Abstract: On receipt of a request for a communication session over a communications network, such as an Internet Protocol communications network, a path for the session is established. In a preferred example the communications network is an MPLS network and the method uses a modified version of the SIP messaging protocol. Bandwidth along a chosen path is reserved and a messaging protocol such as CR-LDP used to establish this reserved path for the communication session. This creates a delay in the time taken to establish a communication session because the process of choosing a path and reserving bandwidth must be completed before the CR-LDP protocol is used. This delay is reduced by using modified SIP Protocol to perform the CR-LDP function too.

Abstract: A protocol identifier, such as, a GTP version identifier, is automatically cached in association with device contact information. Setup latency is reduced for subsequent connections. For instance, the cache indicates that a GGSN only supports GTPV0. An SGSN attempts to create a PDP context with the GGSN using GTPV0 without first trying GTPV1. If the cache does not include a version identifier for an APN IP address, the SGSN tries to create a context with a first version (e.g., GTPV1) and, if necessary, a second version (e.g., GTPV0). An identifier associated with the successful protocol is stored in the cache in association with the contact information (e.g., APN or APN IP address). Freshness of cached information is assured. For example, when all tunnels associated with an APN IP address are torn down, a flush timer is started. If the timer expires, the cache entry is removed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described for distributed management of a collaboration session including local and remote servers. A collaboration session request including a list of invitees is received from a user associated with a local-server. If the received list includes users associated with remote servers that are recognized as being capable of distributed management by the local server, then information is sent to those remote servers for distributed management of the collaboration session. Communication between users associated with the local server and each of the remote servers is done through a single persistent connection shared by all session participating users associated with that remote server.

Abstract: A method and system for associating a portable electronic device with an existing service account with minimal user input on the device connects the device to a gateway server. If the device is not associated with a gateway account or a temporary account, then the gateway server creates a temporary account for the device. When the gateway server receives an association of the device to an existing account with a service site, it converts the temporary account to a gateway account associated with the device and the existing account, and transfers any data for the temporary account to the existing account. In this manner, a portable electronic device can use certain services without first requiring the user to associate the device to an existing account. The user need not enter addressing or authentication information on the device to access this service, but can enter it from an input friendly device.

Abstract: Provided is a storage device that can operate as a storage device dedicated to a video apparatus and also as a file server. If a CPU (104) detects that a storage device (10) has been connected to a video apparatus (20), the operating mode of the storage device (10) is switched to a DAS mode (an operating mode in which the storage device operates as storage device dedicated to the video apparatus) (step S302). If the CPU (104) does not detect that the storage device (10) has been connected to the video apparatus (20), the operating mode of the storage device (10) is switched to the NAS mode (an operating mode in which the storage device operates as a file server connected directly to a network) (step S305).

Abstract: A mediation server 200 mediates a print demand from a client device 100 to a printing device 300. In order to elude a firewall F/W set between the mediation server 200 and the printing device 300, the printing device 300 first sends an HTTP request to the mediation server 200. The mediation server 200 sends back an HTTP response including a print demand to the printing device 300. Encrypted communication may be established between the client device 100 and the printing device 300 according to the following procedure. The mediation server 200 decrypts cipher data, which is encrypted with a public key by the client device, with a private key, re-encrypts the decrypted data with another private key, and mediates the encrypted data to the printing device 300. The printing device 300 decrypts the encrypted data with the public key and carries out printing. This arrangement enables the printing device to carry out printing in response to a demand from the client device via respective secure network environments.

Abstract: Techniques are described for determining device connectivity in a network using protocol-specific connectivity information. According to an exemplary embodiment, an address forwarding database (FDB) is collected from the network. Protocol-specific connectivity information and interface information are collected from a device in the network. The protocol-specific connectivity information and interface information are translated into an interface connectivity database. Device connectivity in the network is determined based on the interface connectivity database in cooperation with the FDB.

