1644 results about "Exchange network" patented technology

A location-based and preference-based system and method for matching the profiles of the attributes and / or characteristics of persons, places and / or things with the expressed preferences of mobile users such as travelers, to alert and direct such users to any places having attributes matching the user's express preferences. In particular, the system comprises a mobile device such as a GPS-capable PDA that stores the user's preferences and communicates with a server that contains or accesses the profiles of the persons, places or things to compare the profiles and preferences. Comparison of the user's preferences with the various profiles allows the user only to be informed of those persons, places and / or things that it is likely to be interested in. The system and method thus provides for a mobile real-time point of interest exchange network.

The present invention is directed to a high speed packet switching network and, in particular to a method and system for minimizing the time to establish a connection between an origin and a destination node. Due to high dynamicity of the traffic on transmission links, it is important to select a routing path according to a fully up-to-date information on all network resources. The simpler approach is to calculate a new path for each new connection request. This solution may be very time consuming because there are as many path selection operations as connection set up operations. On another hand, the calculation of paths based on an exhaustive exploration of the network topology, is a complex operation which may also take an inordinate amount of resources in large networks. Many of connections originated from a network node flow to the same destination network node. It is therefore possible to take a serious benefit in reusing the same already calculated paths for several connections towards the same node. The path calculated at the time the connection is requested is recorded in a Routing Database and updated each time a modification occurs in the network. Furthermore, alternate paths for supporting non-disruptive path switch on failure or preemption, and new paths towards potential destination nodes can be calculated and stored when the connection set up process is idle. These last operations are executed in background with a low processing priority and in absence of connection request.

In a telecommunications switching network having a resource complex including network switches, an intelligent service platform for providing intelligent call processing and service execution for call events received at the switches and requiring call processing services. A centralized administration system is provided that comprises a system for storing one or more reusable business objects that each encapsulate a distinct call-processing function, and any associated data required by the business object; a system for distributing selected business objects and associated data to selected nodes in the switching network based on pre-determined node configuration criteria; and, a system for activating the business objects in preparation for real-time use. A computing platform is provided within each node for executing those business objects required to perform a service in accordance with an event received at the network switch. Also within a node is a storage and retrieval system for sorting and retrieving selected objects and any associated data distributed by the administration system, and making them locally available to the computing platform when required to perform a service. An underlying location-independent communication system is provided to coordinate interaction of one or more business objects to perform the service in response to needs of the received event.

PCT No. PCT / RU95 / 00241 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 27, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 27, 1998 PCT Filed Nov. 10, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO97 / 05557 PCT Pub. Date Feb. 13, 1997An electronic gaming system is disclosed that includes a central computer station, a plurality of peripheral computer stations, and a data exchange network for coupling the peripheral computer stations to the central computer station. The central computer station includes an administrative subsystem, a player's registration subsystem, a game accounts managing subsystem, an information tabulating, storing and searching subsystem, a game recording subsystem, a scoring subsystem, a wagering and betting subsystem, an executive gaming subsystem, an electronic payment subsystem, an information protection subsystem, a secure communications subsystem, and a game selection subsystem. Each of the peripheral computer stations include a subsystem for admitting and registering players with the central computer station and a gaming interface subsystem. To ensure security of the electronic gaming system, a player seeking to enter the system transmits an encoded message from their peripheral computer station to the central computer station that includes a set of key attributes associated with the player. The central computer station decodes and compares the transmitted set of key attributes with individual information previously stored in the information protection subsystem in order to identify each player during registration based upon the set of key attributes transmitted by each player. The system may automatically control money transactions with each player's bank accounts based upon the player's scoring and wagers in each selected game.

