Author: claimsbot

1. A rare earth oxide superconductor comprising:
a metal substrate;
an intermediate layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate by sequentially disposing:
a first intermediate cerium-based oxide layer consisting essentially of cerium and one or more solid solution formation elements, selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Eu, Yb, Ho, Tm, Dy, La and Er, which are capable of forming a solid solution with cerium, and
a second intermediate cerium-based oxide layer, different from the first intermediate cerium-based oxide layer and consisting essentially of cerium and one or more charge compensation elements, selected from the group consisting of Bi, Nb, Sb, Ta and V, which are capable of compensating for a charge mismatch attributable to a difference between the electron valences of respective ions of cerium and the solid solution formation element, wherein the total of the solid solution formation element and the charge compensation element in the intermediate layers is 5 to 60 mol % in terms of the metal content; and
a rare earth oxide superconductive layer formed on the intermediate layer and having a critical temperature (Tc) of 85-88\xb0 K.
2. The rare earth oxide superconductor according to claim 1, wherein the metal substrate is a biaxially aligned metal substrate.
3. The rare earth oxide according to claim 1 wherein the solid solution formation element is Gd and the charge compensation element is Nb.
4. A method for producing a rare earth oxide superconductor comprising the steps of:
applying a mixed solution, on the surface of a metal substrate, consisting essentially of an organometallic acid salt of cerium and an organometallic acid salt of one or more solid solution formation elements, selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Eu, Yb, Ho, Tm, Dy, La and Er, which are capable of forming a solid solution with cerium, and then preliminarily calcining the same to form a first cerium-based oxide intermediate layer;
applying a mixed solution, on the first cerium-based oxide intermediate layer, consisting essentially of an organometallic acid salt of cerium and an organometallic acid salt of one or more of a charge compensation element, selected from the group consisting of Bi, Nb, Sb, Ta and V, which are capable of compensating for a charge mismatch attributable to a difference between the electron valences of respective ions of cerium and the solid solution formation element, to form a second cerium-based oxide intermediate layer, wherein the total of the solid solution formation element and the charge compensation element in the intermediate layers is 5 to 60 mol % in terms of the metal content, followed by a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere under a pressure ranging from 0.1 Pa to below atmospheric pressure and a temperature in a range from 900 to 1200\xb0 C. to form a cerium-based oxide intermediate layer including the first and second cerium-based oxide intermediate layers; and then
forming by an MOD method a rare earth oxide superconductive layer on the intermediate layer.
5. The method for producing a rare earth oxide superconductor according to claim 4, wherein the cerium-based oxide intermediate layer is formed by calcination in a reducing atmosphere under a pressure in a range from 10 to 500 Pa and a temperature ranging from 950 to 1150\xb0 C.
6. The method for producing a rare earth oxide superconductor according to claim 4 wherein the solid solution formation element is Gd and the charge compensation element is Nb.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device in a distributed network, comprising:
creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising a header and a plurality of storage sections with a predefined size;
obtaining a plurality of data chunks corresponding to the transformed logical data object;
determining if the plurality of obtained data chunks exceed a predetermined threshold based on one of a time to compress each obtained data chunk and an amount of available storage space in a particular storage section that is dependent upon whether the particular storage section includes sufficient storage space to store a next uncompressed data chunk queued for storage;
compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is not exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is exceeded;
compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is not exceeded, wherein compressing comprises:
compressing each obtained data chunk, and
accumulating the compressed data chunks to form compressed blocks, the compressed data chunks accumulated until a size of a compressed block includes the predefined size;

storing each compressed block into said storage sections; and
mapping between the data in the logical data object and the data stored in the storage sections.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said compressing further comprises applying one of an encryption technique, an encoding technique, a conversion technique, and a combination thereof to each obtained data chunk when the predetermined threshold is not exceeded.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein:
the compressed obtained data chunk comprises a first portion of compressed data and a second portion of uncompressed data if the predetermined threshold is exceeded in relation to part of techniques of data compression; and
said first portion is provided by techniques related to the predetermined threshold.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is related to at least one characteristic selected from a group comprising characteristics of the logical data object, characteristics of each obtained data chunk, characteristics of each storage section, characteristics of a transforming operation, and a combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the header of the compressed logical data object comprises a unique descriptor of the transformed logical data object, information related to a size of the compressed logical data object, and an indication if the compressed logical data object holds data in an uncompressed form.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the compressed data chunks are stored in a log form; and
a log of a particular obtained data chunk comprises a log header containing information in respect of an offset of the particular obtained data chunk within the compressed logical data object, a size of said particular obtained data chunk, an identifier allowing associating the log with the storage section storing the log, and an indication of compresseduncompressed form of data held in the log.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping is provided with a help of at least one index section constituting a part of the compressed logical data object, said index section comprising at least one entry holding at least information related to compressed obtained data chunks stored in at least one storage section, an indication of compresseduncompressed form of data held in said obtained data chunks, and indication of physical storage location pertaining to said storage section.
