Patents by Inventor Michael D. Fontenot

Michael D. Fontenot 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: 6742031
    Abstract: Delays are calculated for one or more virtual connections within a frame relay network. The delays may be calculated at periodic intervals for each virtual connection within the frame relay network so as to provide updated information about delays among the virtual connections. Each delay is calculated by sending a special delay measurement frame from an originating switch to a destination switch. The destination switch receives the frame and returns the frame to the originating switch. The time difference between when the frame was sent from the originating switch to when the frame is received back at the originating switch is calculated and designated as the delay value. A timestamp may be affixed to the frame to specify the time at which the frame is initially sent from the originating switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Fontenot
  • Patent number: 6209039
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing a resilient network-to-network interface (RNNI) between a first frame relay network and a second frame relay network. The RNNI comprises a plurality of data links that connect a master node in the first network to a slave node in the second network. The RNNI is initialized by operating an independent instance of a Link Integrity Verification (LIV) routine on each of the data links, returning an UP or DOWN status. One of the data links is designated as the ACTIVE data link, and the remaining data links are designated as INACTIVE. Once the RNNI is initialized, the ACTIVE data link is monitored using RNNI link management procedures including the LIV routine and a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) polling routine, and the INACTIVE data links are monitored using the LIV routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: MCI WorldCom, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Albright, William C. Chen, Michael D. Fontenot, Todd W. Frost, James F. Williams
  • Patent number: 6052726
    Abstract: Delays are calculated for one or more virtual connections within a frame relay network. The delays may be calculated at periodic intervals for each virtual connection within the frame relay network so as to provide updated information about delays among the virtual connections. Each delay is calculated by sending a special delay measurement frame from an originating switch to a destination switch. The destination switch receives the frame and returns the frame to the originating switch. The time difference between when the frame was sent from the originating switch to when the frame is received back at the originating switch is calculated and designated as the delay value. A timestamp may be affixed to the frame to specify the time at which the frame is initially sent from the originating switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: MCI Communications Corp.
    Inventor: Michael D. Fontenot