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) is not required in aspects of the invention, new methods of measuring and managing network traffic are presented.

Abstract: In one aspect of the instant invention, a method is provided for controlling a communications system in which VoIP traffic and data traffic are both provided. The method comprises receiving voice over internet protocol packets, accumulating a plurality of the voice over internet protocol packets, and transmitting the accumulated plurality of voice over internet protocol packets within a single time slot.

Abstract: Automatic detection of the virtual circuit setting and encapsulation type of a DSL line. A DSL modem determines the correct virtual path identifier (VPI) and virtual channel identifier (VCI) by sending OAM loopback requests to different VPI/VCI pairs until a valid loopback reply is received. PPPoA encapsulation is detected when a valid reply is received to a PPP LCP configuration request or echo request. PPPoE encapsulation is detected when a valid reply is received to a PPP LCP termination request or a PPPoE discovery offer (a PADO packet) is received in response to a PPPoE discovery initiation request (a PADI packet).

Abstract: A method and system for connection routing based on link utilization. A link utilization limit is accessed at a node of a network. The link utilization limit is compared to a utilization of a link coupled to the node. If the utilization of the link is greater than the link utilization limit, then the link is excluded from a virtual circuit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a protection-switching apparatus and method in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system with ring topology. In the invention, the ONU detects a trouble, or abnormal states, of an optical path connected with the ONU itself; the ONU performs the protection-switching function by receiving an ATM cell from the opposite direction of the optical path having the trouble; the software unit of the ONU inserts a node identification data (NID) of the ONU to the APS register of the optical path of normal states; and the hardware unit of the ONU generates the APS cell by performing mirroring of the APS register to the VCI area of the APS cell, and transmits the APS cell in the same direction as the direction of the optical path of abnormal states. Therefore, the protection-switching apparatus and method in an ATM system with ring topology of the present invention have the advantage of reducing switching delay time and switching load.

Abstract: A multi-slice network processor processes a packet in packet slices for transfer over a multi-port network interface such as a switch fabric. The network processor segments a packet into cells having a target size. A group of cells of a common packet form a packet slice which is independently processed by one of a number of parallel processing and storage slices. Load balancing may be used in the selection of processing slices. Furthermore, the network processor may load balance slices across the multi-port network interface to one or more destination slices of another network processor. The multi-slice processor uses post header storage delivery on ingress processing to the multi-port interface thereby reducing temporary storage requirements. The multi-slice network processor may also utilize sequence numbers associated with each packet to ensure that prior to transmission onto a destination network, the packet is in the correct order for a communication flow.

Abstract: A transmission source bridge collects packets sent from nodes connected to a serial bus in accordance the IEEE1394 Standards, into one packet in an order they are to be transmitted and then sends them onto an ATM network, so that a transmission destination bridge receives this packet and divides it into a plurality of smaller packets and transfers them, in the order they were sent, to nodes connected to the serial bus in accordance with the IEEE1394 Standards.

Abstract: At a transmitter, an ATM cell stream is received from the ATM layer and is distributed on a cell-by-cell bases across multiple DSL PHY's. At the receiver, the cells from each DSL PHY are re-combined in the appropriate order to recreate the original ATM cell stream, which is then passed to the ATM layer.

Abstract: A receiver which receives a stream of data packets including video data packets over a physical data link and drops data packets when an error on a physical communication layer is detected, wherein the receiver comprises a processor, configured so that it is able to check whether the received data packet is a video packet and whether it is corrupted by an error on the physical communication layer. If this is the case, the video packet is marked as corrupted and forwarded to the network layer. There is further provided a method for processing a stream of data packets including video data packets, the method including checking for each data packet whether it is a video data packet; checking for each video data packet whether it is corrupted by an error on the physical communication layer; marking a video packet as corrupted if it is corrupted due to an error on the physical communication layer; and forwarding the marked corrupted video packet to the network layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for guaranteeing packet delivery times in an asynchronous network includes generating a global timing schedule to synchronize the communication between the terminals of a network and, in response to at least one trigger, transmitting and receiving data according to the generated global timing schedule. To optimize bandwidth utilization, more than one terminal may transmit data during a specific time slot of each time frame of the global timing schedule as long as no more than one terminal attempts to transmit data to a common other terminal.

