Patents by Inventor William C. Woodruff

William C. Woodruff 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: 8908715
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for a high-speed backward-compatible Ethernet connector are provided. Which, if any, of a plurality of pins of a connector are coupled to a first portion of one or more circuits of an Ethernet PHY may be controlled via one or more switching elements in the Ethernet PHY. The switching element(s) may reside in a signal path between the first portion of the one or more circuits and a second portion of the one or more circuits. One or more configurations of the switching element(s) may couple less than all of the plurality of pins to the first circuit(s). Each signal into and out of the switching element(s) may be a digital signal. The first portion of the one or more circuit may comprise a media independent interface. The second portion of the one or more circuit may comprise a media dependent interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Woodruff, Scott Powell
  • Publication number: 20120236851
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for a high-speed backward-compatible Ethernet connector are provided. Which, if any, of a plurality of pins of a connector are coupled to a first portion of one or more circuits of an Ethernet PHY may be controlled via one or more switching elements in the Ethernet PHY. The switching element(s) may reside in a signal path between the first portion of the one or more circuits and a second portion of the one or more circuits. One or more configurations of the switching element(s) may couple less than all of the plurality of pins to the first circuit(s). Each signal into and out of the switching element(s) may be a digital signal. The first portion of the one or more circuit may comprise a media independent interface. The second portion of the one or more circuit may comprise a media dependent interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: William C. Woodruff, Scott Powell
  • Patent number: 4088109
    Abstract: Upon the closing of the ignition circuit, this Diesel engine warm-up control system operates to establish a glow plug energizing circuit; to energize a "wait" indicator lamp and to produce a timed glow plug energization cycle signal. Upon the termination of this signal, the glow plug energizing circuit is maintained; the "wait" indicator lamp is deenergized and a "crank" indicator lamp is energized. The timed glow plug energization cycle signal is re-initiated upon engine crank to maintain the glow plugs energized for a controlled period of time after engine "start".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Woodruff, Dennis M. Lombardo, Theodore H. Horrell, Jr.