Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Bruce Garlick
  • Patent number: 7072307
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting high speed data on fixed rate and for variable rate channels. The system and method provides the flexibility of adjusting the data rate, the coding rate, and the nature of individual retransmissions. Further, the system and method supports partial soft combining of retransmitted data with previously transmitted data, supports parity bit selection for successive retransmissions, and supports various combinations of data rate variations, coding rate variations, and partial data transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Wen Tong, Leo L. Strawczynski, Shalini S. Periyalwar, Claude Royer
  • Patent number: 6931430
    Abstract: A symbiotic computing system includes a plurality of symbiotic partners that are communicatively coupled with one another and each of which has a respective instance of a managed resource. One (or more) of the symbiotic partners receive input that affects a respective instance of the managed resource. Based upon the input, the symbiotic partner produces actions and transmits the actions to each other of the symbiotic partners. Upon receipt, each other of the symbiotic partners receives the actions and uses the actions to affect a respective instance of the managed resource to maintain coherency of the managed resource. The managed resource may include data entities such as data file, data bases, configuration files and source files and other types of resources such as video images, symbiotic relationship configurations and executables. Alterations made to an instance of the managed resource are made to each other instance of the managed resource to maintain coherency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas W. Lynch
  • Patent number: 6907020
    Abstract: A frame structure that is ordinarily optimized for providing variable high data rates also includes the flexibility to efficiently carry lower data rate, lower latency frames using sub-framing. Superframes, each comprised of a predetermined number of frames, carry voice and data communications at one or more variable data rates. The size of a superframe is limited, such as by the delay tolerance for voice transmission, typically 20 ms. Each voice customer is allotted one or more frames or portions of frames within the superframe, called sub-frames, as is needed to deliver the lower data rate, low latency voice communication. The allocation for the voice customers is not fixed, but varies as the data rate varies over time. Any bits in a frame that are not needed to carry voice communication are assigned to carry data having compatible data rate requirements. Additionally, the sub-framing concept may be extended to include ATM cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Shalini S. Periyalwar, Wen Tong, Leo L. Strawczynski
  • Patent number: 6895085
    Abstract: A modem includes a Digital Access Arrangement (DAA) Circuit and modem software that is executed by a processor. When the DAA Circuit detects that the modem software is nonfunctional, it enters an on-hook state to prevent blocking of a coupled telephone line. A nonfunctional state of the modem software is detected when the modem software ceases to interact with the DAA Circuit in an expected manner. In a first operation, the nonfunctional state is determined when the modem software does not reset a count down timer in the DAA Circuit before the count down timer reaches a termination value. In a second operation, the nonfunctional state is determined when the modem software does not access the DAA Circuit before the count down timer reaches the termination value. In a third operation, the nonfunctional state is determined when the modem software ceases writing transmit data to DMA memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Gonikberg
  • Patent number: 6873832
    Abstract: A Radio Frequency (RF) receiver includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) and a mixer coupled to the output of the LNA. The gain of the LNA is adjusted to maximize signal-to-noise ratio of the mixer and to force the mixer to operate well within its linear region when an intermodulation interference component is present. The RF receiver includes a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI_A) coupled to the output of the mixer that measures the strength of the wideband signal at that point. A second received signal strength indicator (RSSI_B) couples after the BPF and measures the strength of the narrowband signal. The LNA gain is set based upon these signal strengths. LNA gain is determined during a guard period preceding an intended time slot of a current frame and during a guard period following an intended time slot of a prior frame. The lesser of these two LNA gains is used for the intended time slot of the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hong Shi
  • Patent number: 6826242
    Abstract: A filter settings generation operation includes sampling colored noise present at the input of a receiver to produce a sampled signal. The sampled signal is spectrally characterized across a frequency band of interest to produce a spectral characterization of the sampled signal. This spectral characterization may not include a signal of interest. The spectral characterization is then modified to produce a modified spectral characterization. Filter settings are then generated based upon the modified spectral characterization. Finally, the input present at the receiver is filtered using the filter settings when the signal of interest is present to whiten colored noise that is present with the signal of interest. In modifying the spectral characterization, pluralities of spectral components of the spectral characterization are independently modified to produce the modified spectral characterization. Modifications to the spectral characterization may be performed in the frequency domain and/or the time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Ojard, Amit Goutam
  • Patent number: 6816716
    Abstract: A system and operation of the system for improvement of transmitter and receiver frequency accuracy for a local radio communication unit that communicates digital data with a remote communication unit. In the local unit, received signals are down-converted into complex baseband digital samples by A/D conversion. A downlink digital phase rotator applies a fine frequency shift in accordance with a receiver frequency offset command. The resultant baseband signal is used by the data demodulator and by a receiver frequency error estimator to obtain receiver frequency errors. A data modulator generates baseband complex samples which are shifted in carrier frequency by an integrated uplink digital phase rotator in accordance with a transmitter frequency offset command. The modulated samples are then converted by a D/A converter and upconverted in frequency for transmission to the remote unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Aki Shohara