A multi-mode multi-coupling multi-protocol wireless power transmitter (WPT) and its embodiments transmit power to a wireless power receiver (WPR) in a power transfer mode (PTM) and a wireless power protocol (WPP) of the WPR. A first circuit of the WPT includes inductors or capacitors emanating power via a magnetic field or electric field PTM respectively. The WPT sequentially parses a test condition to identify a PTM, a power coupling linkage (PCL) between the WPT and the WPR, and a WPP of the WPR. The WPT identifies a match if the PTM of the first circuit and the WPP of the switch network, the variable matching circuit, a modulator / demodulator block or an out-of-band communication block, and a control logic circuit of the WPT match the PTM and the WPP of the WPR to transmit power to the WPR based on the match.

A communication system providing telephony communication across combined circuit switched and packet switched networks, such as a telephone network and the Internet, which are connectable to terminals, such as telephones and computers, for selective communication therebetween. The communication system includes an authorization and account control object in the packet switched network, multiple gateways between the circuit switched and packet switched networks providing controlled connectivity between those networks, and an information retrieval object in the packet switched network, wherein the authorization and account control object maintains a substantially real time record of user accounts and usage, and the information and retrieval object provides substantially real time retrieval of selected information from the authorization and account control object. The retrieval object provides on demand to terminals which provide authentication for access to an identified account information regarding that account. The information regarding the account is substantially real time information including information with respect to communications in progress which are chargeable to the account which has been authenticated. The authorization and account control object is preferably a unitary logical object having distributed instances thereof handling multitudinous accounts of widely separated terminals. The retrieval object provides isolation of the authorization and account control object permitting simultaneous multitasking by the authorization and account control object and the retrieval object respectively.

An integrated radio telecommunications network which integrates an ANSI-41 circuit switched network and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) packet data network to support a mobile station which operates in both the ANSI-41 network and the GPRS network. An interworking function interfaces a mobile switching center (MSC) in the ANSI-41 network with a serving GPRS switching node (SGSN) in the GPRS network by mapping circuit switched signaling utilized by the MSC into GPRS packet switched signaling utilized by the SGSN, and mapping GPRS packet switched signaling into circuit switched signaling. An interworking GPRS base station controller interfaces the SGSN with a GPRS / ANSI-136 base station which supports both ANSI-136 operations and GPRS operations. The interworking GPRS base station controller adapts the traffic signaling format utilized by the SGSN into an air interface traffic signaling format utilized by the GPRS / ANSI-136 base station. An authentication center interface passes the authentication state of the mobile station between an ANSI-41 home location register / authentication center (HLR / AC) in the ANSI-41 network, and a GPRS home location register / authentication center (HLR / AUC) in the GPRS network.

The invention provides unique architectures and techniques for routing redundancy in a data switch configured to use label switching. Multiple label switch controllers (LSCs) each operate concurrently but independently of each other to provide routes through a data switching mechanism. Preferred embodiments provide a plurality of LSCs offering MPLS capabilities coupled to a single switch, such as an ATM switch. The similarly configured LSCs each can concurrently support a route for data (e.g., labeled ATM cells) within the data switching mechanism in parallel, thereby providing the ability to support redundant and multiple parallel data networks. The configuration is called a label switch router (LSR). A fully-meshed embodiment allows selected routes to share bandwidth on ports, while a fully parallel embodiment provides separate ports for selected routes. Since each LSC provides parallel routes with the other LSCs in an LSR, a communications between an LSR and a label edge router (LER) can use multipath routing to concurrently distribute data equally across the parallel routes for each destination. Alternatively, unipath routing techniques can select one route for use for each destination from the available routes concurrently offered by each LSC. In the event of a failure of one of the LSCs, multipath routing implementations can exclude transmission of data onto the failed network, while continuing to use the other parallel networks supported by non-failed LSCs in a concurrent manner. Alternatively, if a failure occurs with unipath routing, a new route offered by another LSC can be selected for data transfers. In either case, the LSC that fails does not need to provide state or connection information to the LSCs that operate subsequently to the failure, since they are already configured in parallel to support the same route. Upon an LSC failure, switch resources such as bandwidth that were used by the failed LSC are made available to the remaining non-failed LSCs. The design allows failures are handled gracefully without diminished network capacity or data loss resulting in a highly reliable routing capability provided within connection-based or circuit-switched networks.