Abstract: A method of managing message exchanges between users of a matching service is provided. In the method, a matching service database of a plurality of users that includes registration information for each of said plurality of users is maintained. The registration information includes a membership level. Access to the matching service database is provided over a network to the plurality of users. A message is received from a first user of the plurality of users intended for a second user of the plurality of users. A second user membership level is determined for the second user and the message is encoded if the second user level is a first level. The message is provided to the second user.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to multiple systems capable of linking between systems, wherein one system may provide services to another linked system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an establishment or termination of a link between systems dependant upon whether a predefined minimum level of quality of service can be provided by one system to the other linked system. Without limitation, the application software of a first system may be linked to an interface of a second system, wherein the link between the application software and interface is established if the interface is capable of providing a minimum quality of service defined by the application software.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system (100), a method for a wireless portable communication device (104) having a first version of native software (108) to download a second version of native software (114) maintained in a communication network memory (110) by making memory space available in memory (106) of the wireless portable communication device (104) for the second version of native software (114) while maintaining communication with the communication network (102).

Abstract: A content delivery network system is disclosed. The system comprises a communication network, a first network node for providing services for clients to access network, a second network node for managing hosts for network content providers and a third network node, wherein said third network node sets a default route and a VPN tunnel between the first and second network nodes, and provides a cache server at the bandwidth outlet of the first network node, said cache server stores a information content which has been requested and transmitted. When the client request an information content, the third network node searches the cache server. If the information content is found, the cache server provides said information content to the client directly. If the information content is not found, the cache server sends a request for catching the information content to the second network via the VPN tunnel, and transmits the information content to the client via the default route.

Abstract: A multi-party application layer session, such as, for example, an electronic conference, is configured to make efficient use of resources associated with lower layer connections that connect computer systems participating in the multi-party application layer session. In response to receiving an invitation to join a multi-party application layer session, a joining computer system calculates a closeness metric value at least to one or more zones of the multi-party application layer session. A closeness metric value is calculated from measured and/or pre-configured characteristics of lower layer connections. The joining computer system identifies an application layer connection point within a specified threshold of closeness to the joining computer system. The joining computer system establishes an application layer connection to the identified application layer connection point.

Abstract: A technique for supporting a user of a first device coupled to a second device of a support agent. A current screen image of the first device is sent to the second device. The second device displays the current screen image of the first device. The agent device determines the position of an input icon to be displayed on the current screen image, and the position is sent to the first device. The first device displays an input icon on the current screen image on the first device based on the position. The second device also determines how the user should operate the input icon on the first device. Corresponding operation information is transferred to the first device.

Abstract: An application programming interface (API) for an intelligent transparent gateway is provided. The API interfaces the gateway with a generalized network address translator (gNAT) at the kernel level to allow user-mode proxy control. Initially, the proxy binds to a local socket and commands the API to generate a dynamic port-redirect in the gNAT for all connection requests for a given port to itself (at the local port to which it is bound). The API also retrieves the address information of the server to which the client has attempted to connect so that a proper translation mapping may be made. The proxy may also request that the API command an address translation in the gNAT so that further messages between the client and the server need not pass up to the user-mode, but may be dynamically redirected within the kernel-mode.

Abstract: A protocol for extending session endpoints in an ad-hoc network environment first performs device discovery to determine local devices within its coverage area and the capability of those devices. These local devices then exchange session descriptions with the endpoint device. If the current session may be supported by one of the local devices, the endpoint device, responsive to a command from an user, transfers the session endpoint to the local device and the endpoint device acts as a proxy for the local device in the session. Optionally, if the local device has a path to the correspondent node that is independent of the path through the endpoint device, it establishes the session along this path and then signal the endpoint node to terminate its session.

Abstract: System for connecting a client system to a server system includes a client database of certificates; a user access panel for receiving user authentication indicia; a program interface for authenticating a certificate in the client database with respect to the indicia; a communication link interconnecting the client and server; a server database of certificates; a program interface for authenticating a certificate received from the client over with a certificate in the server database and responsive thereto for establishing a job session with the client without prompting for user input of user profile and password.

