Patents by Inventor David Sheldon Stephenson

David Sheldon Stephenson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110194426
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein logic encoded in at least one tangible media for execution and when executed operable to receive a packet. The logic determines a client associated with the packet. The client associated with a service set, and the service set associated with a transmitter. The logic determines a drop probability for the selected client determines a current packet arrival rate for the selected client and determines whether to enqueue or drop the packet based on the drop probability for the selected client and the current packet arrival rate associated with the selected client. The drop probability is based on a packet arrival rate and virtual queue length for the, which is based on a packet arrival rate and virtual queue length for the service set that is based on a packet arrival rate and virtual queue length for the transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Chien FANG, Hiroshi Suzuki, Rong Pan, Abhijit Kumar Choudhury, David Sheldon Stephenson, Surendra Anubolu, Hariprasad R. Ginjpalli, Stanley WaiYip Ho, Peter Geoffrey Jones
  • Patent number: 7912023
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for acquiring service provider information includes querying a wireless network for service provider information, receiving an advertisement response containing advertising service scheduling information, and configuring a power conservation mode responsive to the advertising service scheduling information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110002295
    Abstract: An infrastructure assisted network transition scheme is provided. In a multi-mode wireless communication device, handover threshold data is received from a management server associated with a first wireless network comprising one or more wireless access points. The multi-mode wireless communication device receives signals from the one or more wireless access point devices of the first wireless network and generates data representing the received signals. The multi-mode wireless communication device analyzes the data representing the received signals with respect to the handover threshold data to determine when the multi-mode wireless communication device should initiate hand-in to the first wireless network and when to initiate hand-out from the first wireless network to the second wireless network. Functions are provided at the management server to enable the generation of the handover threshold data from network configuration information associated with the first wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sudip Ghosal, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Patent number: 7821986
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for facilitating maintaining wireless connectivity and roaming in wireless networks includes estimating a current location of the wireless client and determining a physical route and a wireless access point route based on the current location and a destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Thomson, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20100226339
    Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to improve the manageability of handover performance of multi-mode wireless client devices when roaming between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and at least one other network. Signals are received at a plurality of WLAN access points from multi-mode wireless client devices. The WLAN access points generate handover data associated with handover events of wireless Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication sessions for the multi-mode wireless client devices between the wireless local area network and at least one other network. The WLAN access points also generate link quality data representing status and quality of a wireless link with multi-mode wireless client devices during a VoIP communication session. A controller that is provided that is configured to receive the handover data and link quality data for multi-mode wireless client devices from the plurality of access points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Sudip Ghosal
  • Patent number: 7768923
    Abstract: A method and software to cause a processor to implement a method to set a packet age limit in an access point of a wireless network for communicating time-sensitive data with an associated wireless client station. One method includes the client station sending feedback to the access point so that the access point can set its packet age limit. Another method includes the access point setting its packet age limit according to feedback from the associated client station and/or according to information determined at the access point about the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajneesh Kumar, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Patent number: 7746897
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to reliably providing emergency services to wireless clients. In one embodiment, a wireless client determines if an attempt to transmit an emergency message exists. If so, the wireless client determines if one or more wireless access points support expedited bandwidth capabilities. If so, the wireless client notifies one of the wireless access points that the wireless client has an expedited bandwidth request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Timothy S. Olson
  • Publication number: 20100118830
    Abstract: A system and method are provided in which access point (AP) devices in a wireless local area network (WLAN) are typed or configured into one of three measurement and reporting roles: Monitor-Mode AP (MMAP), Portal AP (PAP), a Border AP (BAP) or an Interior AP (IAP). APs are assigned specific link measurement requirements according to their assigned type or role. In general, MMAPs and PAPs have the greatest measurement and reporting responsibilities, BAPs have less measurement and reporting responsibilities than PAPs and IAPs have the least measurement and reporting responsibilities. The APs generate measurements that are supplied to appropriate equipment to facilitate handover decisions with respect to a dual-mode wireless client device that roams between the WLAN and another network or vice versa. As a result, link measurements are only performed by APs in locations where such measurements are necessary for handover service, thus reducing the overall processing load on the WLAN infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Seema Nayak, Sudip Ghosal, Rajneesh Kumar
  • Patent number: 7680074
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for switching a mobile processing device from communicating over a wireless connection with a first base unit to a second base unit based upon latency. In accordance with this invention, the mobile processing device determines latency information for packets being transmitted over the wireless connection to and from a base unit. The latency information is compared to a threshold value. If the latency information is greater than the threshold value, the mobile processing device adjusts parameters of the wireless connection between the mobile processing device and the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaode Xu, David Sheldon Stephenson, Wenfeng Huang, Huizhao Wang, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Publication number: 20090175207
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for acquiring service provider information includes querying a wireless network for service provider information, receiving an advertisement response containing advertising service scheduling information, and configuring a power conservation mode responsive to the advertising service scheduling information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Robert B. O'Hara, JR.
