Ring Or Loop Forms Backbone For Interconnecting Other Networks Patents (Class 370/404)
  • Patent number: 8532119
    Abstract: A Fiber Channel router used to join fabrics. EX_ports are used to connect to the fabrics. The EX_port joins the fabric but the router will not merge into the fabric. Ports in the Fiber Channel router can be in a fabric, but other ports can be connected to other fabrics. Fiber Channel routers can be interconnected using a backbone fabric. Global, interfabric and encapsulation headers are developed to allow routing by conventional Fiber Channel switch devices in the backbone fabric and simplify Fiber Channel router routing. Phantom domains and devices must be developed for each of the fabrics being interconnected. Front phantom domains are present at each port directly connected to a fabric. Each of these is then connected to at least one translate phantom domain. Zoning is accomplished by use of a special LSAN zoning naming convention. This allows each administrator to independently define devices are accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Norman Snively, Steven L. Wilson, Edward D. McClanahan, Dennis Hideo Makishima, Daniel Ji Yong Park Chung
  • Patent number: 8509061
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for scaling performance of Ethernet Ring Protection Protocol. Specifically, the systems and methods may apply to G.8032 and may provide protection switching control plane performance scaling benefits. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention summarizes the per “virtual” ring control plane protocol into a single logical ring control plane protocol. Advantageously, the present invention transforms the G.8032 protocol from a per-virtual ring protocol to a per-logical ring control protocol. The mechanism/methodology that is used is to include minimal per-virtual ring instance information in to the Ring Automated Protection Switching (R-APS) (control) frames. Additionally, the present invention cleanly decouples the placement of the R-APS (control) channel block location on the ring from that of the virtual channel data blocks. Current G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Marc Holness, Jie Hu
  • Patent number: 8509225
    Abstract: Providing enhanced emergency services (E-911) to an IP Telephony-based PBX or similar system, by utilizing aspects of the intelligence of end-user SIP client devices to address challenges and difficulties associated with E-911-like services in LAN-based telephony environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP
    Inventors: David Grabelsky, Michael Homeier, Anoop Tripathi, Boby Joseph
  • Patent number: 8493989
    Abstract: A network device is connected to another network device over a network and performs multicast transmission and reception over the network. The network device stores in a storage unit in a corresponding manner a drop address that uniquely identifies data to be dropped from the network and control data that indicates whether dropped data is to be forwarded or deleted. The network device drops the data based on the drop address, and then either forwards or deletes the dropped data based on the control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Tahara, Kazuyuki Inomoto
  • Patent number: 8451745
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for automatically probing endpoint in a network for performance and fault management is provided. The method may comprise receiving instructions to auto probe endpoints, the instructions comprising probe characteristics and endpoint indicators. The method may further comprise querying an information base to identify endpoints and to obtain information on the identified endpoints that conform to the endpoint indicators. Based on the instructions and the information obtained for the identified endpoints, one or more probe packets may be generating to be transmitted to the identified endpoints. The generated probe packets may further be scheduled for transmission to the identified endpoints. New endpoints may continue to get discovered based on a notification mechanism which exists. Likewise, endpoints leaving the discovery domain may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenwei Weng, Minghui Zhu, Vishnu Kant Varma
  • Patent number: 8437273
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, allocating demand includes receiving a demand graph that describes demands of a network. One or more weights are calculated for each demand. The demands are allocated according to the weights of the demands to optimize optical line card sharing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Xi Wang, Paparao Palacharla, Takao Naito
  • Patent number: 8401684
    Abstract: In the case where an audio network system that performs transport of audio signals between a plurality of processors is constructed such that the plurality of processors each including two sets of transmission I/Fs and reception I/Fs are connected in series, and a TL frame generated by a master node is circulated along a ring transmission route formed among the processors in each fixed period, the TL frame including a plurality of storage regions for audio signals, when one of the processors is required to be the master node, the one processor resets in sequence processors which are connected on both sides thereof and processors behind the processors connected on both sides to once remove each of those processors from a ring transmission route if it belong to any ring transmission route, then incorporates the processors into a ring transmission route in which the one processor belongs to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8390429