Abstract: An interface device is connected to a host by an I/O bus and provides hardware and processing mechanisms for accelerating data transfers between a network and a storage unit, while controlling the data transfers by the host. The interface device includes hardware circuitry for processing network packet headers, and can use a dedicated fast-path for data transfer between the network and the storage unit, the fast-path set up by the host. The host CPU and protocol stack avoids protocol processing for data transfer over the fast-path, freeing host bus bandwidth, and the data need not cross the I/O bus, freeing I/O bus bandwidth. The storage unit may include RAID or other multiple drive configurations and may be connected to the INIC by a parallel channel such as SCSI or by a serial channel such as Ethernet or Fibre Channel.

Abstract: An application server receives an HTTP request for execution of an instant messaging application operation for a sending party. A selected extensible markup language (XML) document is accessed in response to reception of the HTML request. A first HTML page is generated based on the XML document for recording a voice message by the sending party. A registry is accessed to determine whether a receiving party is available to receive the voice message. A second HTML page is generated for the receiving party having instructions for playing the voice message for the receiving party. Hence instant messaging services may be deployed on a platform that is customizable, scalable, and built upon open standards such as Internet protocol. By preserving multiple sessions, parties involved in instant messaging can suspend their present session or activity for a moment to create a new session to exchange audio messages and when finished, can instantly resume the suspended session.

Abstract: A system and method for uniquely identifying an SIP device extends the SIP communications protocol with an end point identifier, carried for example in the header of an SIP transmission. The end point identifier is useful for routing, registration, subscription, and authentication. The end point (device) of a given user epid can be uniquely identified by creating a key from an epid and a user's address-of-record (URI). This in turn enables improved connection management and security association management when the connections/IP addresses are transient, such as when HTTPS tunneling is used.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detection and selection of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service. A remote device includes a preference database for storing selection criteria for a plurality of access media. Access medium detector(s) determine accessibility of access media, and a selector selects one of the access media based on the selection criteria. The selection criteria indicate when on which to switch between access media.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radio ripple control system for the control of a plurality of decentralized customer terminals in dependence on customer-initiated transmission requests by means of central longwave transmission devices, comprising at least two central longwave transmitters operable independently of one another, at least two central units which are each associated with one of the longwave transmitters and which are designed in each case for the control of the transmission operation of at least one longwave transmitter in dependence on the customer-initiated transmission requests, a plurality of decentralized customer stations designed for the transmission of the customer-initiated transmission requests to the central units, and a plurality of decentralized radio receivers stationed in the reception region, with at least one customer terminal to be controlled being associated with each of the decentralized radio receivers, each of which is associated with at least one of the central unit in dependenc

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for establishing sessions in a network comprising a user entity, a network control node and a plurality of network nodes storing subscriber specific information, the method comprising the steps of receiving a session establishing request at the network control node, forwarding a policy request message from the network control node to each network node of the plurality of network nodes storing subscriber specific information comprising policy information required for the session to be established, processing the policy request message to generate a policy decision message and sending the policy decision message to the network control node from each of the network nodes having received the policy request message, generating a single policy decision confirmation message based on the received policy decision messages in the network control node, and sending the single policy decision message to the user entity.

Abstract: A single programming model is provided for accessing a plurality of distinct message transports while developing one or more applications for message delivery between two endpoints. The programming model allows for independently configurable assurances and features for transporting the messages. The configurable assurances may be selected from at least once delivery, at most once message delivery, in order message delivery, and message time to live. The independently chosen features may include a session state storage, an extension of time to live, and transacted message buffering.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for reducing and reconstructing state entries for initiator messages in a communication network. It compares a set of common options to each initiator message. If the message has the common options, no state entry is created for the message. This saves resources in systems such as Peer to Peer networks utilizing TCP/IP, where there is often no acceptor (SYN/ACK) to an initiator (SYN). By utilizing the present invention an agent dealing with communications need not maintain state for every connection. Upon receiving an acceptor message corresponding to an initiator message, the agent may create a state entry from the common options.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates initiating a communication session with a computing device. The system operates by first detecting the presence of the computing device through a first communication channel, and then initiating a communication session between the computing device and a server through the second communication channel. Next, the system transfers the state of an existing communication session between the server and a client to the computing device through the second communication channel, so that the computing device can take over the existing communication session with the server in place of the client.

Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining media streaming to a telephony device. The method includes establishing a media streaming link between a first telephony device and a second telephony device using a media termination point. The media streaming between the first telephony device and the second telephony device passes through the media termination point. The method further includes receiving a request to implement a telephony feature requiring media streaming termination between the first and second telephony devices. The method also includes terminating the media streaming between the first telephony device and the media termination point while maintaining the media streaming between the second telephony device and the media termination point.

Abstract: A file system security driver and vault method and system particularly applicable to a system in which protected data is segregated from other data, which allows for back-channeling of file data in order to ensure that files created by applications using secured data do not cause data leaks of secure data. In a preferred embodiment, a file system security driver is a driver resident on the kernel level which monitors file system requests and allows limited access to files resident on the vault and creation of files within the vault when necessary.

Abstract: A method for implementing a simple protocol, referred to as the universal transport interface (UTI), that can be used to create high speed Internet Protocol (IP) tunnels for transmitting a variety of different payloads across a network. Payload packets may comprise any currently known packet protocol, including but not limited to time division multiplex data, IP packets, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, Packet-over-SONET/SDH (POS) packets, and Frame Relay frames. The universal transport interface protocol consists of a predefined set of mappings whereby any known protocol can be packaged into a single, conceptually simple packet format. This format is referred to as the universal transport encapsulation (UTE) format. UTE format packets are, by design, amenable to transport over an IP network without further modification beyond standard IP encapsulation. The disclosed method further implements a security key system to prevent unauthorized use or interception of UTE packets on the network.

Abstract: A method and system for pushing information to personal computing and communication devices operated by users in such a way that the users can use and/or act upon the information even when the users are off-network or off-line. The method and system also automatically “provisions” the personal computing and communication devices so that the devices may be used to act upon the information that is pushed to the devices.

Abstract: A communication service provision system, method and device to provide a communication service which provision various communication devices to realize communication service ordered by a customer and reduce the load of an operator by utilizing a policy server. In the invention, the following are performed. A customer care server executes order processing suitable for communication service ordered by a customer. An operational flow manager activates a design server based upon contents stored in an operational flow storage when the order processing is finished and instructs the design server to execute route computing. When the operation is finished, a policy server sets configuration data to respective communication devices composing a route suitable for the order of the customer. Network design can be also performed by inputting route data and policy data from the policy server without using the design server.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system and program product for automatically generating an invoking mechanism from a web service description, thereby enabling integration of a service external to a database into a database such that the service may be easily invoked from the database. Preferably, the service is a web service available over the internet The service may be invoked from any of a number of invoking mechanisms of the database. In a first specific embodiment, the mechanism comprises a user-defined function within an SQL statement. In a second specific embodiment, the mechanism comprises a virtual table. In a third specific embodiment, the mechanism comprises a stored procedure. In a fourth specific embodiment, the mechanism comprises a trigger. In a fifth specific embodiment, the mechanism comprises a federated table accessed via a nickname and implemented using a wrapper.

