Worldwide Packets, Inc.

Ciena Corporation

Michael J Chartier

Loren Douglas Larsen

Kelly Donald Fromm

Dackary Ronald Busch

David Gilson

Peter Nils Boden, Jr

Jie Hu

Kyle Gosselin-Harris

Andrew Patrick Schultz

Jennifer Anne Smith

Christopher K Setty

Jose J Debarros

Barbara R Sinnott

Managing resources in a multi-level switch assembly system, includes a resource tree with the multiple hierarchical levels, wherein a first level device is associated with a first level, one or more second and third level devices are associated with lower, second and third levels respectively, and so on. Cost tokens are assigned to the various devices based on their corresponding resource requirements. Resources of the multi-level switch assembly system, such as, ports and/or bandwidth, are dynamically allocated to the first, second, third level devices, and so on, based on their corresponding cost tokens in a hierarchical manner.

Hierarchical resource management for switch assembly systems

This document describes tools that withhold a data packet from a switch port despite its destination address. In one embodiment, the tools may receive a port description identifying a set of switch ports. The tools configure the set of ports so that data packets exchanged through the switch by interested entities that would otherwise be forwarded to uninterested entities are instead withheld from the uninterested entities. In another embodiment, the tools may configure a data-packet switch according to a port description identifying a set of ports and a subset of the set of ports. The tools receive a data packet that includes a broadcast destination address on a receive port and then determine, based on the port description, whether the receive port belongs to the subset. If the receive port does not belong to the subset the data packet is withheld from the other ports of the set.

Withholding a data packet from a switch port despite its destination address

Packet switch operating methods and packet switches, using primary control circuitry of the packet switch, receive a request to perform a transaction. In response to the receiving the request, the primary control circuitry forwards the request to backup control circuitry of the packet switch. Subsequent to forwarding the request, the primary control circuitry performs the transaction by modifying a plurality of first data objects stored in a memory of the primary control circuitry. The packet switch operating methods and packet switches, using the primary control circuitry, inform the backup control circuitry that the primary control circuitry has performed the transaction and, in response to the informing, the backup control circuitry performs the transaction by modifying a plurality of second data objects stored in a memory of the backup control circuitry. The first data objects correspond to the second data objects.

Transaction-based coordination of data object modification for primary and backup control circuitry

This invention includes tools that prevent forwarding of a packet to a control plane of a packet switch. The tools receive a packet comprising indicia suggesting that the packet be forwarded to a control plane of a packet switch. After receiving the packet, the tools may modify the packet to prevent the packet from being forwarded to the control plane, intercept the packet before it is received by the control plane, or otherwise prevent the packet from being forwarded to the control plane. The tools may also forward the packet from a source port of a packet switch to a destination port of the packet switch without forwarding the packet to the control plane of the packet switch.

Preventing forwarding of a packet to a control plane

Packet switch operating methods and packet switches determine an identifier of an authorized multicast packet service, the multicast packet service being provided from a first device connected to the packet switch, receive a multicast packet comprising the identifier from a different second device connected to the packet switch, determine the multicast packet is unauthorized, and prevent the packet switch from forwarding the unauthorized multicast packet to a third device connected to the packet switch. Other packet switches include a first port, a second port, a third port, and forwarding circuitry connected to the first, second, and third ports. The forwarding circuitry is configured to forward first packets comprising a particular multicast destination address received from the first port to the second and third ports and to prevent second packets comprising the particular multicast destination address received from the second port from being forwarded to the third port.

Preventing forwarding of multicast packets

A multicast services control system is provided for Internet protocol television transport. The system includes a service distribution platform, at least one service concentration platform, and at least one set-top box. The service distribution platform has a multicast table. The service distribution platform is configured to receive channels from an Internet protocol video source and the multicast table is configured to include an entry for each of the channels. The at least one service concentration platform communicates with the service distribution platform for forwarding 'leaves' and receiving 'joins' with the service distribution platform. The at least one set-top box includes a receiving port and is configured to generate &#x201c;leaves&#x201d; and forward the &#x201c;leaves&#x201d; to one or more of the at least one service concentration platform wherein the &#x201c;leaves&#x201d; are snooped by portals and concentrators and wherein the set-top box is further configured to receive &#x201c;joins&#x201d; from one or more of the at least one service concentration platform. A method is also provided.

Multicast services control system and method

This document describes tools that forward data packets to trusted ports and prevent data packets from egressing non-trusted ports. To do so, the tools receive a data packet having a destination address specifying that the data packet be forwarded to a set of ports associated with a domain. The tools identify a subset of the set of ports as trusted ports and forward the data packet to the subset. The tools prevent the data packet from egressing non-trusted ports of the set. In one embodiment, the tools may classify a port as trusted. To do so, the tools receive a configuration communication identifying trusted devices. The tools broadcast a request to the trusted devices and receive a reply from a reply device on a reply port. The tools determine that the reply device is one of the trusted devices and mark the reply port as a trusted port.

Growing community of inventors

Veradale, WA, United States of America

Michael J Chartier