    Abstract: A mobile RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system and method are provided to monitor multiple control zones of the system simultaneously through a mobile outpost monitor. The control zones included in the system are connected with each other through a data exchange interface. Each of the control zones includes a link interface connecting with a gateway of at least one RFID tracking module. The gateway connects with at least one RFID reader and a signal transmitter to receive tag information of RFID tags within the control zone, and transmits the tag information through the signal transmitter. When the mobile outpost monitor moves from one control zone to another, the mobile outpost monitor may switch to link with the signal transmitter of the gateway in the current control zone. Through the data exchange interface, the mobile outpost monitor is able to obtain the monitoring information of another control zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Getac Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jun-Ting Shiau, Ta-Yung Lee, Jen-Hao Hsu, Chia-Chin Yu
  • Patent number: 8345576
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention automatically determine via heuristics optimal configurations to form sub-rings of nodes and where to position gateway processors among these sub-rings. The heuristics may be applied at a predefined timing interval configured by the user or in response to various events, such as a node failure or when a node joins the multi-ring network. Another embodiment of the invention may use automatic heuristics to determine when a suboptimal multi-ring configuration exists and formulates a new multi-ring configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven C. Dake
  • Patent number: 8325739
    Abstract: The invention concerns a gateway device comprising means for connection to a first device and means for connection to a second device for obtaining a network address as a function of a network resource identifier provided by the second device, and means for providing a false network address in response to a network resource identifier provided by the first device in case a real network address cannot be provided. The means for providing a false network address are adapted to provide a distinct false network address for a distinct network resource identifier—when the real address becomes available, a request made on the distinct false address allows the first device to obtain the corresponding real network address. The invention also concerns an associated process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Dirk Van De Poel, Thierry Du Tre
  • Patent number: 8320282
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques that may allow detection of a missing control node on a ring network and selection of a single node on ring network to act as the control node. In one example, a method includes receiving, at a first node in a ring network, a data unit transmitted by a second node in the ring network, the data unit including an identifier that identifies the second node. The method further includes comparing the identifier of the second node to an identifier that identifies the first node, and automatically selecting one of the first node and the second node as a control node for the ring network based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Calix, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Timothy Rollins
  • Patent number: 8279881
    Abstract: A method for route updating includes: a. determining more than one route in accordance with a predetermined preset mechanism and sending the determined more than one route to a client and/or a non-client, by a reflector in a route advertisement, and saving more than one route reaching the same destination address by the client and/or the non-client; and b. sending to the client and/or the non-client a message carrying information on the next hop of the route to be withdrawn, by the reflector in a withdrawal of a route and withdrawing the corresponding route for route updating in accordance with the information on the next hop carried in the message, by the client/the non-client. A system for route updating and a router reflector is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Renhai Zhang, Hui Ni, Yuan Rao
  • Patent number: 8270396
    Abstract: The Fiber Channel standard was created by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI) X3T11 task group to define a serial I/O channel for interconnecting a number of heterogeneous peripheral devices to computer systems as well as interconnecting the computer systems themselves through optical fiber and copper media at gigabit speeds (i.e., one billion bits per second). Multiple protocols such as SCSI (Small Computer Serial Interface), IP (Internet Protocol), HIPPI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) among others can concurrently utilize the same media when mapped over Fiber Channel. A Fiber Channel Fabric is an entity which transmits Fiber Channel frames between connected Node Ports. The Fiber Channel fabric routes the frames based on the destination address as well as other information embedded in the Fiber Channel frame header. Node Ports are attached to the Fiber Channel Fabric through links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Emulex Desigh & Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart B. Berman
  • Patent number: 8270397
    Abstract: The Fibre Channel standard was created by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI) X3T11 task group to define a serial I/O channel for interconnecting a number of heterogeneous peripheral devices to computer systems as well as interconnecting the computer systems themselves through optical fiber and copper media at gigabit speeds (i.e., one billion bits per second). Multiple protocols such as SCSI (Small Computer Serial Interface), IP (Internet Protocol), HIPPI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) among others can concurrently utilize the same media when mapped over Fibre Channel. A Fibre Channel Fabric is an entity which transmits Fibre Channel frames between connected Node Ports. The Fibre Channel fabric routes the frames based on the destination address as well as other information embedded in the Fibre Channel frame header. Node Ports are attached to the Fibre Channel Fabric through links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Emulex Design & Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart B. Berman
