3com Corporation

Utstarcom, Incorporated

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Ali Akgun

Michael S Borella

John G Fijolek

Mark O Vogel

Vikram Swamy

Ravideep Bhatia

Nurettin B Beser

Matthew H Harper

Kris Kelkar

Irene Gilbert

Stephen L Maynard

William Necka

Dan Budinger

Yuri Arutyunov

Christopher J Rozman

Rita Shammas

Igor Fey

Mikhail Voldman

Steven W Sangston

Shahidur Khan

Matthew Tooley

John Hamrick

A system and method for integrating the call control signaling pathway with data network access components. A call control server agent is resident on a network device that provides a first interface from an access network to a packet-switched data network. The call control server agent receives data session initiation requests and passes the requests to the call control server agent. The call control server agent also performs proxy server functions and provides a source of information relating to data sessions directly to the access network.

System and method for integrating call control and data network access components

A mobile station indicates a need for at least one specific type of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix in a message () transmitted to a serving network element. The latter processes this message to determine () the indicated IPv6 prefix type and responds with a reply message () comprising, at least in part, an IPv6 prefix of a type that is commensurate with the type (or types) indicated by the mobile station in the aforementioned message.

Method and apparatus to facilitate provision of an IPv6 prefix

A method and system for a mobile station to identify to a wireless network agent, an access point into a wireless network. The mobile station obtains an indication of an access point into the wireless network and inserts the indication into a mobile registration message. The access point identifier identifies an access point into the wireless network. Then, the mobile station sends the mobile registration message to the wireless network agent via the access point identified by the access point identifier. The wireless network agent receives the mobile registration message and provides the access point identifier to an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server. The AAA server uses the access point identifier to provide location-based services to the mobile station.

Method and system for identifying an access point into a wireless network

While one node (such as a wireless mobile node) facilitates a point-to-multipoint communication via a communications network (), communication requests from other nodes in the multipoint audience are queued in a node queue (). At some point (in a preferred approach, at the conclusion of the transmission by the one node), and typically for a predetermined amount of time, communication requests are further noted. These more recent indicia of a desire to communicate are then utilized to modify the node queue. Subsequent communications are then arranged, at least in part, based upon the modified node queue.

Apparatus for using a modified queue to facilitate group communications

A cable modem communicates the timing of the arrival of certain packets (such as TCP ACK packets) to a cable modem termination system. This timing feature is useful in methods for increasing the throughput in the downstream direction by eliminating TCP ACKs backing up at a cable modem. In particular, a cable modem termination system implementing an unsolicited bandwidth grant service in which unsolicited grants of bandwidth are sent by the cable modem termination system to the cable modem. The grants of bandwidth are timed to arrive at the cable modem simultaneous with or shortly after the arrival of the TCP ACK from an end station connected to the cable modem. Several methods of calculating or predicting when the unsolicited grants should be sent to the cable modem are described. The method is also applicable to other types of packets, such as voice packets from a end station implementing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application.

Communication of packet arrival times to cable modem termination system and uses thereof

The present embodiments provide a system and method for seamlessly roaming between different wireless access technologies. In an exemplary embodiment, a universal wireless access gateway (UWAG) may include a shared component and a first environment access module (EAM) that communicates with the shared component to enable access to a first network using a first wireless access technology. Additionally, the UWAG may include a second EAM that communicates with the shared component. The second EAM and shared component may enable access to a second network using a second wireless access technology that differs from the first wireless access technology. An exemplary data structure including various pointer blocks and data blocks may also be provided for switching between different wireless access technologies.

System and method for a universal wireless access gateway

Method and apparatus for using a modified queue to facilitate group communications

System and method for providing a multi-frequency upstream transmission channel to a network device. When a headend network entity generates an upstream channel descriptor message, the descriptor message includes at least two upstream frequencies available for upstream transmission, and a frequency hopping descriptor with a frequency-hopping pattern associated with the available frequencies for determining an upstream frequency for upstream transmission. The headend provides a timing reference for determining upstream transmission periods on the frequencies available on the network device. When the headend receives upstream transmission on one of the available upstream frequencies, the headend network entity determines frequency distortions. If the distortions exceed a threshold level, the headend may send a new upstream channel descriptor message that excludes the upstream frequency associated with the high frequency distortions, add a new upstream frequency, or defines a new frequency-hopping pattern.