A method for processing a financial transaction using an interchange network computer coupled to a database is described. The transaction is initiated with a transaction card associated with a linked account. The method includes receiving, at the interchange network computer, a linked account data file for the first transaction card. The data file includes data associating the first card with a first secondary account and data linking the first secondary account to a first primary account. The method also includes storing the data file within the database and receiving a first authorization request message for the first transaction. The method also includes determining, based on data included within the first authorization request message, that the first card is associated with the first secondary account and processing the first authorization request message by applying at least one processing code associated with the first primary account to the first transaction.

A Web-based fault and alarm management tool that enables customers to monitor and analyze the performance of their voice and data network via a graphical user interface is provided. The tool provides customers an Internet / Intranet access to near real-time alarms, events, and performance statistics and configuration reports corresponding to their switched network, including voice network, broadband, dedicated point-to-point circuits, and signaling services, for enabling customers to make informed network management decisions. A Web-based fault and alarm management infrastructure which enables the secure initiation, acquisition, and presentation of customer reports relating to network management via a Web browser on any computer is also provided.

Aspects of the may be found in a method for providing a customized media channel and may comprise creating a channel guide for a new media channel and populating the channel guide for the new media channel with information identifying mixed media content. In this regard, the mixed media content may comprise at least one personal media content and at least one broadcast media content. The mixed media content as identified in the channel guide may be communicated over the mixed media channel. The populated channel guide may be displayed, with the information identifying the mixed media content, for example in a text format or a graphical user interface (GUI). The channel guide may be a representation of information for a mixed media channel. In any case, the method may also comprise receiving broadcast media content from at least one third (3rd) party broadcaster or other media provider.

In a telecommunications switching network having a resource complex including network switches, an intelligent service platform for providing intelligent call processing and service execution for call events received at the switches and requiring call processing services. A centralized administration system is provided that comprises a system for storing one or more reusable business objects that each encapsulate a distinct call-processing function, and any associated data required by the business object; a system for distributing selected business objects and associated data to selected nodes in the switching network based on pre-determined node configuration criteria; and, a system for activating the business objects in preparation for real-time use. A computing platform is provided within each node for executing those business objects required to perform a service in accordance with an event received at the network switch. Also within a node is a storage and retrieval system for sorting and retrieving selected objects and any associated data distributed by the administration system, and making them locally available to the computing platform when required to perform a service. An underlying location-independent communication system is provided to coordinate interaction of one or more business objects to perform the service in response to needs of the received event.

A method in accordance with the invention allocates bandwidth, fairly and dynamically, in a shared-media packet switched network to accommodate both elastic and inelastic applications. The method, executed by or in a head-end controller, allocates bandwidth transmission slots, converting requests for bandwidth into virtual scheduling times for granting access to the shared media. The method can use a weighted fair queuing algorithm or a virtual clock algorithm to generate a sequence of upstream slot / transmission assignment grants. The method supports multiple quality of service (QoS) classes via mechanisms which give highest priority to the service class with the most stringent QoS requirements.

A new Fast Recovery Plus (FR+) mechanism, and associated method, for wireless and / or mobile network applications to control data flow and avoid network congestion in a TCP / IP packet-switched network.

A multi-media terminal adapter couples to a network access module over a communication link. The network access module communicates IP frames over a frame switched network. The multi-media terminal adapter comprises a wide area network interface coupled to the communication link for exchanging IP frames with the access module and a local area network interface for receiving outbound data client IP frames from each of a plurality of data clients. Each outbound data client IP frame comprises a socket information that includes a local area network IP address and a data client port number. A VoIP module generates outbound VoIP frames. Each outbound VoIP frame comprises socket information that includes a VoIP port number selected from a first group of port numbers exclusively reserved for use by the VoIP module. A router module is coupled between the wide area network interface and each of the VoIP module and the local area network interface. The router receives the outbound data client IP frames and the outbound VoIP frames and performs port translation on only the outbound data client IP frames.

An Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) method is disclosed for wireless applications to avoid network congestion in a TCP / IP packet-switched network. Such method comprises transmitting, at a source node, data packets to a destination node, via at least an intermediate node; determining, at the intermediate node, if an incipient congestion is encountered, setting a Congestion Experienced (CE) flag in each data packet to notify congestion; sending, at the destination node, an ECN-Echo acknowledgment packet back to the source node to inform congestion; reducing, at the source node, a congestion window and a transmission rate to avoid congestion; if the packet loss is due to congestion, re-transmitting, at the source node, only a lost packet to the destination node; alternatively, if the packet loss is due to transmission error, re-transmitting, the lost packet to the destination node, while increasing a round-trip timeout but maintaining the same congestion window.

An architecture and method for performing dynamic route discovery and time slot reservation provisioning within optical-switched networks. The method employs extensions to the RSVP-TE signaling protocol, which uses various messages to reserve resources. Under a peer routing embodiment, routing trees and resource availability data are maintained by the edge nodes. A lightpath route is dynamically selected based on selection criteria applied to the routing tree data and the availability of resources along the lightpath. Link state information, including resource reservation data, is broadcast by the switching nodes to update the edge nodes of their resource availability. A resource reservation message is passed between nodes defined by an explicit route contained in the message, and resource availability is confirmed for the entire lightpath prior to confirming the resource reservations.

A method and system are provided for accessing, monitoring, and controlling home appliances in a media exchange network by establishing a communication link between a communication initiation device and at least one home appliance and communicating at least one command from the communication initiation device to the at least one home appliance via the communication link. The at least one home appliance then generates at least one response to the at least one command. The commands may include turning the home appliance(s) on and off, parameter adjustment commands, access commands, monitoring commands, mode change commands, and programming commands. Appliance responses may include powering on, powering off, changing a mode of operation, sending a status to the communication initiation device, adjusting an operational parameter, and changing a programmed operational step.

A firewall device provides a novel architecture for conducting firewall and other network interface management operations over a wired Ethernet connection. The firewall device includes a first network interface for connecting to a first packet switched network connection that transports packets, a second network interface for connecting to a second packet switched network connection that transports packets, and firewall circuitry configured to perform firewall operations on the packets transported between the first and second network interfaces and being powered entirely through power received through one of the first and second network interfaces over one of the first or second packet switched network connections.

An integrated radio telecommunications network which integrates an ANSI-41 circuit switched network and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) packet data network to support a mobile station which operates in both the ANSI-41 network and the GPRS network. An interworking function interfaces a mobile switching center (MSC) in the ANSI-41 network with a serving GPRS switching node (SGSN) in the GPRS network by mapping circuit switched signaling utilized by the MSC into GPRS packet switched signaling utilized by the SGSN, and mapping GPRS packet switched signaling into circuit switched signaling. An interworking GPRS base station controller interfaces the SGSN with a GPRS / ANSI-136 base station which supports both ANSI-136 operations and GPRS operations. The interworking GPRS base station controller adapts the traffic signaling format utilized by the SGSN into an air interface traffic signaling format utilized by the GPRS / ANSI-136 base station. An authentication center interface passes the authentication state of the mobile station between an ANSI-41 home location register / authentication center (HLR / AC) in the ANSI-41 network, and a GPRS home location register / authentication center (HLR / AUC) in the GPRS network.

A method for operating a node in a computer network is disclosed, where the network is made up of nodes connected by links. The method has the steps: determining an alternate path for one or more links; reserving resources for the alternate path; and rerouting traffic on the alternate path in case of a link failure. The alternate path may be periodically updated. A plurality of alternate paths may be maintained. The alternate paths may not have any links in common. User traffic may be rerouted substantially simultaneously to each link of the alternate path in the event of failure of a primary path.