  • Patent number: 8238358
    Abstract: Frame-transfer functional units function as a switch for transferring a frame to a destination retrieved from an FDB. In transferring a frame to a ring selecting unit, the frame-transfer functional units transfers the frame with the frame added with a header in device. RPR functional units execute processing on an RPR frame received from the other communication device or a frame from the frame-transfer functional units with ring processing functional units based on an RPR protocol. The ring selecting unit searches a switch table based on information about the header in device added to the frame with the frame-transfer functional units and the RPR functional units to transfer the frame to a retrieved destination. The ring selecting unit can distribute a frame addressed to one port to plural ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8228933
    Abstract: A base station detects that an end-user has turned on an on/off switch on the base station, and in response, the base station transfers a registration request to a service node over an IP network. The service node processes the registration request to register the base station. The base station exchanges wireless telephony signals with a plurality of end-user communication devices, wherein the wireless telephony signals transport end-user communications. The base station and the service node exchange IP packets over the IP network, wherein the IP packets transport the end-user communications. The service node processes the end-user communications to provide a telephony service to the end-user communication devices, but the service node does not provide the telephony service to end-user communication devices through the base station until the base station registration is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 8223795
    Abstract: A computer system and method for transmitting LAN signals over transport systems. LAN signals are generated in any client LAN compliant interface. A transceiver receives the client LAN signal in the LAN format. The client LAN signals are not converted to a SONET transmission format at any time before reaching the transceiver. The transceiver then converts the client LAN signal to an internal electrical LAN signal before re-clocking the internal electrical LAN signal. The re-clocked internal electrical LAN signal is then re-modulated into a second LAN signal. The second LAN signal is then transmitted to a transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Pivotal Decisions LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lloyd Cox, Samir Satish Sheth
  • Patent number: 8204068
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for Fibre Channel interconnection is provided between a plurality of private loop devices through a Fibre Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fibre Channel private loop device interconnect system is a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fibre Channel private loop device is connected to two or more Arbitrated Loops containing, or adapted to contain, one or more private loop devices. Preferably, the interconnect system includes a routing filter to filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fibre Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. Numerous topologies of interconnect systems may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Emulex Design & Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart B. Berman
  • Patent number: 8184545
    Abstract: Technology for combating loops in multi-domain networks, by assigning to network domains categories, at least such as “high/trusted” and “low/less trusted”, and by making a decision about relearning Forwarding Information Base FIB of any edge node interconnecting different network domains, utilizing the assigned categories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: ECI Telecom Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Sergeev, Igor Balter, Igor Shifrin, Alexander Kugel
  • Patent number: 8131871
    Abstract: A method and system for rerouting data over a local area network is provided. The method comprises defining at least one port group associated with a bridging device, each port group including interfaces linked to the bridging device. A plurality of statuses for each port group is defined, the status being dependent on the individual statuses of the interfaces linked to the bridging device. At least one target port associated with each port group, each target port relating to a path for data. The method further comprises defining an action for each status of a port group and monitoring the status of the interfaces forming part of each port group. In response to determining the status of a port group, triggering the predefined action associated with the port group status at one of the port group's target ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christophe Paggen
  • Patent number: 8125900
    Abstract: In order to perform update processing with high reliability while preventing occurrence of an error in the update order, reduce a load on a management device, and reduce the time required to complete the update processing, according to the present invention, there is provided a network equipment management program that allows a computer to execute: an order information creation step that creates order information which is information corresponding to the order of the network equipments in which setting information is to be set and according to which the setting information is sequentially transmitted from N (N=1, 2, . . . )-th network equipment to (N+1)-th network equipment so as to be set in the respective network at its reception timing of the setting information; and a transmission step that transmits predetermined information including the order information created in the order information creation step to a first network equipment specified in the order information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamashima, Toshihiko Kurita
  • Patent number: 8121137
