Abstract: A method of address allocation in a network comprises determining, from negotiations between nodes, whether a first node shall assume a server role responsible for distribution and management of network addresses to clients. If this determination is made, the first node is provided with a pool of network addresses. The invention provides a method of dynamic re-allocation of address pools between servers of the network, in accordance with, for example, network requirements or traffic load.

Abstract: A radio repeater includes a first analyzer (22B) adapted to determine a time slot schedule. It also includes means (A1) for receiving control messages including uplink/downlink amplification requests for time slots in the determined schedule. A second analyzer (22A) is adapted to extract the uplink/downlink amplification requests from the received control messages. A control unit (24) is adapted to turn the uplink and downlink amplification on/off during the time slots depending on the extracted amplification requests.

Abstract: An Ethernet switch can receive an internet protocol query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver in a multicast network, translate the internet protocol query packet to an Ethernet query packet, collect in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch where at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch, and submit the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network. An internet protocol router can receive an Ethernet query packet generated by an Ethernet switch having at least one field for telemetry for collecting telemetry data between a source and a receiver, translate the Ethernet query packet to an internet protocol query packet, and submit the internet protocol query packet to the next network element. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An inter-rack server system for a packet processing is disclosed. The system can include a plurality of servers arranged into multiple racks a plurality of top of rack (TOR) units connected to the servers, each TOR unit configured to operate as a TOR switch connecting each of the racks to another of the racks, and a plurality of offload processor modules, each offload processor module having an input-output (IO) port and multiple offload processors, wherein a first offload processor module on a first server on a first rack is connected directly to a second offload processor module on a second server on a second rack, with connection provided through respective IO ports.

Abstract: A method of handling retransmission and memory consumption tracking of data packets includes storing data packets from different data channels in respective transmitter ring buffers allocated to the data channels when the data packets are not marked for retransmission, and facilitating retransmission of data packets from a specified ring buffer corresponding to a retransmission sequence number. The method also may include storing received data packets out of sequence in respective receiver ring buffers, marking a descriptor indicating a tail location of the stored data packets, and reclaiming memory space in the ring buffer based on the marked descriptor. The method may include storing a payload address associated with received data packets, marking a descriptor associated with the payload address to indicate the stored data packets have been consumed for processing, and reclaiming memory space when a register contains an indication of the stored payload address based on the marked descriptor.

Abstract: To recover existing IP configuration information directly from an existing network in response to DHCP server failure, unique identifiers corresponding to hosts that a DHCP server provisioned with IP configuration information may be stored on the network in non-volatile memory such that current configuration information associated with the hosts may be obtained from the network in response to the DHCP server failure. For example, in a standalone deployment, messages may be sent to each host, which may respond with the current configuration information. In other scenarios, a summary node may provide summarized configuration information and messages may only be sent to hosts not included among the summarized configuration information, or configuration information may be synchronized among redundant DHCP servers such that messages may be sent to certain hosts based on differences between the configuration information on a mate DHCP server and a DHCP server recovering from failure.

Abstract: A network node maintains a neighbor data structure in the form of a hash table containing multiple buckets for storing mapping entries, with each entry specifying a local address corresponding to a global address. The table is based on a hash function that generates a corresponding hash value for each global address. Each bucket is associated with a unique hash value and is implemented as a corresponding balanced tree containing a corresponding set of nodes, with each node storing a corresponding mapping entry. Upon receiving a lookup request containing a first global address, the node determines a first bucket by applying the hash function to the first global address, and then traverses a first tree corresponding to the first bucket to find a first entry having a global address equaling the first global address. Concurrent non-blocking access is permitted to various portions of the tree during changes in the tree.

Abstract: In a cluster environment, nodes participating in the cluster may generate packets with the same source IP to the same destination IP. If those packets get fragmented down stream, then reassembling this packets depends on the source IP, destination IP, protocol and the IP identifier field (IPID) of the IP packet. As the source IP, destination IP and protocol may be fixed, the IPID generation is coordinated across the nodes to support reassembly down stream and avoid tuple collision. The IPID space may be equally split among the nodes in the cluster. Each node generates IPID within its range to avoid a collision with an IPID generated from another node.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a solution in an IMS network node for enabling troubleshooting. A global session identity indicator (GSII) is introduced which can be used for identifying messages belonging to the same session.