  • Patent number: 6804521
    Abstract: A system and method reduces cross-beam interference in multi-beam wireless data-transmission system through temporal separation of the multiple beams. A sector of a cell is geographically divided such that a number of beam patterns correspond to a number of user-group areas. For example, the sector can be divided such that four user-group areas are created. The number of groups and beam patterns can be increased or decreased. Forward link transmissions from a base station to a plurality of user terminals are patterned such that transmissions to adjacent user-group areas do not occur during the same time intervals. According to one operation, pilot signal transmissions are suppressed within a beam if no data is transmitted during a corresponding temporal period. According to another operation, temporal guard slots are introduced to avoid inter-cell interference. Further, in some operations, user terminals report to the base station to indicate one or more preferred user-group areas for their inclusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Wen Tong, Leo L. Strawczynski, Shalini S. Periyalwar, Claude Royer
  • Patent number: 6804503
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a system for operating a communication device (20) for reception of scheduled intermittent information messages (22) with a dual mode timer (70) that extends battery life. A controller (50) schedules the timer (70) to power down all idle components of the device (20) between message receptions in a power saving sleep mode to conserve battery power. During active mode when the device is fully active in reception of messages, the timer (70) uses a reference oscillator (90) with a relatively high frequency to support digital processing by the receiver (26). During sleep mode when only the timer is powered on, a much lower frequency sleep oscillator (96) is used to maintain the lowest possible level of power consumption within the timer itself. The timer (70) has provision for automatic temperature calibration to compensate for timing inaccuracies inherent to the low-power low-frequency crystal oscillator (96) used for the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Aki Shohara, Emilia Vailun Lei
  • Patent number: 6799039
    Abstract: System components of cellular wireless networks are shared during and after a mobile station handover from a first cellular wireless network (system A) to a second cellular wireless network (system B). According to one aspect, layer 2/3 call control functions are anchored in a base station controller (BSC) of system A, even after a data communication is handed over from system A to system B. According to another aspect, a link layer supporting the data communication is anchored in the BSC of system A servicing the data communication. In this case, the BSC of system A interfaces with a serving BTS of system B to service the ongoing data communication. According to still another aspect, the link layer is handed over to system B but the link layer of system B continues to use a link layer transmit buffer of system A that remains in the servicing BSC of system A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Geng Wu, Mo-Han Fong
  • Patent number: 6798854
    Abstract: A filter settings generation operation includes sampling a communication channel to produce a sampled signal. The sampled signal is spectrally characterized across a frequency band of interest to produce a spectral characterization of the sampled signal. This spectral characterization may not include a signal of interest. The spectral characterization is then modified to produce a modified spectral characterization. Filter settings are then generated based upon the modified spectral characterization. Finally, the communication channel is filtered using the filter settings when the signal of interest is present on the communication channel. In modifying the spectral characterization, pluralities of spectral characteristics of the spectral characterization are independently modified to produce the modified spectral characterization. Modifications to the spectral characterization may be performed in the frequency domain and/or the time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Kolze, Bruce J. Currivan, Jonathan S. Min, Eric Ojard, James Chi Thi, Daniel Howard
  • Patent number: 6795867
    Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP) voice telephony system constructed according to the present invention manages Gatekeeper load by redirecting calls from an assigned Gatekeeper to a servicing Gatekeeper during call setup. A Load Management Unit (LMU) processes all setup messages. In processing the setup messages, the LMU receives the message from the assigned Gatekeeper to which a requesting endpoint is registered. Upon receipt, the LMU determines which Gatekeeper of a plurality of Gatekeepers should setup and service the call. Based upon its selection, the LMU either directs the assigned Gatekeeper to setup and service the call or redirects the endpoint to a servicing Gatekeeper. Upon receipt of a redirection message, the endpoint sends a confirmation message to the assigned Gateway and then sends a setup message to the servicing Gateway. Upon receipt of the setup message, the servicing Gateway sets up and services the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Patrick SzeChing Ma, Michael Flynn Thomas, Brian Joseph Bennefeld
  • Patent number: 6771475
    Abstract: An electrostatic-discharge/impedance-matching circuit for use in radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits. The electrostatic-discharge/impedance-matching circuit comprises at least one shunt circuit operable to shunt current related to an over-voltage condition and at least one series element operably coupled to the shunt element. The shunt element and series element in combination provide electrostatic discharge protection for the RF signal processing circuit elements on the integrated circuit and also provide a matched input impedance for an incoming RF signal. Various alternate embodiments of the electrostatic-discharge/impedance-matching circuit include first and second shunt elements and a series element operably connected in combination to provide optimal electrostatic discharge protection and impedance matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: John C. Leete
  • Patent number: 6770963