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating Fiber Channel frames between a private loop device and an Ethernet link through a Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system I a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fiber Channel private loop device is storage device which contains JBOSD or RAIDS. Preferably, the interconnect system includes routing filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fiber Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. Numerous topologies of interconnect systems may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Emulex Design & Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart B. Berman
  • Patent number: 8116196
    Abstract: In a mesh network, a network element for providing protection switching in a 1:N shared mesh protection scheme having a first protection path associated with a pair of working paths selected from the N working paths is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Trudel, Evert E. deBoer, James A. Shields
  • Patent number: 8081631
    Abstract: An Ethernet Metropolitan Area Network provides connectivity to one or more customer premises to packet-based services, such as ATM, Frame Relay, or IP, while advantageously providing a mechanism for assuring security and regulation of customer traffic. Upon receipt of each customer-generated information frame, an ingress Multi-Service Platform (MSP) “tags” the frame with a customer descriptor that specifically identifies the recipient customer. In practice, the MSP tags each frame by overwriting the Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier with the customer descriptor. Using the customer descriptor in each frame, a recipient Provider Edge Router (PER) or ATM switch can map the information as appropriate to direct the information to the specific customer at its receiving site. In addition, the customer descriptor may also include Quality of Service (QoS) information, allowing the recipient Provider Edge Router (PER) or ATM switch to afford the appropriate QoS level accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher J Chase, Stephen L Holmgren, David Kinsky, John Babu Medamana, Jeewan P. Ramsaroop, Mateusz W. Szela
  • Patent number: 8073010
    Abstract: On an optical ring network side, an optical ring transmission apparatus is provided with a first ring-side TDM device and a separately implemented first packet ring device, on a first ring side. On a client network side, the apparatus is provided with a first client-side TDM device and a first packet transceiver, which are implemented separately from the devices on the optical ring network side. The devices on the client network side can be connected to the devices on the optical ring network side through a switch section including a packet switch and a TDM switch. Further, the apparatus has a dual configuration with the provision of devices that pair up with the above-mentioned devices, such as a second packet ring device. The flexibility can be ensured by the redundant configuration and the independent implementation of the devices as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kohei Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8073978
    Abstract: Techniques are described for sharing content among peers. Locality domains are treated as first order network units. Content is located at the level of a locality domain using a hierarchical DHT in which nodes correspond to locality domains. A peer searches for a given piece of content in a proximity guided manner and terminates at the earliest locality domain (in the hierarchy) which has the content. Locality domains are organized into hierarchical clusters based on their proximity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sudipta Sengupta, Jin Li, Vijay Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 8068505
    Abstract: A bridge for linking a first communications network to a second communications network is taught. The bridge comprises a first bridge module linked to the first communications network and a second bridge module linked to the second communications network. The first bridge module is linked to the second bridge module by only an analog audio link and a General Purpose Input Output call negotiation signalling link such that generic digital data cannot effectively pass between the first communications network and the second communications network through the bridge elements. There is also provided a network terminal for connection to a network connected to the bridge and communications system comprising the bridge and first communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Trilogy Communications Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Timothy Hardisty, Anthony James Marks, Christopher Michael Nott
  • Patent number: 8059672
    Abstract: A communication system includes a base station and a service node. The service node communicates over the Internet. The base station establishes Internet connectivity over a communication link. The base station registers with the service node over the communication link and the Internet, and the service node validates the base station during registration. The base station and service node establish a tunnel over the communication link and the Internet. The base station exchanges user communications with wireless communication devices in a wireless format. The base station and service node exchange the user communications over the tunnel. The service node processes the user communications to provide a communication service to the wireless communication devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 8045568