Abstract: A router is configured to receive a message from a server device, store information about the server device based on the message, and receive a request from a client device. The request includes an address associated with the server device. The local router is further configured to map the address to the information and transmitting a response to the client device. The response indicates the mapping of the address to the information. The local router, the server device, and the client device are within a single local area network (LAN). The information allows the client device to detect a presence of the server device without the request being transmitted external to the LAN.

Abstract: An Ethernet switch can receive an internet protocol query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver in a multicast network, translate the internet protocol query packet to an Ethernet query packet, collect in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch where at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch, and submit the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network. An internet protocol router can receive an Ethernet query packet generated by an Ethernet switch having at least one field for telemetry for collecting telemetry data between a source and a receiver, translate the Ethernet query packet to an internet protocol query packet, and submit the internet protocol query packet to the next network element. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle information system is provided that includes an interface module configured to receive operating data from a vehicle information system. The interface module is also configured to transfer the operating data to a navigation system that is not built-in to the vehicle to facilitate vehicle position determination without using external positioning signals received or processed by the vehicle.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for determining a network interface to network resource. An apparatus may comprise a processor configured to receive a request for resolution of a domain name. The processor may be further configured to access maintained domain name suffix information. The maintained domain name suffix information may comprise a plurality of domain name suffix entries. The processor may additionally be configured to search the maintained domain name suffix information for one or more domain name suffix entries corresponding to the domain name to determine one or more network interfaces through which the domain name is accessible. The processor may also be configured to select a network interface for resolving the domain name into a network address from the one or more determined network interfaces.

Abstract: A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) communications configuration system includes a client information handling system (IHS) coupled to a controller over a network. The client IHS creates a plurality of DHCP discover messages that include capability data that describes at least one hardware resource on the client IHS, and sends the plurality of DHCP discover messages over the network. The controller receives the plurality of DHCP discover messages and processes the capability data to determine configuration data for the client IHS, creates a plurality of DHCP offer messages including the configuration data for the client IHS, and sends the plurality of DHCP offer messages over the network to the client IHS. The client IHS then uses the configuration data to configure the client IHS.

Abstract: A method includes detecting, by a first network device, a configuration problem at a second network device, where the first and second network devices are associated with a link aggregation group (LAG) coupling the first and second network devices. The method also includes de-activating, by the first network device, one or more links in the LAG in response to detecting the configuration problem. The method further comprises maintaining at least one of the links in the LAG as an active link and allowing traffic to be forwarded on the active link in the LAG.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for allocating a Device-to-Device (D2D) IDentity (ID) of a user terminal in an ad-hoc network are provided. The method includes determining that a first D2D ID allocated to the user terminal is duplicated with a second D2D ID allocated to at least one other terminal located within a predefined range from the user terminal, determining whether the user terminal is in communication, when the first D2D ID is duplicated with the second D2D ID, and changing the first D2D ID into a third D2D ID with reference to a D2D ID pool so that the first D2D ID is not duplicated with the second D2D ID, when the user terminal is not in communication.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for managing a MAC address table. The method includes: receiving a packet and obtaining MAC address information carried in the packet; matching the MAC address information with a MAC address table; and if the matching succeeds, prolonging an aging time of the MAC address information in the MAC address table.

Abstract: One aspect provides an optical communication system. The system includes an optical-to-digital converter, a frequency estimator and a symbol synchronizer. The optical-to-digital converter is configured to receive an optical OFDM bit stream including an OFDM symbol bearing payload data and a symbol header preceding the OFDM payload data. The frequency estimator is configured to determine a carrier frequency offset of the payload data from the symbol header. The symbol synchronizer is configured to determine a starting location of the payload data within the bit stream by cross-correlating a synchronization pattern within the symbol header with a model synchronization pattern stored by the symbol synchronizer.

