At+t Corp.

At&t Intellectual Property I, L.p.

Vaidyanathan Ramaswami

Rittwik Jana

Simon D Byers

Gagan Choudhury

Alan Edward Kaplan

Kenneth Ward Church

Duncan Kirkwood Sparrell

Soohan Ahn

Kermit Hal Purdy

Howard Paul Katseff

David Kormann

Ward Whitt

Daniel Paul Heyman

David John Poole

A method includes evaluating a bandwidth capacity of an uplink between a first customer premises equipment device and a network node of a multimedia distribution network. The method includes transmitting a portion of multimedia content from the first customer premises equipment device to a second customer premises equipment device. The method includes, responsive to determining that the bandwidth capacity of the uplink is greater than a threshold, determining a number of subsequent requestors that the first customer premises equipment device is capable of servicing, selecting a first set of helper virtual peers from a pool of available helper virtual peers based on the number of subsequent requestors, and transmitting the multimedia content from the first customer premises equipment device to the first set of helper virtual peers.

Limited chain relay with virtual peer for multimedia distribution

A method includes evaluating a bandwidth capacity of an uplink between a first customer premises equipment device and a network node of a multimedia distribution network. The method includes receiving a message at the first customer premises equipment device from the network node, the message indicating a request for multimedia content by a second customer premises equipment device, and instructing the first customer premise equipment device to provide the multimedia content to the second customer premise equipment device. The method includes transmitting a portion of the multimedia content from the first customer premises equipment device to the second customer premises equipment device. The method further includes, when the bandwidth capacity of the uplink is greater than a threshold, transmitting the multimedia content from the first customer premises equipment device to a first set of helper virtual peers selected based on the bandwidth capacity.

A method includes at a first customer premises equipment (CPE) device, generating a first request for multimedia content. The method also includes sending the first request to a network node of the multimedia distribution network. The method further includes receiving the multimedia content from a virtual peer located at the network node and storing the multimedia content at the first CPE device. The method also includes receiving a message via the multimedia distribution network, the message indicating a second request for the multimedia content by a second customer premises equipment (CPE) device. The method further includes transmitting at least a portion of the stored multimedia content to the second CPE device.

A method and apparatus for handling internet access telephone calls made via cable company telephone services. A head end data terminal receives cable signals and converts them into individual signals. An intelligent switch detects signals destined for an internet service provider and routes those signals on a separate path to the internet service provider. A central switch routes the other signals along a telephone network. A computer program can control the steps of receiving cable signals, converting them into voice band signals, routing the signals that are not for the intended recipient to a central switch, multiplexing the signals for the intended recipient together, and sending the multiplexed signals to the intended recipient.

Method and apparatus for routing data

A disclosed method of distributing multimedia content to end users in a multimedia content distribution network includes segmenting time in a series of intervals referred to herein as limited-chain relay (LCR) intervals. The LCR intervals may have a duration of time T although an LCR interval may be terminated before the duration expires. During any interval, the LCR distribution method includes responding to a first request for a program of multimedia content (PMC) from a first requestor by delivering the PMC from a video server to the customer premises equipment (CPE) of the requestor and storing the PMC on the CPE of the first requestor. The method further includes responding to subsequent requests for the PMC that occur before the time T and before the interval terminates otherwise from subsequent requestors by delivering at least some portion of the PMC to the subsequent requestors from the CPE of at least one previous requestor.

Distributing on-demand multimedia content

A method includes at a first customer premises equipment (CPE) device coupled to a multimedia distribution network, generating a first request for multimedia content. The method also includes sending the first request to a network node of the multimedia distribution network. The method further includes receiving the multimedia content from a virtual peer located at the network node and storing the multimedia content at the first CPE device. The method also includes receiving a message via the multimedia distribution network, the message indicating a transmission of a second request for the multimedia content by a second customer premises equipment (CPE) device. The method further includes transmitting at least a portion of the stored multimedia content to the second CPE device.

Congestion problems in networks are alleviated with a method that works toward insuring that unused capacity will always exist in elements of a network that are resources which are shared by a plurality of users and which, consequently, can be overloaded. In response to each request to establish a connection over a path in the network, pursuant to a predetermined algorithm the method services the request, declines to service the request, or services the request after dropping an established connection. In one embodiment, when unused capacity on the path is above a first preselected level, all requests are serviced. When unused capacity falls below a second preselected threshold, no requests are serviced. When unused capacity is between the first and second thresholds, an existing data connection is dropped if a requested connection is a voice connection and the number of existing data connections exceeds a preselected threshold.

Method for preventing overload condition in a circuit switched arrangement

An arrangement where connections between a terminal and a switch are effected through a serial connection of shared, overloadable, resources, and where conventionally each of the resources has a given number of communication channels, provides for effective congestion control by converting one or more of the communications channels to one or more groups of enhanced signaling channels. The congestion control is effected by employing the enhanced signaling channels, which can carry audible signals, to determine whether to set up requested calls, based on a preselected congestion control process.

A method for alleviating congestion problems in prior art networks delays provision of dial tone signals to terminals that are, likely, carrying out a re-dial attempt in excess of a preselected number of re-dial attempts. A determination that the terminal seeking to establish a connection is likely carrying out a re-dial attempt may be based on numerous factors, such as the time since the last time the terminal desired to establish a call, the duration of the last call, etc. The delay that is imposed is, advantageously, sensitive to the number of times the terminal has attempted a re-dial, and on other conditions, such as the cause of the failure to establish a connection, network congestion conditions, etc. In imposing the dial tone delay, identities of the terminals that are to receive a delayed dial tone are placed in a FIFO queue.

The present invention is a method and system for recording a communication over a public network upon the request of a communicating party. The request is received for the recording service from a first communicating party and an identification number, received from the first communicating party, is verified. A number is received for a second communicating party from the first communicating party and a connection for a communication between the first and second communicating parties is established. Finally a recording of the communication is made and, after the completion of the communication is detected, the recording is converted to a standard audio file. The system may provide additional information with the recording, such as a time/date stamp and the telephone numbers associated with the communication, in order to authenticate the call.

Method for providing a phone conversation recording service

Congestion problems in networks are alleviated with a method that works toward insuring the unused capacity will always exist in elements of a network that are resources which are shared by a plurality of users and which, consequently, can be overloaded. In response to each a request to establish a connection over a path in the network, pursuant to a predetermined algorithm method either services the request, declines to service the request, or services the request after dropping an established connection. In one embodiment, when unused cavity on the path is above a preselected level, all requests are services. What unused capacity falls below a preselected threshold, a probabilistic approach is taken as to service the request or not, and as whether to drop an existing call in order to service the request.

A method that alleviates congestion problems in prior art networks by insuring that selected classes of calls have a reserved capacity, thus insuring a capability to service at least the selected level of traffic. In an illustrated embodiment, a selected capacity is reserved for voice calls, in contrast to data calls. When a connection request is made and there is unoccupied capacity, a voice call is always serviced, but a data call is serviced only if the number of established data connections is less than capacity of the path required for establishing a connection for the request, minus the capacity reserved for voice call.

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Neshanic Station, NJ, United States of America

Vaidyanathan Ramaswami