    Abstract: The present invention provides a service node, which extends the services of a carrier's multimedia subsystem (MS), such as an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), to enterprise networks in an efficient and effective manner. As such, MS subscribers gain access to enterprise services in addition to the carrier's services provided via the carrier's circuit switched subsystems (CS) and packet subsystems (PS). The service node acts as a liaison between enterprise application servers and the MS, such that the enterprise application servers appear as MS application servers to the MS. The service node provides user identifier and protocol translation between enterprise and MS user identifiers and protocols, respectively. As such, enterprise application servers can access the MS as well as be accessed by the MS to support user mobility, with continuity of services, between the enterprise and carrier networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Genband US LLC
    Inventors: Dany Sylvain, Cristian Constantinof
  • Patent number: 8040814
    Abstract: The relay apparatus relays frames in which a plurality of network identifiers are set and comprises a frame determining unit, a converting unit, and a sending unit. The frame determining unit determines whether a frame received at a communication port is a specific frame or not. The converting unit converts, when it is determined that the received frame is a specific frame and when the communication port is a blocking port, a network identifier set in the specific frame to another network identifier among the plurality of network identifiers. The sending unit sends the specific frame, the network identifier of which has been converted by the conversion unit, from a port opposing the communication port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Ko Takatori
  • Patent number: 8031640
    Abstract: A packet transmission system enabling VLAN packet forwarding of the MAC layer at the RPR layer. An address translation table associates with a VLAN identifier a MAC address and a flag showing validity of the VLAN identifier. A flag set valid means that an own node belongs to a VLAN domain with the VLAN identifier. In a case where a received packet is a VLAN packet, a first node searches the address translation table based on the VLAN identifier for a MAC address, creates an RPR packet with the MAC address stored as an RPR destination address, and transmits the RPR packet to an RPR network. A second node searches the address translation table based on the MAC address stored in the RPR packet, and if a corresponding flag is a valid flag, regards the packet as being addressed to a VLAN to which the own node belongs, and transmits the packet to the VLAN after deleting the RPR header therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Mitsumori
  • Patent number: 8027333
    Abstract: Providing enhanced emergency services (E-911) to an IP Telephony-based PBX or similar system, by utilizing aspects of the intelligence of end-user SIP client devices to address challenges and difficulties associated with E-911-like services in LAN-based telephony environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: David Grabelsky, Michael Homeier, Anoop Tripathi, Boby Joseph
  • Patent number: 8009684
    Abstract: A method for communication includes configuring a plurality of ring nodes to communicate over a communication network that includes two or more overlapping communication rings, each ring including two unidirectional ringlets in mutually-opposite directions. A data packet including one or more header fields is accepted at an ingress ring node. An egress ring node to which the data packet is to be forwarded by the ingress ring node is determined. A subset of the rings including one or more common rings that are connected to both the ingress and egress ring nodes is identified. A ringlet of a ring among the one or more common rings is selected responsively to a respective value of at least one of the header fields of the packet. The data packet is forwarded from the ingress ring node to the egress ring node over the selected ringlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Corrigent Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: David Zelig, Leon Bruckman, Ronen Solomon, Gideon Agmon, Vladimir Kleiner
  • Patent number: 8009683
    Abstract: There is provided an IP network system. The IP network system includes: a plurality of relays making up a ring network; a source host for transmitting a packet and connected to the ring network; and a destination host which conducts a packet communication with the source host through the ring network. Each of the relays is operable to transfer received packets containing a transfer direction information to the destination host through a right-handed route of the ring network and through a left-handed route of the ring network, based on the transfer direction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyata, Yukiyo Akisada, Masahito Endo, Hiroki Endo, Kensuke Hosoya
  • Patent number: 7983190
    Abstract: In a layer 2 communication device included in multiple layer 2 networks, an identifying unit identifies a layer 3 control packet from among packets passing through, and an embedding unit embeds routing control information for the layer 2 network in the layer 3 control packet. In a layer 3 communication device connected to the multiple layer 2 networks, a selecting unit selects from the multiple layer 2 networks, an optimum L2 network, that is a layer 2 network forming an optimum communication route, based on a communication destination, and a setting unit sets a packet to be transmitted to the optimum L2 network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Masaki Hirota
  • Patent number: 7979897
    Abstract: Provided are a system and article of manufacture for bidirectional data transfer. In certain embodiments a link layer login is sent from a first port to a second port. Subsequently, an application layer login is sent from the first port to the second port to establish a first data path, wherein the first data path is from the first port to the second port. Subsequently, another application layer login is sent from the second port to the first port to establish a second data path, wherein the second data path is from the second port to the first port. In certain other embodiments, a first data path is established from a first port to a second port. A determination is made at the first port, whether the second port has a second data path established from the second port to the first port. An application layer logout is sent from the first port to the second port, in response to determining that the second port has the second data path established from the second port to the first port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Edward Klein, James Chien-Chiung Chen, Patricia Ching Lu, Minh-Ngoc Le Huynh