Abstract: A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. The lookup front-end further processes the response message and provides a corresponding response to the host.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for confirming the delivery of a data packet in a mesh network by sending an acknowledgement (ACK) to an ingress mesh point (IMP). A mesh network comprises a plurality of mesh points that are wirelessly linked together. A data packet sent by a station (STA) is received by an IMP. A MAC frame is generated for transmission of the data packet and the frame is forwarded to an egress mesh point (EMP) in order to provide a service by the mesh network. The MAC frame includes a field comprising an IMP address and an EMP address. When the EMP, (or optionally an intermediate mesh point), receives a data packet successfully, the EMP or the intermediate mesh point sends an ACK to the IMP or preceding mesh point.

Abstract: A method for controlling error resilience in network communication is described. The method includes: determining, by a receiver-side controller, a packet gap representing a packet loss of a packet being communicated over a network; projecting, by the receiver-side controller, a retransmission time-out for at least one missing packet of the packet loss; issuing, by the receiver-side controller, a retransmission request for the at least one missing packet; if the packet gap is not filled within a first time period of the retransmission time-out, then issuing, by the receiver-side controller, at least one synchronization frame request; and selecting, by a sender-side controller, to respond to at least one of either of the retransmission request or the at least one synchronization frame request and neither of the retransmission request nor the at least one synchronization frame request.

Abstract: Method and system for configuring a device that has failed to obtain a network address. In one aspect of the invention, a method for remotely configuring a device includes attempting to obtain a network address from a network server over a network, and receiving a valid network address over the network from a remote device connected to the network in response to failing to obtain the network address from the network server.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a network switch for storing a prefix address and a mask corresponding to the prefix address, the prefix address and the mask each representing a binary value, the mask representing a number of significant bits of an address beginning with a most significant bit. The network switch obtains a network frame via one of a plurality of network interfaces, the network frame comprising a network address in a header of the network frame, the network address being a binary value representing a physical address of a network interface device. The network switch determines a truth value associated with a comparison of a mask number of bits of the prefix and network addresses, the truth value indicating an equivalence of the comparison. In response to the truth value, the network switch may initiate at least one action associated with the network frame.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus, methods, and systems for assessing the life span of a product and/or system—particularly with respect to end-of-life conditions which are defined by a customer, owner, operator, or other person(s) associated with the product and/or system—and communicating the assessment to said customer, owner, operator, or other person(s). According to one aspect, end-of-life conditions are defined in terms of product life (e.g., anything that relates to how well and how long the product/system operates) and/or economic life (e.g., anything that relates to the cost of deriving a benefit from the product/system). In one particular example, the products or systems relate to lighting systems, particularly those utilizing LED (or other solid-state) light sources.

Abstract: A preamble portion of a physical layer (PHY) data unit is generated for transmission via a long range communication protocol. A service field is generated with a length of eight or less bits. A data portion of the PHY data unit is generated to include the service field having the length of eight bits or less.

Abstract: Optical communications system (10) and method for transmission of payload data (PD) from a low earth orbit satellite (20) to an optical ground terminal (30), the low earth orbit satellite (20) being connectable with the optical ground terminal (30) via an optical downlink channel (DL), and the optical ground terminal (30) being connectable with the low earth orbit satellite (20) via an uplink channel (UC); wherein said uplink channel (UC) is an acquisition and tracking beacon channel by means of a ground beacon (GB) controlled by a point-acquisition-track subsystem (PAT), the ground beacon (GB) comprising a wide angle beam (W) for acquisition and a guidance beam (G) for tracking; and wherein the ground beacon (GB) for the uplink channel (UC) is a pulse position modulated PPM channel.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to enable a network element in a network to receive a request from an application on a device, the request being encapsulated in a packet that includes a header that contains a physical layer identifier of the device to which the application does not have access. The physical layer identifier at the network element may be obtained. A response may be sent to the application on the device, the response containing at least one of the physical layer identifier of the device and location information of the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shortening a time for a contents receiving device to reproduce contents provided from a contents providing device. The method includes receiving headers of respective contents in advance from a contents providing device, verifying whether a header of selected contents is already received when the corresponding contents are selected, receiving contents data of the selected contents from the contents providing device when the header of the selected contents is already received, and reproducing the selected contents using the received corresponding header and contents data.