8. A distributed network for transforming a logical data object, comprising:
a storage device;
a processor coupled to the storage device, the processor configured for:
creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising a header and a plurality of storage sections with a predefined size,
obtaining a plurality of data chunks corresponding to the transformed logical data object,
determining if the plurality of obtained data chunks exceed a predetermined threshold based on one of a time to compress each obtained data chunk and an amount of available storage space in a particular storage section that is dependent upon whether the particular storage section includes sufficient storage space to store a next uncompressed data chunk queued for storage,
compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is not exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is exceeded,
compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is not exceeded, wherein compressing comprises:
compressing each obtained data chunk, and
accumulating the compressed data chunks to form compressed blocks, the compressed data chunks accumulated until a size of a compressed block includes the predefined size;

storing each compressed block into said storage sections; and
mapping between the data in the logical data object and the data stored in the storage sections.
9. The distributed network of claim 8, wherein, when the predetermined threshold is not exceeded, the processor is configured for applying one of an encryption technique, an encoding technique, a conversion technique, and a combination thereof to each obtained data chunk.
10. The distributed network of claim 9, wherein:
the compressed obtained data chunk comprises a first portion of compressed data and a second portion of uncompressed data when the predetermined threshold is exceeded in relation to part of techniques of data compression, and
said first portion is provided by techniques related to the predetermined threshold.
11. The distributed network of claim 8, wherein the predetermined threshold is related to at least one characteristic selected from a group comprising characteristics of the logical data object, characteristics of each obtained data chunk, characteristics of each storage section, characteristics of a transforming operation, and a combination thereof.
12. The distributed network of claim 8, wherein the header of the compressed logical data object comprises a unique descriptor of the transformed logical data object, information related to a size of the compressed logical data object, and an indication if the compressed logical data object holds data in an uncompressed form.
13. The distributed network of claim 8, wherein:
the compressed data chunks are stored in a log form; and
a log of a particular obtained data chunk comprises a log header containing information in respect of an offset of the particular obtained data chunk within the compressed logical data object, a size of said particular obtained data chunk, an identifier allowing associating the log with the storage section storing the log, and an indication of compresseduncompressed form of data held in the log.
14. The distributed network of claim 8, wherein, when mapping, the processor is configured for utilizing at least one index section constituting a part of the compressed logical data object, said index section comprising at least one entry holding at least information related to compressed obtained data chunks stored in at least one storage section, an indication of compressed form or uncompressed form of data held in said obtained data chunks, and indication of physical storage location pertaining to said storage section.
15. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable memory having computer readable program code embodied therein for transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device in a distributed network, said computer program product comprising:
computer code for creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising a header and a plurality of storage sections with a predefined size;
computer code for obtaining a plurality of data chunks corresponding to the transformed logical data object;
computer code for determining if the plurality of obtained data chunks exceed a predetermined threshold based on one of a time to compress each obtained data chunk and an amount of available storage space in a particular storage section that is dependent upon whether the particular storage section includes sufficient storage space to store a next uncompressed data chunk queued for storage;
computer code for compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is not exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on time is exceeded;
computer code for compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is exceeded and not compressing each obtained data chunk if the predetermined threshold based on the amount of available storage space is not exceeded, wherein compressing comprises:
computer code for compressing each obtained data chunk, and
computer code for accumulating the compressed data chunks to form compressed blocks, the compressed data chunks accumulated until a size of a compressed block includes the predefined size;

computer code for storing each compressed block into said storage sections; and
computer code for mapping between the data in the logical data object and the data stored in the storage sections.
