Ciena Corporation

Skadool, Inc.

Daniel E Klausmeier

Jeffrey T Gullicksen

Joel Fredric Adam

Darren Engelkemier

Tom Q Wellbaum

Edward Everett Sprague

Ciprian Costa

Tom Wellbaum

A method for scheduling an event in a calendar application is disclosed wherein the event is held at a fixed position on the screen of a device and a calendar grid is dragged relative to the event. The method is well-suited for touch devices and provides a way for the user to easily create and schedule events directly on a calendar grid without the need to enter event start and end times into a form. A view finder assists the user to set the desired start and end time. The view finder supports different zoom precisions which allow the user to enter start and end times of any granularity such as one minute granularity. A micro-dragging technique provides a way to easily select start and end times with high precision. The method may be extended to general applications where it is desirable to drag objects on a workspace.

Scheduling events on an electronic calendar utilizing fixed-positioned events and a draggable calendar grid

A system and method for providing temporary and limited grants of calendar access is provided. An invitee or its proxy may provide an event planner or time broker with a particular grant of calendar access comprising a date range, particular days of the week, and a particular time interval. The grant of calendar access allows the event planner to more easily identify a block of time for scheduling the particular event, the invitee calendar being updated in real-time. In some embodiments, the event planner may schedule the event and place the event directly on the invitee's calendar.

System and method for providing temporary and limited grants of calendar access

Systems and methods for the organization of hierarchical events are disclosed. A parent event in a first calendar application workspace classifies a hierarchy of events. A child event child event corresponds to a hierarchy of events. Identification of the parent event and a new child event results in the display of the new child event in a second calendar application workspace, the new child event being a scheduled event in the hierarchy of events that does not indicate a calendaring conflict with the parent event. A collaborative organization environment for discussion concerning the new child event may be provided.

Hierarchical events

A distribution stage is disclosed comprising a plurality of inputs coupled to a plurality of first stage switching devices, a plurality of outputs coupled to a plurality of second stage switching devices, and a distribution configuration. The distribution configuration is configured to receive a plurality of bandwidth units (BU's) from each first stage switching device, and to distribute at least one BU from each first stage switching device to each second stage switching device, such that each second stage switching device is assured of receiving at least one BU from each first stage switching device. In effect, the distribution stage ensures that each first stage switching device has a logical link to each second stage switching device. In one embodiment, the distribution stage is configured in accordance with a distribution configuration that is static. Because the distribution configuration of the distribution stage is static, it does not add complexity to the overall switching determination of a switching network. Thus, the distribution stage enables the switching network to be expanded without degrading the switching performance of the network.

Distribution stage for enabling efficient expansion of a switching network

A switch is provided that receives user information through a plurality of framer circuits, which group the user information into frames. The frames are fed to a switch fabric including an array of switch elements, each having a switch matrix for routing each frame to a desired output in accordance with configuration data stored in a first table coupled to the switch matrix. If different outputs are desired, i.e., the switch matrix is to be reconfigured, a switch control circuit supplies additional switch configuration data to the frames through the inputs along with additional user information to be routed through the switch. While the additional switch configuration data is stored in a second table, data flow remains uninterrupted through the switch matrix. Once storage of the additional configuration data into the second table is complete, however, the switch control circuit inserts a table select signal into the frames, to thereby couple the second table to the switch so that the switch matrix is configured in accordance with the additional switch configuration data. Subsequent frames are then routed through the reconfigured switch matrix. The first and second tables can thus be alternately updated and coupled to the switch matrix to appropriately reconfigure the switch without affecting existing connections established through the switch. 'Hitless switchover' is therefore achieved.

Switch fabric architecture and techniques for implementing rapid hitless switchover

Data frames are converted to a format suitable for transparent, flexible concatenated transport such that a network element not supporting flexible concatenation may transparently pass the data frames. Flexible concatenation involves nonstandard data frames such as an STS-or an STS-Nc in which the time slots do not occupy rigidly defined contiguous time slots. In transparent flexible concatenation, the pointer from the parent time slot is used for each of the child time slots and the concatenation identifier is set to indicate no concatenation. In this way, the concatenated data appears to be a series of conventional STS-s such that pointer processing may be successfully accomplished even by a network element not capable of handling non-standard concatenations. A downstream receive framer reconstructs the original STS-Nc based on the N STS-s and a concatenation table the contents of which are shared between the transmit framer and the downstream receive framer.

Transparent flexible concatenation

A switch is provided that includes three stages. The first stages has a plurality of switch circuits. The second stage has a plurality of switch circuits equal to N, where N is any integer other than a power of 2 and where the switch circuits can be logically configured into a logical configuration of a power of 2. The third stages includes a plurality of switch circuits.

Rearrangeable switch having a non-power of two number of physical center stages

Switch frames are arbitrarily concatenated to allow for any available time slots to be used for carrying concatenated switch frames. Methods and apparatus transport switch frames in available time slots, and keep track of which time slots correspond to a group of concatenated switch frames. The switch frames are transported through the switch and synchronized on the outgoing side of the switch so that arbitrarily concatenated switch frames are synchronized with each other.

Methods and apparatus for arbitrary concatenation in a switch

A switch is provided that receives user information through a plurality of framer circuits, which group the user information into frames. The frames are fed to a switch fabric including an array of switch elements, each having a switch matrix for routing each frame to a desired output in accordance with configuration data stored in a first table coupled to the switch matrix. If different outputs are desired, i.e., the switch matrix is to be reconfigured, a switch control circuit supplies additional switch configuration data to the frames through the inputs along with additional user information to be routed through the switch. While the additional switch configuration data is stored in a second table, data flow remains uninterrupted through the switch matrix. Once storage of the additional configuration data into the second table is complete, however, the switch control circuit inserts a table select signal into the frames, to thereby couple the second table to the switch so that the switch matrix is configured in accordance with the additional switch configuration data. Subsequent frames are then routed through the reconfigured switch matrix. The first and second tables can thus be alternately updated and coupled to the switch matrix to appropriately reconfigure the switch without affecting existing connections established through the switch. &ldquo;Hitless switchover&rdquo; is therefore achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Daniel E Klausmeier