  • Patent number: 7941181
    Abstract: A device (200) that is presently rendering human communications content (202) via a corresponding human communication interface (203) will also passively wirelessly transmit information (103) regarding an existing native capability regarding also wirelessly transmitting the human communication content. Upon receiving (in response to that passive transmission) information (105) regarding an existing other device's (205) capability of also rendering that human communication content, this device can then switch (106) present rendering of the human communication content from the first device to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Drackett, Steven J. Nowlan
  • Patent number: 7936767
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring high-speed network traffic via sequentially multiplexed data streams. Exemplary embodiments include a switch module system, including a first switch module configured to be coupled to a first server chassis, a first data port disposed on the first switch module and a set of first port data links configured to be coupled to a set of data port data links, each data link configurable to channel at least one of a normal data stream and a monitored data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Katherine T. Blinick, John C. Elliott, Gregg S Lucas, Robert E. Medlin, Gordon L. Washburn
  • Patent number: 7933588
    Abstract: A method for communicating between an operator at an operator device and a user recipient includes enabling an operator of the operator device to enter a device-independent unique identifier for a user recipient by requiring interaction between the operator and the operator device without requiring interaction between the operator and software on the operator device that is designed for communication over an IP-based network. The method includes identifying an IP network address associated with the user recipient based on the device-independent unique identifier and routing a message entered by the operator to the determined IP network address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: Yair Goldfinger
  • Patent number: 7916740
    Abstract: An access network system, an address resolution protocol proxy method and an IP bridging forwarding method for the access network system are disclosed. The access network system comprises: one or more access network edge nodes that connect to one or more access nodes; one or more access nodes that connect to user terminals to the access network, and a reference point that is introduced between two adjacent access nodes for the access nodes interconnection. With this system, the multi-cast or broadcast flow in the network can be reduced and the communication delay and path can also be decreased. Therefore the communication bottleneck brought by BRAS/BNG can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ruobin Zheng
  • Patent number: 7916636
    Abstract: A functionality and method for determining aggregate data transit bandwidth requirements for the nodes of an Ethernet ring network for traffic management and to improve the operation, efficiency, and Quality of Service. An aggregate bandwidth database is produced, based on a priori knowledge of the ring network, including topology, path utilization, bandwidth sharing, and failure protection scenarios. Aggregate bandwidth requirements are determined independent of the actual real-time data traffic rates, and without requiring any actual real-time data traffic rate information. Aggregate bandwidth is automatically determined upon configuration or reconfiguration of the ring network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Corrigent Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Eyal Prashker, Rafi Ram, Ronen Solomon
  • Patent number: 7912076
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for managing domains are provided. The method of managing one or more domains performed by a domain manager located in a home network includes determining whether to register a first device located in the home network to a domain, and providing data required to share content between the first device and a second device registered to the domain according to the determination. In the method and apparatus, content can be shared by connecting the devices with one another including a user, and the burden of content providers for management can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-seon Kim, Young-sun Yoon, Su-hyun Nam
  • Patent number: 7903677
    Abstract: An information platform system, the configuration thereof is able to change flexibly to meet the needs of the customers, and able to use a single adapter for multiple uses, wherein multiple general-purpose processing modules and dedicated processing modules for processing disks and external networks are connected to one another with switching hubs via respective adapters, and the platform system includes a management module having a system identifier management table specifying system type of the general-purpose processing modules, a functional set management table managing a functional set to be included by the general-purpose processing module of each system identifier, and the configuration management table managing the combination of the general-purpose processing modules and dedicated processing modules, and the management module selects a functional set from multiple functional sets, installs the selected functional set into a general-purpose processing module and an adapter, and manages the system conf
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Yasuda, Takashige Baba, Jun Okitsu, Toshiaki Tarui
  • Patent number: 7903671