Abstract: A method of enabling collaboration between software components distributed across a plurality of data processing resources connected by a data processing network, said software components including service components (32) capable of collaborating to perform tasks and management components (34, 36, 38) for supporting collaboration of the service components, wherein said service components are capable of collaborating across a plurality of service platforms, each said service platform comprising a plurality of service components and a platform management component for controlling the registration of service components in the service platform, a component on a service platform being identifiable by at least one network address, said method comprising: transmitting a query from a first service platform to a second service platform, said query requesting identification of one or more further service platforms; and receiving a response from said first service platform, said response including data defining a networ

Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating information between a narrowband circuit and a broadband circuit for conserving bandwidth is provided. The method includes receiving a stream of data through the narrowband circuit, splitting the stream of data into a plurality of data packets, and transmitting each of the data packets to a predetermined list of sockets through the broadband circuit. The system includes a narrowband network segment communicatively coupled to a broadband network segment, and a data network split/relay device communicatively coupled to the broadband network segment programmed to receive a stream of data from a server communicatively coupled to the narrowband segment.

Abstract: The apparatus and method are fast network SIP/SDP (Session Initiation Protocol/Session Description Protocol) procedures for conference operations upon request from end user with optimization of network resources. The apparatus has an SIP/SDP based network controller that, upon a received request, joins first and second calls into a conference call with at least a third call. The SIP/SDP based network controller is structured to negotiate, allocate and re-configure network resources.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multimedia network system (100) for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices (105, 106, 107, 108R, 108L, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113L, 113R, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119L, 119R, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126L, 126R, 210, 211, 212). The network system comprises: a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals (AP, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206) to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices, application specific connector arrangements (GW, 207,208, 1-10 Tx, 1-10 Rx) for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals. At least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit (1-10 Tx) and/or receive (1-10 Rx) data. The at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method to improve the reliability and performance of existing enterprise IP networks which have dual-homed (or multi-homed) network architectures. In one aspect of the invention packets related to a selected category of transmission (e.g., VoIP) are duplicated at an edge router and sent over both (multiple) service providers. After traversing the service provider networks, only the first-to-arrive packets are kept and the later-arriving copies are discarded. In so doing, the result is better protection against node failures, link failures, and packet errors, and also better QoS performance under normal (fault-free) operation.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method for mapping shared areas in an enterprise network that includes retrieving user information identifying one or more shared areas to which a user has access in the enterprise network. User input identifying at least a selected one of the one or more shared areas with which the user desires to link is received. A command is generated to cause an operating system to map the selected one of the shared areas to the user's login-id.

Abstract: The method assigns a terminal (IPP1) a virtual network identifier in a local area network (LAN) including a plurality of virtual networks (VLAN1, . . . , VLAN3) and a dynamic host configuration server (DHCPS).

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for guaranteeing network client-server response time while providing a way of putting the client on-hold when the response time temporarily prohibits access to the requested server. The apparatus is implemented within an interface unit connecting a plurality of servers and an on-hold server to the Internet, which is connected to a plurality of clients.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for controlling a network, wherein the networks offers services to registered users, the method comprising the steps of receiving (A1) a service request from network device (UE) of a user, checking whether the user is registered or not, and if the user is not registered, generating a response message including a warn information and sending (A2; B3 to B4) the response message to the network device (UE) of the user. The invention also proposes a corresponding network device. In this way, a user is informed that he has to register before he can obtain any services from the network.

Abstract: This invention concerns architecture for a SIP stack that enables the addition or removal of new services without this having any impact on the other part of the stack. The user agent class contains sessions, the session class contain transactions and service implementations, while the transaction class simply contains service implementations. The user-agent class is programmed to retrieve session service implementations from the application and to attach them to session instances. The session class is programmed to receive transaction service implementations from the application, via the user agent class and to attach them to transaction instances. The proposed architecture allows an application to simultaneously support more than one version of a specific service. Added benefits also include making the customization process of these services quite easy.

Abstract: An initiating application layer and at an initiating message processor identifies offer information for negotiating an application layer agreement such as, for example, the communication properties of a communication channel, with one or more other message processors. The initiating message processor sends a schema-based offer including the offer information to the one or more other message processors. A receiving application layer at a receiving message processor receives the schema-based offer. In response, a receiving application layer at the receiving message processor identifies response information, such as, for example, indicating an acceptance, a rejection or a counter offer to the schema-based offer, for negotiating the application layer agreement. The receiving message processor sends a schema-based response including the response information to the initiating message processor.