Abstract: A method for contention-based (CB) uplink transmission in a wireless communication network is provided. A base station (eNB) first transmits CB configuration information and CB grant to a user equipment (UE). The UE derives a plurality of transmission opportunities from the uplink CB grant and in response transmits uplink CB data via one of the transmission opportunities. The UE then receives an acknowledgment from the serving base station. If the uplink CB data is non-decodable by the eNB due to multiple contention UEs, then the UE retransmits the uplink data in response to a negative acknowledgment. In one novel aspect, the uplink transmission radio resource carriers both the uplink CB data and UE-selected signature information. In one embodiment, the UE-selected signature information is transmitted via pilot tones. By eliminating a separate phase of contention resolution, the overall latency of CB transmission is reduced and transmission efficiency is improved.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a mobile handheld multi-media gateway and phone. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise a first communication interface module that is adapted to communicatively couple the mobile telephone to a mobile telephone communication network. A second communication interface module may be adapted to communicatively couple the mobile telephone to a computer communication network. At least one module may utilize the second communication interface module to communicate with the computer communication network to establish an independent network presence for the mobile telephone on the computer communication network. The mobile telephone may, for example, be established as an autonomous addressable device on the computer communication network.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the data plane may be abstracted from a control plane in a wireless network such as WiMax, WiFi, LTE or the like. In some embodiments, a method comprises a receiving control data at a control server from a source device, generating routing instructions at the control server regarding routing network data based on the control data, providing the routing instructions to a routing device, configuring the routing device based on the routing instructions, receiving network data from the source device, and routing the network data from the source device to a target device using the configured routing device.

Abstract: A method equalizing sizes of data packets by blocks of a multimedia stream including a succession of data packets of variable sizes. The method includes: storing a group of N (a predefined integer) data packets in a buffer memory; computing average size Tm of a packet from the different sizes of the N packets; generating a base stream including N data packets to be transmitted, wherein each has a size equal either to the rounded-down integer part ?Tm?, or to the rounded-up integer part ?Tm? of the average size, and at least one additional stream including N redundant data packets computed from the base stream packets, having same size as the base stream packets, and intended to enable a receiver to restore any lost packets if the loss rate is greater than a predefined threshold; and transmitting the base stream and the additional stream(s) to the receivers.

Abstract: A distributed switch may include a hierarchy with one or more levels of surrogate sub-switches (and surrogate bridge elements) that enable the distributed switch to scale bandwidth based on the size of the membership of a multicast group. When a sub-switch receives a multicast data frame, it forwards the packet to one of the surrogate sub-switches. Each surrogate sub-switch may then forward the packet to another surrogate in a different hierarchical level or to a destination computing device. Because the surrogates may transmit the data frame in parallel using two or more connection interfaces, the bandwidth used to forward the multicast packet increases for each surrogate used.

