At+t Corp.

At&t Intellectual Property I, L.p.

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Bocoo Capital, LLC

Xiaolin Lu

Alan H Gnauck

Thomas Edward Darcie

Sheryl Leigh Woodward

Bhavesh N Desai

Charles D Combs

Anthony G Werner

Esteban Sandino

Oleh J Sniezko

Xiaoxin Qiu

George E Bodeep

Kenneth Charles Reichmann

Min Zhu

A communication network apparatus and method for routing communication signals form a source device to a receiving device. The apparatus performs only local processing on communication signals to thereby increase the speed of processing the signals. A plurality of the processing nodes is combined into a plurality of sub-networks that comprise the network apparatus. Each processing node of a sub-network need only process address information pertaining to the node's current layer, one layer above it, if any, and one layer below it, if any. Additionally, each processing node has associated communication signal frequencies/wavelengths that identify the processing node as the intended recipient of the communication signal.

Communication network apparatus and method

A communication network apparatus and method for routing communication signals from a source device to a receiving device. The apparatus performs only local processing on communication signals to thereby increase the speed of processing the signals. A plurality of the processing nodes is combined into a plurality of sub-networks that comprise the network apparatus. Each processing node of a sub-network need only process address information pertaining to the node's current layer, one layer above it, if any, and one layer below it, if any. Additionally, each processing node has associated communication signal frequencies/wavelengths that identify the processing node as the intended recipient of the communication signal.

A branch-ring optical network and a technique for manufacturing a branch-ring optical network are disclosed. By connecting an outgoing optical conduit to a number of ports and one or more diffraction-grating based add/drop modules, and coupling the first distribution-node to at least one or more distribution-end-nodes having one or more diffraction-grating based add/drop modules, a branch-ring optical network that is easily constructed and maintained is formed.

Methods and systems for constructing optical networks

A content creation, monitoring and selection system establishes social networks for members such as content creators that generate creative content that may be placed in a content pool. The system assigns a profile for each member and provides social network services based on the profile. The system may also establish a content market. Creative contents may be placed in the content market with an asking price and prospective buyers may bid for ownership. Owners of content submissions may share the ownership by dividing up ownership rights and sell a portion of the ownership rights on the content market. By injecting market like mechanisms, the system may reduce risks associated with uncertainty of new products.

Content creation, monitoring and selection

A communication network apparatus and method for routing communication signals from a source device to a receiving device. The apparatus performs only local processing on communication signals to thereby increase the speed of processing the signals. A plurality of the processing nodes are combined into a plurality of sub-networks that comprise the network apparatus. Each processing node of a sub-network need only process address information pertaining to the node's current layer, one layer above it, if any, and one layer below it, if any. Additionally, each processing node has associated communication signal frequencies/wavelengths that identify the processing node as the intended recipient of the communication signal. When a communication signal having a carrier signal with a frequency/wavelength corresponding to the processing node is received, the processing node demodulates the carrier signal and forwards the communication signal data to a processing module used to process address information to determine how to route the communication signal through the network. Communication signals may be assigned 'express' frequencies/wavelengths, in which case, all of the processing nodes, except the destination processing node, of the network pass the communication signal without performing processing on the communication signal.

A communication network apparatus and method for routing communication signals from a source device to a receiving device. The apparatus performs only local processing on communication signals to thereby increase the speed of processing the signals. A plurality of the processing nodes are combined into a plurality of sub-networks that comprise the network apparatus. Each processing node of a sub-network need only process address information pertaining, to the node's current layer, one layer above it, if any, and one layer below it, if any.

This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node. The mux-node may route upstream communication signals received from the mini-fiber nodes as downstream signals to other mini-fiber nodes also connected to the mux-node without head-end interaction.

Fiber and wire communication system

The invention provides a method and apparatus for end-users to allocate a communication medium locally without requiring a central arbitration device while guaranteeing access to the end-users. The end-users bid for control of an upstream data channel by concurrently transmitting auction data and address data on a first upstream signaling channel and a second upstream signaling channel. An end-user gains control of the upstream data channel when data received from the first and second downstream signaling channels match the auction and address bits. When it is determined that the end-user lost the bid, the end-user backs off from the first and second upstream signaling channels and refrains from bidding until the first and second upstream signaling channels become quiet.

Distributed method and apparatus for allocating a communication medium

A communication system between head-ends and end-users is provided which expands bandwidth and reliability. A concentrator receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more fiber nodes and/or one or more mini-fiber nodes. The concentrator demultiplexes/splits received signals for the mini-fiber nodes and the fiber nodes and forwards demultiplexed/split signals respectively. The mini-fiber nodes may combine signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local medium access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and/or fiber node and transmitted to the concentrator. The concentrator multiplexes/couples the mini-fiber node and the fiber node upstream signals and forwards multiplexed/coupled signals to the head-end. Communication signals received from the mini-fiber nodes that are destined to other end-users also connected to the mini-fiber nodes may be routed by the concentrator without head-end interaction.

Fiber/wired communication system

The invention provides a traffic regulation technique for media that functions within access protocols by making a percentage of total communication capacity of the media unavailable to end-users as reserve capacity. This reserve capacity is released when appropriate to regulate network traffic. Thus, the traffic regulation technique regulates the traffic by adjusting the percentage of reserve capacity. The reserve capacity may be targeted to a specific type of traffic. In this way, the traffic of the communication systemmay be regulated so that desired quality of service may be provided for specific end users.

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Middletown, NJ, United States of America

Xiaolin Lu