System and method for a multi-frequency upstream channel in a computer network

A method and system for load balancing in a network system such as a data-over-cable system. One method includes receiving a first message on a first network device such as a cable modem termination system ('CMTS') from a second network device and marking the first message with an identifier of a network access device. The method further includes intercepting the first message on a third network device such as a provisioning/access manager prior to any first protocol server such a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server receives the first message. When the third network device intercepts the first message, the third network device determines capabilities of the second network device and applies a set of rules to load balance any requests between a plurality of channel pairs. Each charmel pair is associated with at least one capability of a network device and also has a load factor parameter and a threshold value defining a capacity of a channel pair. The third network device assigns the second network device to a predetermined channel pair based on the capabilities of the second network device, a load factor of the channel pair and a capacity of the channel pair.

System and method for automatic load balancing in a data-over-cable network

A routing Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) configured to enable Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE). The routing CMTS may bridge Ethernet frames related to a PPPoE connection from a first network to a second network. Bridging Ethernet frames allows terminals in different networks to establish a PPPoE connection. A routing CMTS may also collect state information regarding PPPoE connections. The routing CMTS may use the state information to only bridge Ethernet frames related to valid PPPoE connections. It may act as a firewall to prevent spoofing attacks.

Method and apparatus for PPPoE bridging in a routing CMTS

A method and system for dynamic service registration, activation and deactivation on a data-over-cable system. A first network device, such as a cable modem with associated service devices (e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol telephones) sends a first message to another network device, such as a cable modem termination system. The first message includes multiple service parameters for a desired service requested by a service device associated with the first network device. The multiple service parameters are extracted from the first message. A service session profile is created for the desired service. The service session profile includes one or more of the extracted service parameters required by the desired service. The service session profile is used by a service server associated with the cable modem termination system to provide a desired service. The service session profile is associated with a deferred inactive service identifier for the cable modem. The deferred inactive service identifier is returned to the cable modem in a second message. The deferred inactive service identifier is used at a later time by a service device associated with the cable modem to activate the desired service and to generate a service event on a service server. The service event may include an authentication, authorization, accounting or other event. A deferred service can be activated and deactivated used even after a network device, such as a cable modem, has already established a session with another network device, such as a cable modem termination system, on a data-over-cable system.

Method and system for dynamic service registration in a data-over-cable system

A system and method for distributing multi-program audio over a network includes the use of a Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, an Intranet and the Internet. The system includes a network audio source, a network distribution system and end devices. The method, for distributing multi-program audio over a network includes creating a network audio frame from a plurality of blocks of data from at least one audio program, placing each network audio frame within a transport structure for transport across the network and assigning an address to the transport structure prior to delivering the transport structure to a physical media.

System and method for distributing a single multicast multi-program audio stream over a network

A system and method for proxying Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol ('DHCP') network services for a network device, such as, a customer premise equipment entity, on a network device, such as, a cable modem, include creating a specialized proxy task for the customer premise equipment entity on the cable modem. One method of the present invention includes intercepting DHCP message flow between a customer premise equipment having a specialized proxy task created on the cable modem and a DHCP server selected by the customer premise equipment entity. The methods further include modifying lease time intervals prior to providing a routable network address lease to a customer premise equipment entity and renewing an initial lease for the customer premise equipment entity by a cable modem prior to expiration of the lease time interval provided by a DHCP server. The methods include using known protocols, such as, for example, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

System and method for a specialized dynamic host configuration protocol proxy in a data-over-cable network

A head-end in a data-over-cable system transmits a multicast message in a downstream channel to all the cable modems in a particular MAC layer. The message includes an address field that contains an upstream channel multicast MAC address that identifies a particular channel, and is used to send a multicast message for which only cable modems transmitting in the upstream direction in that channel are to respond. When the message is received by the cable modems, the cable modems compare the upstream channel multicast MAC address with addresses stored in a memory. If a match is found, indicating that the cable modem happens to transmit in the upstream direction in the particular channel, it processes the message. If no match is found, the message is discarded. The upstream channel multicast MAC address helps noise avoidance or redundancy problems associated with a particular channel to be quickly remedied, and avoids the head-end from having to send out a large number of unicast messages in order to communicate with all the modems sharing a given upstream channel.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Ali Akgun