16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer code for applying one of an encryption technique, an encoding technique, a conversion technique, and a combination thereof to each obtained data chunk when the predetermined threshold is not exceeded, wherein:
the compressed obtained data chunk comprises a first portion of compressed data and a second portion of uncompressed data when the predetermined threshold is exceeded in relation to part of techniques of data compression, and
said first portion is provided by techniques related to the predetermined threshold.
17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the predetermined threshold is related to at least one characteristic selected from a group comprising characteristics of the logical data object, characteristics of each obtained data chunk, characteristics of each storage section, characteristics of a transforming operation, and a combination thereof.
18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the header of the compressed logical data object comprises a unique descriptor of the transformed logical data object, information related to a size of the compressed logical data object, and an indication if the compressed logical data object holds data in an uncompressed form.
19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:
the compressed data chunks are stored in a log form; and
a log of a particular obtained data chunk comprises a log header containing information in respect of an offset of the particular obtained data chunk within the compressed logical data object, a size of said particular obtained data chunk, an identifier allowing associating the log with the storage section storing the log, and an indication of compresseduncompressed form of data held in the log.
20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:
computer code for utilizing at least one index section constituting a part of the compressed logical data object, said index section comprising at least one entry holding at least information related to compressed obtained data chunks stored in at least one storage section, an indication of compressed form or uncompressed form of data held in said obtained data chunks, and indication of physical storage location pertaining to said storage section.

What is claimed is:

1. A network interface device located at a customer’s premises, comprising:
an external interface that receives a plurality of telecommunication services via a coaxial connection from a telecommunication service provider, wherein the services are received using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications;
at least two distinct internal interfaces that distribute the plurality of telecommunication services to at least two distinct internal transport media; and
a processor programmed to:
receive combined signals comprising the telecommunication services from the external interface;
process the combined signals into separate signals representative of distinct telecommunication services; and
map each of the separate signals to separate ones of the at least two distinct internal interfaces for distribution at the customer’s premises via the internal transport media.
2. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the external interface is further configured to direct signals relating to the telecommunication services to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
3. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two distinct internal interfaces is configured to receive signals relating to one of the telecommunication services from one of the internal transport media.
4. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:
receive separate signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media;
process the separate signals into a combined signal; and
direct the combined signal to the external interface for distribution to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
5. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a signal integrator in communication with the at least two distinct internal interfaces, wherein the signal integrator is operable to integrate signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media into a combined information set.
6. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a coaxial cable.
7. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a twisted pair cable.
8. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises existing telephone wiring at the customer premises.
9. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises an Ethernet cable.
10. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication services comprise one or more selections from the group consisting of video, data, and voice.
11. The network interface device of claim 10, wherein different telecommunication services are transported in different frequency ranges.
12. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the internal interfaces comprise a selection from the group consisting of IEEE 1394, RG6, RG59, wireless interface, 802.11, LMDS, Ethernet, twisted pair, category 3, category 4, category 5, category 6, category 7, and coaxial.
13. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein signals are transported on the internal transport media using a protocol selected from the group consisting of HPNA, HPNA, and Home Plug.
14. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telecommunication services originate from a plurality of telecommunication service providers.
15. A system for providing telecommunication services to a customer’s premises, comprising:
an external transport medium comprising a coaxial distribution system that uses Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications to deliver the telecommunication services to the customer’s premises; and
a network interface device at the customer’s premises, wherein the network interface device comprises:
an external interface that receives a plurality of telecommunication services via the external transport medium;
at least two distinct internal interfaces that distribute the plurality of telecommunication services to at least two distinct internal transport media; and
a processor programmed to:
receive combined signals comprising the telecommunication services from the external interface;
process the combined signals into separate signals representative of distinct telecommunication services; and
map each of the separate signals to separate ones of the at least two distinct internal interfaces for distribution at the customer’s premises via the internal transport media.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the external interface is further configured to direct signals relating to the telecommunication services to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least two distinct internal interfaces is configured to receive signals relating to one of the telecommunication services from one of the internal transport media.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed to:
receive separate signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media;
process the separate signals into a combined signal; and
direct the combined signal to the external interface for distribution to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a signal integrator in communication with the at least two distinct internal interfaces, wherein the signal integrator is operable to integrate signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media into a combined information set.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a coaxial cable.