Abstract: A method for processing a network packet is used for a routing apparatus. The routing apparatus includes a forwarding engine module and a core module. In the method, a network packet from a source interface is received. Whether or not the network packet meets a Network Address Translation (NAT) packet condition is determined. Subsequently, the following steps are executed when the network packet meets the NAT packet condition. In these steps, transmission information of the network packet is read and a NAT mapping table is searched by using the transmission information. When a mapping entry corresponding to the transmission information is found in the NAT mapping table, the method involves enabling the forwarding engine module to update the header of the network packet according to the NAT forwarding information of the corresponding mapping entry and set a destination interface of the network packet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Ethernet data compression enables the size of Ethernet frames to be reduced. Compression and decompression of Ethernet frames occur by the Ethernet network elements, rather than by user computers or end devices that transmit data on the Ethernet network. A new EtherType value may be used to identify the type of compressed Ethernet frames and optionally the type of mechanism used to compress the payload of Ethernet frames. The new EtherType may be inserted into a newly assembled frame ahead of the original EtherType. Alternatively, the new EtherType may replace the original EtherType and a short subheader may be used to identify the original EtherType. Out-of-band network signaling by the Ethernet control plane may also be used to determine whether frames are to be compressed and decompressed over controlled Ethernet links and tunnels, with or without use of the new EtherType.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multicast system and a multicast method using a shortened address and an apparatus applied to the same. The multicast system using the shortened address according to the present disclosure has a address configuration for supporting a multicast in an IEEE 802.15.4 MAC (Medium Access Control) layer. Accordingly, when a device processes a multicast through an address configuration of the MAC layer, the device receives the multicast through a simple scheduling such as receiving a beacon signal of a coordinator device only when there is a broadcast of a group including the device. As a result, the device can efficiently perform the multicast in a power managing process or a power processing process.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the disclosure includes an apparatus comprising a host component which comprises a virtual switch associated with a virtual machine (VM). The host component is in communication with a routing component which is connected to a network and comprises a network address. The VM sends a communication packet to the virtual switch. The communications packet comprises address information comprising a virtual destination address. The virtual switch replaces the virtual destination address of the communications packet with the network address of the routing component. The disclosure also includes a network comprising a plurality of host components each comprising a virtual switch. The host components are connected to a common routing component. A first virtual switch is designated to respond to address requests and all non-designated virtual switches are configured not to respond to address requests.

Abstract: A method for detection of a network address translation (NAT) device in a network is described herein. An edge network device detects a first packet at an edge port of the edge network device. A second packet is detected at the edge port of the edge network device. It is determined whether a time to live (TTL) value associated with the first packet is different from a TTL value associated with the second packet. Where the TTL value associated with the first packet is different from a TTL value associated with the second packet, it is determined that a NAT device is connected to the edge port. Where the TTL value associated with the first packet is the same as a TTL value associated with the second packet, it is determined that a NAT device is not connected to the edge port.

Abstract: A distributed switch may include a hierarchy with one or more levels of surrogate sub-switches (and surrogate bridge elements) that enable the distributed switch to scale bandwidth based on the size of the membership of a multicast group. When a sub-switch receives a multicast data frame, it forwards the packet to one of the surrogate sub-switches. Each surrogate sub-switch may then forward the packet to another surrogate in a different hierarchical level or to a destination computing device. Because the surrogates may transmit the data frame in parallel using two or more connection interfaces, the bandwidth used to forward the multicast packet increases for each surrogate used.

Abstract: A communication method between a collecting unit (5) and a plurality of control devices (7i), each of which is associated with at least an electrical device 1(i) via the power line. Messages are exchanged between the collecting unit (5) and the control devices (7i), each of which contains at least: a progressive message number (Pr_N); an addressee identification number assigned to each control device and to the collecting unit. The messages are therefore addressable selectively to a specific control device via said addressee identification number.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for swapping headers for authenticating policy based domains and tracing paths at the time of high-reliable data plane transmission. The method includes receiving packets forwarded through predetermined paths, confirming whether the received packets are normal packets, determining whether the path identification information corresponding to the paths of the received packets is present in a header information storage unit of a domain receiving the packets, swapping the headers included in the packets to swapping headers of the header information storage unit by using the identification information if it is determined that the path identification information is present, and correcting the path tracing information. By this configuration, degradation in data plane performance due to the lengths of headers can be solved.

Abstract: A method for detecting an error in a home network while a network-compatible device is newly added to the home network, the home network having a modem configured to be connected to the Internet, a home gateway connected between the modem and the home network, the method for detecting the error comprising employing address resolution protocol and detecting the error in the home network due to filtering based on MAC addresses is disclosed. The disclosed subject matter can be used for diagnosis of problems in the home network that can arise due to filtering based on Media Access Control addresses by the home gateway.