Abstract: There is provided a method for supporting a multicast service in an Ethernet passive optical network system. Since an Optical Network Unit (ONU) system monitors an IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) message and informs the monitored result of an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) system so that the OLT system creates L2 multicast forwarding table using a multicast address and ONU ID information in a PON port, the ONU system transmits the multicast packet only to a corresponding subscriber on the basis of the L2 multicast forwarding table when receiving a multicast packet. Therefore, it is possible to transfer a multicast packet only to a specific ONU system belonging to a corresponding multicast address group among a plurality of ONU systems.

Abstract: Apparatus and method that increases bandwidth and reliability of digital subscriber line (DSL) connections. The system involves provisioning multiple DSL lines, splitting traffic into cells, transmitting the cells independently of each other, and reassembling the cells at the destination. Sequence numbers may be used when reassembling the cells. Virtual circuits (VCs) may be constructed across the DSL lines. Accordingly, a failure in one DSL line merely reduces the bandwidth without disruption to the customer. In this manner, the customer can be inexpensively provided with increased bandwidth and reliability.

Abstract: An ATM switch includes a first stage, a second stage and a third stage each of which stages includes at least one basic switch, wherein the first stage, the second stage and the third stage are connected. The basic switch includes a part which refers to time information written in a header of an input cell and switches cells to an output port in an ascending order of the time information. In addition, the ATM switch includes a cell distribution part in the basic switch of the first stage. The cell distribution part determines a routes of a cell to be transferred such that loads of routes within the ATM switch are balanced. The ATM switch further includes an adding part which adds arriving time information to an arriving cell as the time information.

Abstract: This invention further features a method of apportioning channels in a programmable multi-source, multi-destination system, the method including determining the source for each channel by: a) computing the sum of the number of channels carried by the current and all preceding sources, b) computing a source identifier for each channel based on the computed sum of the number of channels carried by the current and all preceding sources, determining which section of the source the channel is located based on the computed source identifier, and determining the destination for each channel by: a) computing the sum of the number of channels carried by the current and all preceding destinations, and b) computing a destination identifier of the first channel sent to each destination based on the computed sum of the number of channels carried by the current and all preceding destinations.

Abstract: An ATM switching equipment is provided comprising a switching network (ASN) and at least one server switching unit (SSC). The server switching unit (SSC) contains an AAL2 switcher (ASW) that is configured for simultaneous processing of a maximum plurality (m) of incoming connections. An AAL2 routing list (RL1 . . . RLm) is provided for each of these connections, and a microprocessor (MPR) is configured to limit the allowable value range for VPI/VCI values in the header of the ATM cells according to the plurality of AAL2 routing lists, so that only the corresponding VPI/VCI coding bits are taken into consideration at an interface to the switching network.

Abstract: System for charging the use of a packet based telecommunication network. A measuring device (2) measures the number (n) of data units during a period of time (T) or the period of time (t) between a certain number (N) of data units. At any rate, the period of time is short in relation to the total connection time. A calculation device (4) calculates per period of time the number of data units per unit of time and transmits that calculation result (r) to a billing system (5). If the telecommunication system comprises system data units which comprise an indication (r1) of the capacity or priority requested by the user, that indication can also be passed on to the billings system, as well as an indication of the capacity or priority assigned by the telecommunication system.

Abstract: In a method of selecting an access network from among one or more access networks capable of providing service to a mobile communication terminal, measuring (S1), for at least two access networks, an end-to-end quality through the whole communication path between the terminal and a destination node, and selecting (S2) at least one access based on said measured end-to-end quality.

