At&t Intellectual Property I, LP

Sbc Properties, L.p.

Chin Yuan

Kuo-Hui Liu

Cheng-Hong Hu

Ahmad C Ansari

Russell William White

Weijing Chen

Stephen Mark Mueller

Alicia Marie Russell

Dinesh Nadaralah

Christopher J Chase

Donald M Smith

Chou Lan Pok

Michael P Sinwald

A method includes, in response to determining that a distribution capacity of a network device exceeds a first distribution capacity threshold and that the distribution capacity of the network device does not exceed a second distribution capacity threshold, determining, at the network device, whether a data source satisfies a popularity criteria. The method includes, in response to determining that the data source satisfies the popularity criteria, sending, from the network device, data associated with the data source to a user device.

System and method to control communication of data

A method includes sending a data packet, or a copy of the data packet, from a first video distribution hub to a second video distribution hub. The first video distribution hub is coupled to a first link and to a second link. The method also includes, in response to the second link being intact, sending the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second video distribution hub via a primary network path that includes the second link and excludes the first link. The method also includes, in response to a failure of the second link, sending the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second video distribution hub via a backup network path that includes the first link and that does not include the second link.

System and method of distributing digital content

Systems and methods of controlling communication of data are provided. A method of controlling communication of data may include receiving, at a network component, a request for data associated with a data source. The network component may have a limited capacity to distribute data. The method also includes determining whether the network component is exceeding a first capacity threshold. When the network component is exceeding the first capacity threshold, the method includes determining whether the data source meets a popularity criterion. When the data source meets the popularity criterion, the method includes sending the data associated with the data source.

A method is disclosed that includes receiving a data packet at a first video distribution hub via a first link. The method also includes determining whether a second link has failed, wherein the first video distribution hub communicates with a second video distribution hub via a primary network path that includes the second link. When the second link has failed, a backup network path to send the data packet, or a copy thereof, to the second video distribution hub, is determined based on data stored at the first video distribution hub. The method also includes sending the data packet, or the copy thereof, to the second video distribution hub via the backup network path, wherein the backup network path does not include the second link.

A method to perform dynamic source selection within an IP multicast network is performed at a designated router of an IP multicast network. At the designated router within the IP multicast network, a first source of a multicast group is selected to be forwarded to a receiving host or multiple receiving hosts. The first source is monitored to automatically detect when the first source exhibits a predetermined characteristic. At the designated router, responsive to the detection that the first source exhibits the predetermined characteristic, a second source of the multicast group is automatically selected to be forwarded to the receiving host or hosts. The method also supports automatic selection of all normally operating sources and forwarding of the traffic of such sources or channels to the receiving hosts or hosts.

Dynamic source selection within an IP multicast network

A broadband communication channel access network comprises an Ethernet device disposed in a serving area interface. The Ethernet device serves as an Ethernet bridge for a neighborhood service area. The Ethernet device communicates with a plurality of customer premises modems in the neighborhood service area. An Ethernet switch disposed at a central office communicates with the Ethernet device via a fiber optic medium using an Internet Protocol over a second Ethernet standard. The Ethernet switch provides a packet data core network termination.

Ethernet-based broadband communication channel methods and systems

A method of encapsulating data packets for use in a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing a data packet for transmission over the distributed computer network, the data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet; and encapsulating the data packet with a medium access control outer packet. The disclosed data packet handling method includes receiving a data packet from a customer facing data port, the customer facing data port within a network node of a computer network; performing medium access control (MAC) learning for the received packet; determining whether the data port is a MAC-in-MAC port; performing a packet mapping to a destination address based on a service provider destination address; and encapsulating the received data packet with a header associated with the service provider.

Ethernet architecture with data packet encapsulation

A digital subscriber line access network comprises a remote Ethernet device disposed in a serving area interface. The remote Ethernet device serves as an Ethernet bridge for a neighborhood service area. The remote Ethernet device communicates with a plurality of customer premises modems in the neighborhood service area using an Internet Protocol over an Ethernet standard with a digital subscriber line physical layer. An Ethernet switch disposed at a central office communicates with the remote Ethernet device via a fiber optic medium using an Internet Protocol over a second Ethernet standard. The Ethernet switch provides a packet data core network termination.

Ethernet-based digital subscriber line methods and systems

The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods associated with data communications. In a particular embodiment, a method for use of multi-protocol labels switching (MPLS) encapsulation with control word communicated over a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing MPLS virtual circuit label with the control word associated with a data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet, and communicating the MPLS packet with control word and the data packet over the distributed computer network. In another embodiment, a method of handling a data packet within a computer network is disclosed. The data packet is either an unknown unicast, multicast, or broadcast packet. The method includes encapsulating the packet into a multi-packet label switching label and a control word, the control word having a source site identity and a multi-cast identity; and distributing the packet to a plurality of sites within the computer network.

Enhanced H-VPLS service architecture using control word

The present invention relates generally to a data communication system, a virtual interworking trunk interface within a device to form a universal virtual private network, and methods of operating a virtual private network. In a particular embodiment, the data communication system includes a first portion of a virtual private network, a second portion of the virtual private network, a virtual switch instance associated with the first portion of the virtual private network, a virtual router instance associated with the second portion of the virtual private network, and a virtual interworking trunk interface coupled to the virtual switch instance and to the virtual router instance.

Growing community of inventors

San Ramon, CA, United States of America

Chin Yuan