21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a twisted pair cable.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises existing telephone wiring at the customer premises.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises an Ethernet cable.
24. The system of claim 15, wherein the telecommunication services comprise one or more selections from the group consisting of video, data, and voice.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein different telecommunication services are transported in different frequency ranges.
26. The system of claim 15, wherein the internal interfaces comprise a selection from the group consisting of IEEE 1394, RG6, RG59, wireless interface, 802.11, LMDS, Ethernet, twisted pair, category 3, category 4, category 5, category 6, category 7, and coaxial.
27. The system of claim 15, wherein signals are transported on the internal transport media using a protocol selected from the group consisting of HPNA, HPNA, and Home Plug.
28. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of telecommunication services originate from a plurality of telecommunication service providers.
29. A method of delivering a plurality of telecommunication services to a customer’s premises, comprising:
receiving combined signals comprising the telecommunication services from a telecommunication service provider via an external interface to a coaxial connection, wherein the services are received using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications;
processing the combined signals into separate signals representative of distinct telecommunication services; and
mapping each of the separate signals to separate ones of at least two distinct internal interfaces to at least two distinct internal transport media for distribution at the customer’s premises via the internal transport media.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the external interface is further configured to direct signals relating to the telecommunication services to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the at least two distinct internal interfaces is configured to receive signals relating to one of the telecommunication services from one of the internal transport media.
32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
receiving separate signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media;
processing the separate signals into a combined signal; and
directing the combined signal to the external interface for distribution to the telecommunication service provider via the coaxial connection using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications.
33. The method of claim 29, further comprising integrating signals from the at least two distinct internal transport media into a combined information set.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a coaxial cable.
35. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the internal transport media comprises a twisted pair cable.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises existing telephone wiring at the customer premises.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein the twisted pair cable comprises an Ethernet cable.
38. The method of claim 29, wherein the telecommunication services comprise one or more selections from the group consisting of video, data, and voice.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein different telecommunication services are transported in different frequency ranges.
40. The method of claim 29, wherein the internal interfaces comprise a selection from the group consisting of IEEE 1394, RG6, RG59, wireless interface, 802.11, LMDS, Ethernet, twisted pair, category 3, category 4, category 5, category 6, category 7, and coaxial.
41. The method of claim 29, wherein signals are transported on the internal transport media using a protocol selected from the group consisting of HPNA, HPNA, and Home Plug.
42. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of telecommunication services originate from a plurality of telecommunication service providers.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method in a network device communicatively coupled to a local base station at a cell site for automatic creation of a more optimal route entry in the network device for inter-base station traffic to be transmitted between the local base station and a remote base station through a backhaul network, the method comprising:
automatically discovering a remote Internet Protocol (IP) address of the remote base station based upon traffic transmitted by the local base station destined to the network device or based upon traffic transmitted between the local base station and the remote base station, wherein the remote IP address is utilized for the inter-base station traffic;
responsive to said discovering of the remote IP address of the remote base station, generating a unique route target (RT) value based upon the discovered remote IP address;
inserting the unique RT value into an import route target list, wherein the import route target list identifies RT values of routes that are to be installed by the network device;
receiving, by the network device, a route update message transmitted by a second network device serving as a route reflector (RR) in the backhaul network, wherein the route update message follows a routing protocol and includes a set of one or more routes of the backhaul network, wherein one route of the set of routes comprises a prefix of the remote IP address and includes a RT value that is the same as the unique RT value, and wherein the one route is the more optimal route as it provides a shorter path to the remote base station through the backhaul network compared to a less optimal route through a mobile core network previously used for the inter-base station traffic; and
installing a route entry into a routing table of the network device based upon determining that the RT value of the one route matches the unique RT value in the import route target list.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
discovering a local Internet Protocol (IP) address of the local base station based upon traffic transmitted by the local base station destined to the network device or based upon traffic transmitted between the local base station and the remote base station, wherein the local IP address is utilized for the inter-base station traffic;
generating a second unique RT value based upon the discovered local IP address of the local base station; and
transmitting, by the network device, a route advertisement message including a route to the local IP address including the second unique RT value, whereby other network devices are enabled to also discover the local IP address, generate the second unique RT value, and install routing information for the route to the local IP address based upon the second unique RT value.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said route advertisement message further comprises another route to another local IP address of the local base station, wherein the another route includes another unique RT value that is different than the second unique RT value.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein said discovering of the local IP address of the local base station comprises:
receiving an inter-base station message sent by the remote base station to the local base station; and
identifying a destination IP address from the received inter-base station message as the local IP address of the local base station.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the inter-base station message comprises an X2 Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) INIT ACK message.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating of the unique RT value comprises applying a transformation algorithm to the discovered remote IP address.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transformation algorithm comprises a hash function.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transformation algorithm comprises a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) function.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote IP address is an X2 control plane (X2-C) address of the remote base station.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote IP address is an X2 user plane (X2-U) address of the remote base station.