Abstract: Upon initialization, a VPC is set up between edge nodes. A control processor of each node creates an IP address/VPC mapping table using IP routing information and an address mapping table mapping correspondence between IP addresses and ATM addresses and supplied by a network management system. A gateway assigns a VCC to each packet input to the network. A sending-side edge node inputs the packet to the VPC corresponding to its destination by referring to the IP address/VPC mapping table. A transit node performs packet switching over VP. A receiving-side edge node transfers each packet to the gateway corresponding to its destination. If a series of packets meet a predetermined condition in a given edge node, its control processor sends VCC information to input interfaces of the edge node so that the packets are switched by an ATM switch in the edge node without intervention of the control processor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for re-routing user connections between first and second nodes in a network switch. A loop-back path provides connectivity between the first and second nodes. The first node has a primary connection and a secondary connection. The primary connection carries the user connections during a normal mode. A switching element is coupled to the loop-back path and the first node to switch the connectivity from the primary connection to the secondary connection when there is a failure condition at the primary connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to monitor and analyze inverse multiplexing over asynchronous transfer mode (IMA) links of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network; and determine statistics regarding cells transmitted through the IMA links. An operational status of one or more individual links of one or more monitored groups of IMA links is also determined. An apparatus to determine statistics regarding one or more IMA multiplexed links of an ATM network includes one or more IMA link pre-processors to process cells from the respective one or more IMA links according to a type of the cells; a select and collapse unit to select which of the one or more IMA links to receive the processed cells from, and collapse the processed cells of the selected IMA links into one stream; and an aligner to receive the one stream of processed cells from the select and collapse unit and determine statistics regarding the processed cells of the one stream.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for dynamically establishing lawful interception taps within connection-oriented communication networks. Taps are established automatically upon establishment of a main connection by embedding collection identifier information within connection setup messages as a new form of information element. The collection identifier information includes information enabling a tap function within an interception node to establish a connection, such as an SPVC or an SVC, to a monitoring station. The collection identifier information may include any of a forward direction ATM address, a backward direction ATM address for use in bi-directional communications, a forward direction end point and a backward direction end point for use in establishing SPVC tap connections, and a connection identifier for use in establishing SVC tap connections. Tap connections can be established either during or after establishment of the main connection.

Abstract: This invention relates to an information-processing apparatus for transmitting streaming data through a network, including: an addition element for adding information used for carrying out processing on streaming data to the streaming data; a storage element for storing the streaming data and the information added to the streaming data by the addition element; and a transmission element for transmitting the streaming data which is stored by the storage element and which includes the information.

Abstract: A method for setting a header, having a header extension type field, of a protocol data unit in a radio link control layer of a wireless communications system includes configuring a “use of the special value of the header extension type field” mode, and setting the header extension type field to indicate that a last octet of the protocol data unit is a last octet of a service data unit when the last octet of the protocol data unit is the last octet of the service data unit and there is no concatenation of service data units inside the protocol data unit.

Abstract: In an asynchronous transfer mode switch, a plurality of queues is provided for accumulating transfer cells, and a queue assignment processing section, receives a message for establishing a connection and assigns to the connection one of the queues having a forwarding rate close to a declared rate included in the message and not exceeding the declared rate.

Abstract: At a transmitter, an ATM cell stream is received from the ATM layer and is distributed on a cell-by-cell bases across multiple DSL PHY's. At the receiver, the cells from each DSL PHY are re-combined in the appropriate order to recreate the original ATM cell stream, which is then passed to the ATM layer.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that asynchronously controls the sending of data items from a sender to a receiver. The system includes a data path between the sender and the receiver, a first control path between the sender and the receiver, and a second control path between the sender and the receiver. The first control path and the second control path alternately control the asynchronous transmission of consecutive data items on the data path between the sender and the receiver.

Abstract: A data packet switching node that temporarily stores data packets received from at least one source network adapter and transmits them to at least one destination network adapter comprises a data packet flow control system to control the data packet flow. The data packet flow control system comprises identifier to determine the at least one destination adapter of each received data packet. Then, flow control logic coupled to the storage allow computing a data packet flow value representing the traffic for the at least one destination adapter. The data packet flow value is transmitted simultaneously to the at least one source network adapter and to the at least one destination network adapter each time a data packet for the at least one destination network adapter is stored into the storage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to transfer data cells having an overhead section and a payload section via a communication medium from a transmitter to a receiver. Before transfer of a data cell, the overhead section of the data cell is translated into a shortened overhead section, known both on the transmitter and the receiver sides, and upon reception of the data cell, the shortened overhead section is translated again into the overhead section.