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for methods and apparatus for facilitating a secure connection between a first and a second node in a computer network where one or both of the nodes may or may not reside behind a network address translation (NAT) enabled gateway. Embodiments of the present invention provide a seamless integration by providing a uniform solution for establishing secure connections, such as IPSEC, between two nodes irrespective of whether they are behind a NAT-enabled gateway or not. In general, a gateway is operable to receive a request from a remote host for a secure connection to a local host that within the home network of the gateway. The gateway then forwards this received request to a NAT traversal service. The NAT traversal service receives the request and then automatically sends an initiation message to set up a secure session, e.g., performing authentication and exchanging keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepali Apurva Brahmbhatt, Mark Enright
  • Patent number: 7899066
    Abstract: A metropolitan access network (10) uses a variation of a MAC protocol, where each station (14) on a ring (12) is associated with one or more time slot (30). Each slot carries information regarding the associated station, basic connection fields (32), communications fields (34), and quality of service fields (36). Each station maintains its own local database regarding the status of the network (10) by reading the information in each time slot (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Ljubisa Tancevski
  • Patent number: 7894336
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tolerating the breakdown and/or decoupling of at least one network node in a communication network used for controlling and/or adjusting the movement of a plurality of machine parts, for example the rotation bodies in a printing machines, machine tools and other production machines, wherein the network is operated according to a closed single or multiple ring structure, in which each node communicates with the transmitter or the port of a first adjacent node by means of a receiver or a first port and with the receiver or the port of a second adjacent network node by means of a transmitter or a second port, the closed ring structure is preserved in the case of the breakdown or decoupling of at least one node, at least one network node is coupled to the network by means of a data path switching device which is actuated, in the case of the breakdown or decoupling of said node, in such a way that the communicating nodes, which exist in the network and are arranged next to eac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Baumuller Anlagen-Systemtechnik
    Inventors: Matthias Monse, Harold Meis
  • Patent number: 7885196
    Abstract: A loop communication system includes a plurality of communication devices, each of which holds an identification data assigned to the communication device, and has a single port used for transmission and reception of a data packet for a transmission data, and which are connected by using the ports to constitute a port synchronization type network of a loop structure. The data packet from each of the plurality of communication devices is transferred on the network of the loop structure in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7876673
    Abstract: A method for communication includes, in a communication network that includes multiple ring nodes arranged in at least first and second ring networks that are connected by two or more of the ring nodes serving as interconnect nodes, accepting at the two or more interconnect nodes respective copies of a data packet, which is sent from a source user node connected to the first ring network. An attribute is extracted from the respective copies of the data packet at each of the interconnect nodes, and a predefined mapping function is applied to the extracted attribute so as to select a single interconnect node for forwarding the data packet to the second ring network. A single copy of the data packet is forwarded to the second ring network only from the selected interconnect node, while refraining from forwarding other copies from the other interconnect nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Corrigent Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafi Ram, Leon Bruckman, Ronen Solomon, Gideon Agmon
  • Patent number: 7876688
    Abstract: A loop protection mechanism including dynamically determining a link connecting two adjacent nodes of a loop in a communication network in accordance with a predefined criterion, and reconfiguring the loop so that the loop is broken at the determined link which is an optimal link in terms of the predefined criterion. The breaking of the loop enables for example to utilize loop-free technologies (e.g. Ethernet) in a physical loop architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Hauenstein, Jouko Kapanen, Gerald Berghoff
  • Patent number: RE43340
    Abstract: An Ethernet Optical Area Network (EOAN) system, and methods for implementing and using such an EOAN system, are disclosed. The EOAN system may be used to improve the speed and reliability of data communications networks for small to medium-sized companies in metropolitan area networks. The EOAN system provides end-to-end Ethernet protocol, enabling professionals to have high-speed data communications in real time. The EOAN system may be generally utilized for improving data communications between branch offices, home offices, campuses, and remote sites for a wide variety of industries. The present invention preferably includes a fiber optic ring, Network Operation Center (NOC), NOC architecture components, existing client equipment, and one or more Free Space Optic (FSO) devices, microwave communication technology, and/or data switching platforms to implement high-speed Ethernet-based connections such as within a specified metropolitan area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: 511 Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Heinz, Christopher Scheper, David Leary