11. A network device to be communicatively coupled to a set of one or more local base stations at a cell site and configured to automatically create more optimal routes for inter-base station traffic to be transmitted between the set of local base stations and a set of one or more remote base stations through a backhaul network, the network device comprising:
a set of one or more network interfaces;
an address discovery module coupled to the set of network interfaces and configured to automatically discover, based upon traffic transmitted by the set of local base stations destined to the network device or based upon traffic transmitted between the set of local base stations and the set of remote base stations, remote Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the set of remote base stations that are used for the inter-base station traffic; and
an automatic routing module coupled to the set of network interfaces and configured to,
generate, for each of the remote IP addresses, unique RT values based upon the remote IP addresses,
insert the unique RT values into an import route target list, wherein the import route target list identifies RT values of routes that are to be installed by the network device,
receive, using the set of network interfaces, route update messages transmitted by a second network device serving as a route reflector (RR) in the backhaul network, wherein the route update messages follow a routing protocol and include sets of one or more routes of the backhaul network, wherein the sets of routes comprise prefixes of the remote IP addresses and include the RT values that are the same as the unique RT values, and wherein the sets of routes are the more optimal routes as they provide shorter paths to the set of remote base stations through the backhaul network compared to less optimal routes through a mobile core network previously used for the inter-base station traffic, and
install route entries into a routing table of the network device based upon determining that the RT values of the sets of routes match the unique RT values in the import route target list.
12. The network device of claim 11, wherein:
the address discovery module is further configured to automatically discover local Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the set of local base stations based upon traffic transmitted by the set of local base stations destined to the network device or based upon traffic transmitted between the set of local base stations and the set of remote base stations, wherein the local IP addresses are utilized for the inter-base station traffic; and
the automatic routing module is further configured to,
generate second unique RT values based upon the discovered local IP address of the set of local base stations, and
transmit, using the set of network interfaces, route advertisement messages including routes to the local IP addresses that include the second unique RT values, whereby other network devices are enabled to also discover the local IP addresses, generate the second unique RT values, and install routing information for the routes to the local IP addresses based upon the second unique RT values.
13. The network device of claim 12, wherein:
the local IP addresses comprise a first local IP address of a first local base station of the set of local base stations and a second local IP address of the first local base station; and
the routes of the route advertisement messages comprise a first route for the first local IP address having a first unique RT value, and a second route for the second local IP address having a second unique RT value.
14. The network device of claim 12, wherein the address discovery module is to automatically discover local IP address by being configured to:
receive inter-base station messages sent by the set of remote base stations to the set of local base stations; and
identify destination IP addresses from the received inter-base station messages as the local IP addresses of the set of local base stations.
15. The network device of claim 14, wherein the inter-base station messages comprise X2 Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) INIT ACK messages.
16. The network device of claim 11, wherein the automatic routing module is to generate the unique RT value by being configured to apply a transformation algorithm to the discovered remote IP addresses.
17. The network device of claim 16, wherein the transformation algorithm comprises a hash function.
18. The network device of claim 16, wherein the transformation algorithm comprises a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) function.
19. The network device of claim 11, wherein the remote IP addresses comprise one or more X2 control plane (X2-C) addresses of the set of remote base stations.
20. The network device of claim 11, wherein the remote IP address comprise one or more X2 user plane (X2-U) addresses of the set of remote base stations.