Patents by Inventor Harold W. Johnson

Harold W. Johnson 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).

  • Patent number: 9843392
    Abstract: A system is described for providing backhaul over an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). The backhaul may be backhaul for EV-DO and/or EV-DO Rev. A communications. The system for includes at least one cell site. At least two base transceiver stations are located at the cell site. The base transceiver stations receive radio signals from respective mobile stations. A first one of the base transceiver stations provides a first backhaul signal, and a second one of the base transceiver stations provides a second backhaul signal. The cell site multiplexes these backhaul signals together onto an Ethernet passive optical network. In one embodiment, these signals are provided on different pseudowire connections within a single wavelength lambda on the passive optical network. In another embodiment, the signals are provided on different lambdas of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8902812
    Abstract: A system is described for providing backhaul over an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). The backhaul may be backhaul for EV-DO and/or EV-DO Rev. A communications. The system for includes at least one cell site. At least two base transceiver stations are located at the cell site. The base transceiver stations receive radio signals from respective mobile stations. A first one of the base transceiver stations provides a first backhaul signal, and a second one of the base transceiver stations provides a second backhaul signal. The cell site multiplexes these backhaul signals together onto an Ethernet passive optical network. In one embodiment, these signals are provided on different pseudowire connections within a single wavelength lambda on the passive optical network. In another embodiment, the signals are provided on different lambdas of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8711705
    Abstract: A mobile node includes a software client that is configured to monitor the quality of a communication service provided by a wireless network and to detect an impairment of the communication service. When a service impairment is detected, the software client is further configured to generate a service impairment report for transmission to a service quality management system for the wireless network. The service impairment report may include a description of the service impairment (such as the category of impairment), a time associated with the impairment, and a location associated with the impairment. The software client may also be configured to determine a cause of the detected impairment and to indicate the cause in the service impairment report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 8271619
    Abstract: A method of establishing telephony service for an end-user comprises providing the end-user with a telephone number and software or a communication device, and configuring a second service provider to provide packet-based telephony service to the end-user over a peer-to-peer IP connection to a first service provider. The software or communication device includes a first IP address and packet telephony network addresses in network-bound ones of the IP packets. The first IP address is used by the first service provider to route the network-bound IP packets over a peer-to-peer IP connection to the second service provider. The packet telephony network addresses are used by the second service provider to provide the telephony service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Warren B. Cope, Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8228944
    Abstract: A communication system for linking a communication network to a customer facility is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The communication system includes the communication network, a network-side Unbundled Network Element (UNE) interface connected to the communication network, a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with at least a second, customer facility wireless transceiver at the customer facility, a customer-side UNE interface connected to the first wireless transceiver, and a plurality of UNEs extending between the network-side UNE interface and the customer-side UNE interface. A communication session between the communication network and the customer facility can be established by selecting and bonding one or more UNEs from the plurality of UNEs to form one or more bonded UNEs and exchanging communications between the communication network and the first wireless transceiver over the one or more bonded UNEs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Euler, Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8228933
    Abstract: A base station detects that an end-user has turned on an on/off switch on the base station, and in response, the base station transfers a registration request to a service node over an IP network. The service node processes the registration request to register the base station. The base station exchanges wireless telephony signals with a plurality of end-user communication devices, wherein the wireless telephony signals transport end-user communications. The base station and the service node exchange IP packets over the IP network, wherein the IP packets transport the end-user communications. The service node processes the end-user communications to provide a telephony service to the end-user communication devices, but the service node does not provide the telephony service to end-user communication devices through the base station until the base station registration is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 8175112
    Abstract: A communication system uses an Ethernet link to provide services to a user. The services have service priorities and bandwidth allocations on the Ethernet link. A pseudo-wire interface exchanges user communications for the services over the Ethernet link and transfers performance information indicating the performance of the Ethernet link. A management system processes the performance information and the service priorities to determine if a bandwidth adjustment should be made. The management system processes the performance information, the service priorities, and any bandwidth adjustment to determine if a status message should be transferred to the Ethernet service provider and to determine a message priority for the status message. The speed of response by the Ethernet service provider to the status message is indicated by the message priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Claudio R. Lima
  • Patent number: 8170544
    Abstract: A base transceiver station (BTS) includes a radio access network (RAN) interface for communicating with mobile stations and a backhaul interface for communicating with a backhaul network. A RAN element management system generates RAN status information based on event notifications from the RAN interface. A backhaul element management system generates backhaul status information based on event notifications from the backhaul interface. A correlation engine generates correlated status information for the BTS based on the RAN status information and the backhaul status information. The correlated status information indicates performance of the RAN interface in combination with the backhaul interface. The correlated status information is monitored at a network management system (NMS). The NMS may be used to take corrective actions to address problems identified in the correlated status information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Durga Prasad Satapathy, Bruce E Hoffman, Mohammad Wasif Hussain, Harold W Johnson, Youngil Ha
  • Publication number: 20120020333
    Abstract: A base station detects that an end-user has turned on an on/off switch on the base station, and in response, the base station transfers a registration request to a service node over an IP network. The service node processes the registration request to register the base station. The base station exchanges wireless telephony signals with a plurality of end-user communication devices, wherein the wireless telephony signals transport end-user communications. The base station and the service node exchange IP packets over the IP network, wherein the IP packets transport the end-user communications. The service node processes the end-user communications to provide a telephony service to the end-user communication devices, but the service node does not provide the telephony service to end-user communication devices through the base station until the base station registration is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 8059672