    Abstract: A scalable multi-power integrated circuit package for integrated circuits having spaced apart first, second and third pluralities of respective spaced apart chip power bonding pads connected to corresponding first, second, and third chip power supply nets, the chip power bonding pads disposed adjacent to a chip periphery defining the chip area, the scalable multi-power integrated circuit package comprising: a central chip mounting area for mounting one of said integrated circuits, said chip mounting area defining a chip mounting area periphery surrounding said chip mounting area; spaced apart first, second and third package power supply continuous conductive traces, each trace disposed adjacent to the chip area mounting periphery; corresponding first, second and third pluralities of spaced apart package bonding areas defined along each respective one of said first, second and third package power supply continuous conductive traces, each respective one of said package bonding areas disposed in bondable alignme
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ping Wu
  • Patent number: 6760429
    Abstract: A web based agent backed system provides sales and service and sales support for a company. The system includes a call center computer (112) coupled to the Internet (or another packet switched network) (118) that receives a call request from a customer computer (104), which may have been made using a link contained in a company web page maintained on a web server (108). Upon receiving the call request, the call center computer (112) determines customer information and call information and connects an agent through agent station computer (114) for call servicing. The call center computer (114) completes an IP telephony call made by the customer computer (104) to an agent or assigns an agent to call the customer by placing an IP telephony call to the customer computer (114) or by placing a PSTN call to the customer's phone (106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Fung Hung, David W. McKnight
  • Patent number: 6760860
    Abstract: A base station, mobile station, and/or other terminal includes physical layer (layer 1) protocol and link layer (layer 2) protocol enhancements that interact with one another to cause the link layer protocol to inhibit is ARQ operations for data blocks having missing data packets that are still pending at the physical layer. A mobile station (or base station) receives a data packet from a base station across a wireless link. The physical layer then determines, a number, N, of data packets pending with its physical layer Automatic Retransmission reQuest (ARQ) operations. The physical layer then passes the data packet and the number, N, to a link layer operating on the mobile station. The link layer then modifies its ARQ operations based upon the number, N, of data packets pending with the physical layer ARQ operations. The link layer inhibits ARQ operations for data blocks missing data packets that are still pending with the physical layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Mo-Han Fong, Zhang Hang, Geng Wu, Derek K. Yu, Alfred R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6738363
    Abstract: An apparatus for allocating communication channels in a manner that increases network efficiencies or operator revenue includes a resource manager that accepts and stores (forms a queue) resource requests for a period of time. Thereafter, the resource manager allocates resources according to specified criteria. The computer instructions stored within the resource manager includes logic to prompt it to allocate communication channel resources according to the size (in order of smallest to largest) of the requested resource, or to the unit value of the requested resources. The communication channels are characterized by a time slice of a signal transmitted at a specified frequency range. Prior to allocating new non-CBR communication channel resources according to size or to unit value, the communication channels are first allocated to legacy continuous bit rate (CBR) subscribers, then to legacy non-CBR subscribers, then to new CBR subscribers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Robert Eugene Best, Hosame Abu-Amara, Yi Qian, Qingyang Hu, Alireza Abaye
  • Patent number: 6728363
    Abstract: The estimated call waiting time process uses sampling statistics gathered over a moving window to determine the expected call wait time for each particular call into a call center. The window size is dynamically changed based on sampling theory and changes to call arrival rates and agent availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Robert W. Lieberman, Thien Vo-Dai
  • Patent number: 6728130
    Abstract: An SRAM cell eliminates the p-channel pull-up resistors to decrease its physical size. A tracking circuit generates a control signal used to ensure that the memory state is preserved during the idle state. The control signal controls the wordline voltage during the idle state to vary the leakage through the access transistors to ensure that current into the node through the access device is not exceeded by leakage current out of the output nodes through the storage devices. The tracking circuit control signal can also be used to vary the well to substrate bias voltage of the storage devices to decrease the leakage through the storage devices. The control signal can also be used to bias the supply rail voltage to which the storage devices are directly coupled to decrease the amount of leakage through the storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Morteza Cyrus Afghahi, Esin Terzioglu, Gil Winograd
  • Patent number: 6721571
    Abstract: A wireless communication system infrastructure services wireless communications within a service coverage area. A digital enclosure includes a plurality of wireless communication processing components that perform digital processing functions. A plurality of radio enclosures couple to the digital enclosure via communication links and each service wireless communications within a corresponding geographic area of the service coverage area. During operation of the wireless communication system infrastructure, two radio enclosures of the plurality of radio enclosures share a communication processing component of the digital enclosure while jointly servicing a single wireless communication. The two radio enclosures reside at respective geographic locations that are separated by a geographic distance such that each of the radio enclosures services a respective cell. Each of the radio enclosures may service a plurality of sectors that form the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott H. Tran, Farhad Bassirat, Chang-Gang Zhang, Kendall Martin