Abstract:
Systems and methods are described for off-site user access control to communications services via a site-based communications network. Embodiments operate in context of sites, each having one or more site-based networks in communication with external networks via one or more on-site routers. User devices are provided with controlled access to those external networks via wired or wireless connections between those user devices and the site based networks. In some embodiments, on-site routers maintain route maps that indicate which user devices are authorized. Standard routing functions are used so that traffic from authorized devices is routed normally, while traffic from unauthorized devices is automatically forwarded to an off-site (e.g., cloud-based) authentication system. As devices become remotely authenticated, the off-site authentication system can remotely update route maps of the on-site routers to add those devices.
Abstract:
A bandwidth management system includes a plurality of queues respectively corresponding to a plurality of zones. An enqueuing module receives network traffic from one or more incoming network interfaces, determines a belonging zone to which the network traffic belongs, and enqueues the network traffic on a queue corresponding to the belonging zone. A dequeuing module selectively dequeues data from the queues and passes the data to one or more outgoing network interfaces. When dequeuing data from the queues the dequeuing module dequeues an amount of data from a selected queue, and the amount of data dequeued from the selected queue is determined according to user load of a zone to which the selected queue corresponds.
Abstract:
A system includes a storage device for storing details of a plurality of reservations of a hospitality establishment. A particular reservation includes a set of reservation-specific settings affecting behavior of the computer network at the hospitality establishment during the reservation. The settings may include a registered device setting for affecting behavior of a computer network at the hospitality establishment toward a user device having a specified device identifier. The system further includes a clock unit for tracking time, and a system controller coupled to the computer network and having access to the storage device and the clock unit. The system controller automatically configures one or more network components of the computer network when a start time of the particular reservation is reached in order to activate the reservation-specific settings.
Abstract:
A system includes a storage device for storing details of a plurality of reservations of a hospitality establishment. A particular reservation includes a set of reservation-specific settings affecting behavior of the computer network at the hospitality establishment during the reservation. The settings may include a registered device setting for affecting behavior of a computer network at the hospitality establishment toward a user device having a specified device identifier. The system further includes a clock unit for tracking time, and a system controller coupled to the computer network and having access to the storage device and the clock unit. The system controller automatically configures one or more network components of the computer network when a start time of the particular reservation is reached in order to activate the reservation-specific settings.
Abstract:
A server is deployed on a network and manages operation of a plurality of server instances each with a virtual frame buffer. A client establishes a connection with the server at a start of a user session. The server allocates a server instance to the client and a user interface application renders a corresponding graphical user interface to the virtual frame buffer of the allocated server instance. The server forwards updates of the graphical user interface from the virtual frame buffer to the client, where at least some of the updates include transparency information for blending the graphical user interface with additional visual information at the client. When the session is complete the server reclaims the server instance allocated to the client. In-room device requirements in guest rooms of a hospitality establishment are thereby minimized while providing enhanced user interface performance. Locations in other applications include private residences and businesses.
Abstract:
A media server receives a request from an unpaired mobile device, queries a login database to determine whether the mobile device is logged in for high speed Internet access, and, when yes, identifies a particular guest area of the hospitality establishment according to details in its login record. One of the media devices accessible from within the particular guest area is selected and paired with the mobile device without requiring a user of the mobile device to input into the mobile device a connect code of the selected media device. In another example, a user initiates a codeless pairing mode on a particular one of the media devices and begins interacting with the media server utilizing an unpaired mobile device. Since, only one media device can be in that mode at a time, the media server pairs the newly detected unpaired mobile device with the particular media device.
Abstract:
A configuration apparatus includes a user interface allowing a user to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices. A command module is coupled to the user interface for dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device. The sequence of commands includes commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device. A communication module is coupled to the command module for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.
Abstract:
A method of servicing requests for information at a server includes receiving a request for information from a client device, and determining a number of attempts of the request made by the client device. Both the client device and the server may count the number of attempts for each request. When the number of attempts is greater than a threshold, the method includes servicing the request and sending the information to the client device. When the number of attempts is not greater than the threshold, the method includes sending a service unavailable message to the client device. A retry-after delay may be calculated by the server according to a predicted time for the server to exit an overloaded state and included in the service unavailable message. The predicted time may take into account both requests currently being serviced and requests that have been scheduled to be serviced in the future.
Abstract:
A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.
Abstract:
A coax server acts as a proxy between a coax transmission infrastructure and an Internet Protocol (IP) transmission infrastructure. An incoming request is received from a particular one of a plurality of coax client devices on the coax infrastructure. A request for specific media content is transmitted to a media-on-demand server in response to receiving the incoming request. A media stream is received over the IP infrastructure from the media-on-demand server, the media stream corresponding to the specific media content, and the coax server allocates a coax channel of sufficient bandwidth on the coax infrastructure and transmits the media stream on the coax channel utilizing the RF modulation scheme. A pointer indicating the coax channel on which the media stream is being transmitted is sent to the particular coax client device. The coax channel is unknown to other of the coax client devices besides the particular coax client device.