    Abstract: A communication system includes a base station and a service node. The service node communicates over the Internet. The base station establishes Internet connectivity over a communication link. The base station registers with the service node over the communication link and the Internet, and the service node validates the base station during registration. The base station and service node establish a tunnel over the communication link and the Internet. The base station exchanges user communications with wireless communication devices in a wireless format. The base station and service node exchange the user communications over the tunnel. The service node processes the user communications to provide a communication service to the wireless communication devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 7983277
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a secure link across an MPLS network is disclosed. An entry point into a communication system is mapped directly to a router in an MPLS network. The router attaches MPLS labels onto communication packets received from the entry point and transmits the packets across the MPLS network to a destination associated with the entry point. The router ignores any IP address contained in the packets when routing the packets through the MPLS network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7933229
    Abstract: A radio access network has a reverse link frequency band for receiving signals from mobile stations and has first and second forward link frequency bands for transmitting signals to mobile stations. The second forward link frequency band has a greater frequency bandwidth than the first forward link frequency band and occupies a different part of the radio frequency spectrum. For certain types of communication sessions, such as voice and low-speed data, the reverse link frequency band and the first forward link frequency band are used. For other types of communication sessions, such as high-speed data and streaming video, the reverse link frequency band and the second forward link frequency band are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Mark L. Yarkosky, Durga Prasad Satapathy
  • Patent number: 7881752
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a multi link antenna array for wireless links in conjunction with fiber MAN's is disclosed. The fiber MAN's are coupled to one or more multi-link antenna arrays. Each multi-link antenna array forms a plurality of point-to-point wireless links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Bruce E. Hoffman, Walter F. Rausch
  • Patent number: 7796890
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing high bandwidth signals is disclosed. The system and method use electrical transmission lines to distribute high bandwidth RF signals. The RF signals are sent along the electrical transmission lines using surface wave transmission. RF/Optical converters located along the electrical transmission lines are used to convert the RF signals into optical signals. Passive optical networks (PON) are used to transmit the optical signals between the RF/Optical converter and a customer site or location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7773555
    Abstract: Base stations exchange first information with first users over first wireless communication links. A mobile switching center provides mobile telephone service. An Internet access system provides Internet access service. A data system provides a data service. An Ethernet backhaul system uses an Ethernet format to exchange the first information between the first base stations and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system. A second base station exchanges second information with second users over second wireless communication links. A first interface is exchanges the second information with the second base station. A second interface exchanges the second information with the first interface over a cable television distribution network. The Ethernet backhaul system uses the Ethernet format to exchange the second information between the second interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7664534
    Abstract: In a communications system, one or more remote antenna systems communicate with one another and with associated base stations using a millimeter band microwave link, such as an E-band communications link. The remote antennas may be daisy-chained together to communicate with a plurality of base stations located at a base station hotel. Remote antennas may be positioned in cells having different peak traffic times to enable load balancing between base stations that share a common backhaul communications link with a mobile switching center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7642988
    Abstract: A system and method for mounting a plurality of antenna elements onto a cell tower is disclosed. The plurality of antennas are mounted into a radome enclosure. The radome enclosure has an outer size and shape that matches the outer size and shape of a cellular antenna element. The radome enclosure is configured to attach to a cellular tower using the same physical mounting system as the cellular antenna elements. The plurality of antennas provide multiple point-to-point links that may be used for wireless backhaul links or other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Bruce E. Hoffman, Walter F. Rausch
  • Patent number: 7590404
    Abstract: At a first site, a first antenna exchanges first communications with wireless devices, and exchanges the first communications with a first base station. The first base station exchanges the first communications with a service node. At a second site, a second antenna exchanges second communications with other wireless devices, and exchanges the second communications with a first surface wave interface. The first surface wave interface exchanges the second communications with a second surface wave interface at the first site. The second surface wave interface exchanges the second communications with a second base station at the first site. The second base station exchanges the second communications with the service node. The service node processes the first and second communications to provide a communication service to the wireless devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Harold W. Johnson, Timothy D. Euler
  • Patent number: 7535925
    Abstract: A wireless communication system and its method of operation are disclosed. The wireless communication system comprises a subscriber system and a base station system. The subscriber system transfers a request for a communication service comprising a voice communication or web browsing. The base station system receives the request and receives traffic information for the wireless communication system. The base station selects a frame format for packets for the requested communication service based on the delivery requirements of the requested communication service and based on the traffic information. The base station system transfers an instruction to the subscriber system indicating the selected frame format for the packets. The subscriber system exchanges the packets for the requested communication service using the selected frame format with the base station system over a wireless communication link. The base station system exchanges the packets with a telephony network system or an internet system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7522517
    Abstract: A communication system comprises: a first circuit bonding device, a second circuit bonding device, a third circuit bonding device, first bonded circuits coupling the first circuit bonding system and the second circuit bonding system, second bonded circuits coupling the first circuit bonding system and the third circuit bonding system, and third bonded circuits coupling the second circuit bonding device and the third circuit bonding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP.
    Inventor: Harold W. Johnson