Abstract: A message processor accesses an electronic message. The accessing message processor identifies, from within the electronic message, any communication session information associated with the accessing message processor. This can include identifying expressive XML instructions or XML data structures representing communication sessions or message sequences. The accessing message processor determines if any session information within the electronic message is to be modified. This can include inserting session information for new sessions or message sequences, updating existing session information, or removing session information for terminated or expired communication sessions or message sequences. The accessing message processor then routes the electronic message to another message processor. In some embodiments, an initiating message processor identifies cached session information that is used to initially establish a communication session.

Abstract: A method for soft handoff across different networks is disclosed. A first communication link through a first network is used for communicating between a first user agent and a second user agent. The user agents negotiate to use a second communication link for the same call. The second communication link is established through a second network between the first user agent and the second user agent while maintaining the first communication link. Related data is sent through the first communication link and the second communication link such that the related data is for the same call. The first communication link is dropped and communication is continued using the second communication link.

Abstract: Uniform and infinitely scalable system and method for communication between application processes providing both point-to-point and multi-point connectivity without dependance on end-to-end addressing, using a framework of nameservers as exchanges for sharing named contexts of communication. Application processes define and reference the contexts by name on nameservers addressed by pathnames, and the framework then synthesises the end-to-end transport between the requesting processes by first concatenating the service paths taken by the defining and referencing requests to form end-to-end service paths, and then using these end-to-end service paths to perform the requisite signalling to the underlying physical networks for setting up the transport. Only local references are used in the configuration of the nameservers and switches, and in the computation and signalling of the service and transport paths, respectively.

Abstract: A method of assigning a unique IP address to a user of a mobile communication device in an OBS network allows for the dynamic assignment of IP addresses to users entering the OBS network. The OBS network includes a plurality of interconnected OBSs where each of the OBSs includes a user database including an OBS identifier, user identifier, assigned IP address, MAC hardware address, and beam identifier for each user in the network. The OBS network also includes a master ticketing authority that maintains a database of unique IP address that may be assigned to users entering the network, a gateway, a master routing database, and at least one mobile communication device in contact with an OBS. Users in the network are also authenticated through the transmittal of encrypted random numbers between a user authentication site and a mobile communication device.

Abstract: Various components are provided to manage a clustered environment. These components include a System Registry that provides a global data storage; a Configuration manager that stores data locally on nodes of the clustered environment and globally within the System Registry; a Liveness component to provide status of communications paths of the cluster; a Group Services component that provides services to one or more other components of the clustered environment; and a Resource Management component that communicates with one or more resource controllers of the clustered environment. Each of the components of the clustered environment has one or more data and/or functional dependencies on one or more other components of the environment. However, relationships between the components are created such that the data and functional dependencies form an acyclic graph (i.e., a cycle of dependency relationships is avoided).

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a device is provided to determine a plurality of clients, determine one or more of the plurality of clients that are ready to communicate, and sequentially provide service to each of the determined one or more clients.

Abstract: A method, system and gateway device enables interworking between an IP-based network and a circuit-switched network. A first address information of a first connection end located in the circuit-switched network is routed in a trigger message from the IP-based network to a gateway control function. The first and second call legs are established in parallel towards the first connection end based on the first address information, and towards a second connection end located in the IP-based network based on a second address information obtained from the trigger message. A single connection between the two connection ends is then established by connecting the first and second call legs. Thereby, IP-based signaling functionality can be used to add capability for subscribers located in the CS domain to be invited into conferences or calls with subscribers located in an IP-based domain, e.g. the IMS domain.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method for examining a communication stream between two nodes for a protocol of interest. If a protocol of interest is found, the communication stream is diverted to a divert host. If a protocol of interest is not found, the stream passes without diversion. By way of example, the invention is shown to work with TCP and UDP.