Abstract: The invention provides an enhanced datagram packet switched computer network. The invention processes network datagram packets in network devices as separate flows, based on the source-destination address pair in the datagram packet. As a result, the network can control and manage each flow of datagrams in a segregated fashion. The processing steps that can be specified for each flow include traffic management, flow control, packet forwarding, access control, and other network management functions. The ability to control network traffic on a per flow basis allows for the efficient handling of a wide range and a large variety of network traffic, as is typical in large-scale computer networks, including video and multimedia traffic. The amount of buffer resources and bandwidth resources assigned to each flow can be individually controlled by network management. In the dynamic operation of the network, these resources can be varied—based on actual network traffic loading and congestion encountered.

Abstract: A method and system for connection routing based on link utilization. A link utilization limit is accessed at a node of a network. The link utilization limit is compared to a utilization of a link coupled to the node. If the utilization of the link is greater than the link utilization limit, then the link is excluded from a virtual circuit.

Abstract: Network interface circuitry for a secure one-way data transfer from a sender's computer (“Send Node”) to a receiver's computer (“Receive Node”) over a data link, such as an optical fiber or shielded twisted pair copper wire communication cable, comprising send-only network interface circuitry for transmitting data from the Send Node to the data link, and receive-only network interface circuitry for receiving the data from the data link and transmitting the received data to the Receive Node, wherein the send-only network interface circuitry is configured not to receive any data from the data link, and the receive-only network interface circuitry is configured not to send any data to the data link. The network interface circuitry may use various interface means such as PCI interface, USB connection, FireWire connection, or serial port connection for coupling to the Send Node and the Receive Node.

Abstract: A system and methods to optimize the resource planning of ADSL services is provided. In an illustrative implementation, a network management system (NMS) communicates with an ADSL network to provision resources for participating users. The provisioning process yields a permanent virtual circuit (PVC). Included in the provisioning process is the creation and management of configuration variables, such as, the virtual path identifier (VPI) and the virtual circuit identifier (VCI). The VPI/VCI combination uniquely identifies each PVC. If the provisioning process is aborted or fails, it may be reanimated by the NMS using the VPI/VCI combination. In this implementation, the VPI may be set to a certain value and the VCI value calculated using ADSL configuration values (e.g. the physical connection position on a first, second, third, etc. ADSL network component.) The deterministic nature of the VPI and VCI configuration variables assist the NMS to track and optimize available resources.

Abstract: A method for call parking in a network telephony system is disclosed. A first user agent and a second user agent establish a communication session, and the second user agent enters a call park number to initiate a call park of the communication session. Subsequently, the call park number and the location of the second user agent are sent to a server, which authorizes the second user agent for call parking. The server then registers the call park number, and the communication session between the first and second user agents is parked. When a third user agent wants to pick up the communication session, the third user agent calls the server by entering the call park number. The server then routes the third user agent to the second user agent, which in turn refers the third user agent to the first user agent. The first and third user agents then establish their own communication session, the communication session between the first and second user agents is terminated, and the call park number is deregistered.

Abstract: Methods and systems for communication network element configuration and connection rerouting are disclosed. For a communication network connection between network elements, one of which supports a local connection rerouting function to detect a loss of continuity on the connection based on continuity check signals and to reroute the connection responsive to the detection and another of which does not support the local connection rerouting function, the non-supporting network element is configured to send continuity check signals to the supporting network element over the connection, and the local connection rerouting function is enabled at the supporting network element. The supporting network element then monitors the connection to detect loss of continuity and reroutes the connection responsive to the detection.

Abstract: A system and method for creating an ad-hoc network is described. A user may navigate a number of options to create an ad-hoc network and/or join an ad-hoc network using the described system.