  • Patent number: 7535884
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for acquiring service provider information includes querying a wireless network for service provider information, receiving an advertisement response containing advertising service scheduling information, and configuring a power conservation mode responsive to the advertising service scheduling information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7499718
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to identifying coverage holes in wireless networks. According to one implementation of the present invention, the wireless network infrastructure analyzes signal strength data to detect potential coverage holes associated with one or more wireless clients and validates the potential coverage holes based on observed coverage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Timothy S. Olson, Bretton Lee Douglas
  • Patent number: 7468951
    Abstract: A method for evaluating number of additional admissible calls for use in call admission control includes tracking a percentage of channel busy time and transmission time of downlink and uplink voice packets, receiving a call admission request, and calculating the number of admissible calls. The number of admissible calls is calculated based on a channel bandwidth requirement determined from the percentage of channel busy time and a voice packet queuing requirement determined from the transmission time of downlink and uplink voice packets. The call admission request is approved if the number of admissible calls is greater than one and rejected if the number of admissible calls is less than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lu Qian, Bretton Douglas, David Sheldon Stephenson, Sandeep Jay Shetty, Rajneesh Kumar, Wenfeng Huang
  • Patent number: 7457620
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and software containing computer readable code to implement the method implemented in a first wireless device. The method includes, for a particular network identifier active in a wireless network, transmitting frames configured to advertise the infrastructure network of the particular network identifier. The transmitting of off-channel beacons is in a provided channel different than the channel in which the access point of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames. The transmitting of off-channel beacons further is at a rate higher than the beacon rate frame at which the access point of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex C. K. Lam, Brian Hart, Mark Krischer, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20080253314
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating WLAN diagnostics and management using traffic stream metrics. In a data collection stage, according to one implementation of the present invention, localized uplink measurements are taken at a wireless client associated with a wireless access point. During periodic intervals (e.g., every 5 seconds), the wireless client, in one implementation, transmits uplink measurement information to the wireless access point. The wireless access point may also take downlink measurements, which may also include one or more of the following metrics: observed latency, queuing delay, packet loss rate, and packet count information. The wireless access point, in one implementation, may aggregate and report the uplink and downlink metric information to a network management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Arnold Mark Bilstad, Wenfeng Huang, Jason Kim
  • Publication number: 20080192634
    Abstract: A method and software to cause a processor to implement a method to set a packet age limit in an access point of a wireless network for communicating time-sensitive data with an associated wireless client station. One method includes the client station sending feedback to the access point so that the access point can set its packet age limit. Another method includes the access point setting its packet age limit according to feedback from the associated client station and/or according to information determined at the access point about the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Rajneesh Kumar, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20080051100
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for facilitating access to a wireless network. A wireless client is operable to determine its current location, select a wireless network based on the location, and connect to the wireless network utilizing network information associated with the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Petrus Kruys, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20080032727
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to identifying coverage holes in wireless networks. According to one implementation of the present invention, the wireless network infrastructure analyzes signal strength data to detect potential coverage holes associated with one or more wireless clients and validates the potential coverage holes based on observed coverage data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Timothy S. Olson, Bretton Lee Douglas
  • Publication number: 20070280152
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for facilitating maintaining wireless connectivity and roaming in wireless networks includes estimating a current location of the wireless client and determining a physical route and a wireless access point route based on the current location and a destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Thomson, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20070242645
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for acquiring service provider information includes querying a wireless network for service provider information, receiving an advertisement response containing advertising service scheduling information, and configuring a power conservation mode responsive to the advertising service scheduling information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sheldon Stephenson, Robert O'Hara