Abstract: A named data networking (NDN) architecture may be implemented within a local area network. A local area networking naming convention may be used in relation to named content from a variety of NDN-enabled devices. A network node (such as an NDN gateway or NDN bridge) may manage the local area networking naming convention and assign a name for the named content of the NDN-enabled device. A network-assigned name in accordance with a local area networking naming convention may be used for group control of multiple NDN-enabled devices. An NDN gateway may be used for translating NDN protocol layer communication to an IP network protocol layer. An NDN bridge may be used for bridging NDN protocol layer communication between various different segments of a local area network. NDN-enabled devices may benefit from longer sleep cycles based upon NDN content caching implemented in the local area network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet at an interface at a network device having a plurality of interfaces connected to a plurality of links forming a bundle, performing a Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF) check on the received packet, and forwarding the packet if it passes the RPF check. The RPF check includes a lookup in an RPF table having a plurality of entries for the bundle, each of the entries including the bundle and one of the links in the bundle, and verification that the interface receiving the packet is connected to one of the links in the bundle identified in the lookup. An apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an access node (2) for connecting a subscriber device (1) to an IPv6-capable aggregation network (3), and adapted to receive an upstream IPv6 packet (Ns1O; RS1O; NA1O) comprising an IPv6 address (LLIP@O) held by the subscriber device. An access node according to the invention is further adapted to assign a new interface identifier (IDT) to the subscriber device that is unique within the scope of a L2 communication domain (6), which the subscriber device belongs to, to substitute, within the upstream IPv6 packet, the new interface identifier for an original interface identifier (IDO) of the IPv6 address, thereby yielding a translated upstream IPv6 packet (Ns1T; Rs1T; NA1T) comprising a translated IPv6 address (LLIP@T), and to forward the translated upstream IPv6 packet towards the aggregation network. The present invention also relates to a method for connecting a subscriber device to an IPv6-capable aggregation network.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for transmitting a data frame. The method comprises: acquiring at least one address of a destination address (DA) and a source address (SA), that are corresponding to data transmission direction information; determining, according to the data transmission direction information, an address field for carrying at least one address of the DA and the SA; and sending the data frame comprising the address field to a receiver. The method and apparatus for transmitting a data frame disclosed by the present invention can reduce overhead of an MAC frame header, improve transmission efficiency, and enable a station to acquire DA and/or SA of a data frame.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing Mobile internet protocol (IP) service through a network address translation gateway. In one example, a gateway between a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN) is provided. A foreign agent (FA) module is configured to advertise a care-of address (CoA) on the LAN and process registration and mobile IP communication traffic on the LAN and the WAN side of the gateway. A control module is configured to identify the registration and the mobile IP communication traffic on the LAN and the WAN. The control module sends mobile IP traffic to the FA and other traffic to a network address translation (NAT) module. In this manner, network address translation of mobile IP traffic is advantageously omitted. This allows the IP-in-IP tunnels used by mobile IP to pass through the gateway.

Abstract: A method of communicating count value information in an Optical Transport Network (OTN) signal frame. The method comprises determining a count value indicating a number of payload bytes to be sent in a next OTN signal frame; determining that a change in the count value (?) with respect to a current count value is within a predetermined range; selecting an inversion pattern indicating the change in the count value; determining a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code associated with the inversion pattern; and, inserting the inversion pattern and the CRC code in a Generic Mapping Procedure (GMP) overhead of the OTN signal frame.

Abstract: An improved method of allocating MAC addresses for an electrical distribution network to make it possible to save a great deal of time during the address allocation phase. The method stores, at the central address allocation device, a list of associations between the serial numbers of the devices and the MAC address allocated. The method also sends a cataloging request serving to allocate the MAC address prior to the sending of a communication frame. In this manner, the discovery phases for allocating the MAC addresses to devices without addresses are appreciably reduced. The time when the network is dedicated to such discovery is reduced, thereby increasing accordingly the useful communication time available in the network.