Techniques for personal inventory management and item exchange network are described, including generating an interface using data associated with a personal inventory comprising an item listing, the interface being used to manage the personal inventory, the interface being generated by a system configured to provide one or more options to manage the personal inventory and to prevent access to the personal inventory, presenting the item listing in the interface, the interface being accessible by one or more endpoints and including a marketplace configured to perform an activity associated with the item listing, the data being used to present the item listing on a network, the item listing describing an item, and receiving an input associated with the item listing, the input indicating initiation of an activity associated with an item described by the item listing.

The advanced intelligent network (AIN) to determine routing of voice calls alternatively between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a data packet network, such as the Internet, in accordance with the quality of service existing in the data packet network at the times of call origination. The user's acceptable level of service may be predefined with a threshold quality level stored in the user's Call Processing Record (CPR) in the AIN Integrated Services Control Point (ISCP). On a per call basis, the caller linked to a first public switched network may indicate a preference to route through the Internet. This indication is recognized by the AIN system, in response to which the quality of service currently present on the Internet for completion of the call is measured. If the result exceeds the stored threshold, the call is setup and routed through the Internet to the switched network link to the destination party. If the quality of service on the Internet is not satisfactory, the call is alternatively routed through the PSTN, which may include an Interexchange Carrier link. The AIN system automatically controls the alternative routing of such calls.

In order to facilitate a handoff of a communication session between a legacy circuit switched network and a packet data network such as a 3GPP LTE, 3GPP2 UMB, or WiMAX network, which communication session is anchored in an IMS Voice Call Continuity Application Server (VCC AS), a Circuit Switched Proxy (CS Proxy) is provided in the packet data network that communicates with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) of the circuit switched network. The CS Proxy allows the packet data network to communicate with the VCC AS, the MSC to communicate with the packet data network, and the MSC to communicate with the VCC AS via the packet data network, thereby allowing an exchange of handoff-related information between the packet data network and the VCC AS, the packet data network and the circuit switched network, and the circuit switched network and the VCC AS via the packet data network.

A method and architecture for secure transmission of data within optical-switched networks. In one embodiment, the optical switched network comprises a photonic burst-switched (PBS) network. Under various schemes, security keys including encryption and decryption keys are generated by edge nodes and the decryption keys are distributed to other edge nodes in a PBS network. In one embodiment, the security keys are dynamically generated by a trusted platform module (TPM). A source edge node uses its encryption key to encrypt selected data bursts to be sent to a destination edge node via a virtual lightpath coupling the source and destination edge nodes. Security data are embedded in a control burst header indicates to the destination node whether corresponding data bursts sent via the virtual lightpath are encrypted. The security data also includes the decryption key and may also identify an encryption / decryption algorithm to be used. In some embodiments, public key infrastructure facilities are used in conjunction with employment of private and public keys and digital certificates.

A media exchange network and a method of exchanging media between electronic devices are disclosed herein. In an embodiment according to the present invention, media may be simultaneously exchanged between friends, family members, and 3rd party media providers over a closed and secure media exchange network. The media may include, for example, digital video, digital audio, digital images, digital data, or any other form of digital information.

An SS7-based call protocol conversion gateway that translates between circuit-switched SS7 protocols and session initiation protocol (SIP) oriented protocol, allowing an E911 call initiated over a switched network to be routed by a VoIP network. The SS7-based call protocol conversion gateway provides a PSAP with MSAG quality (street address) information about a VoIP dual mode phone user without the need for a wireless carrier to invest in building out an entire VoIP core. Thus, wireless carriers may continue signaling the way they are today, i.e., using the J-STD-036 standard for CDMA and GSM in North America, yet see benefits of a VoIP network core, i.e., provision of MSAG quality location data to a PSAP.