Patents Assigned to Adtran
  • Patent number: 8190777
    Abstract: An integrated system concurrently connects voice and data communications devices used by small and medium sized businesses to a network T1 data line terminating at the customer premises. A system chassis includes multiple slots and backplane connectors for removably receiving a bank controller unit (BCU), power service unit (PSU), and one or more different types of smart and dumb voice and data access modules that provide the functional interface to the customer premises equipment. The BCU controls the operation of the system, which can be configured by the customer through an external terminal interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert James Toth, Gary M. Willoughby, W. Stuart Venters
  • Publication number: 20120093002
    Abstract: In accordance with a non-limiting example, a system and method minimizes collisions between transmitted connectivity fault management (CFM) packets. Maintenance association endpoints are formed from a plurality of network switch elements to form a maintenance association. The clocks between each network switch element within the maintenance association are synchronized. A unique transmission window is assigned to each maintenance association endpoint as part of the maintenance association. A respective CFM packet is transmitted as a continuity check message (CCM) within the unique transmission window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: ADTRAN, INC.
    Inventor: Sean M. OSBORNE
  • Patent number: 8160187
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for cancelling crosstalk. A multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) system in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has a plurality of receivers, which are capable of exchanging information with one another. Each receiver is coupled to a respective subscriber line and receives signals from a remote transmitter. In each path of the MIMO system, in domain crosstalk and possibly some combination of noise, alien crosstalk, and/or other interference such as RF interference, is canceled from the signal being processed. In some cases, a cancellation signal for cancelling crosstalk is based on an output of a symbol decision element, such as a slicer or decoder, thereby improving the accuracy of the cancellation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Turner, Leif J. Sandstrom, John Gordon Brooks
  • Patent number: 8144691
    Abstract: A query message-based call routing mechanism for a limited access cooperative telecommunication network initially determines whether the called party is commonly located at the same node as the calling party. If not, the calling party node broadcasts a query message to all other nodes in the network to locate the called party. Only the node having local knowledge of the called extension will reply to the query message. Once the node sourcing the query message has received this reply message, it will place a call to the node servicing the called extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Victor Holland, John Timothy Pearson
  • Patent number: 8094471
    Abstract: A power supply includes a rectifier circuit having a rectifier mode and a voltage doubler mode. An AC switch is coupled to the rectifier circuit and switches the rectifier circuit into the rectifier mode when a higher AC line voltage is supplied and a voltage doubler mode when a lower AC line voltage is supplied. A control circuit is connected to the AC switch and detects the higher or lower AC line voltages and is operable for latching the rectifier circuit in the rectifier mode when the higher AC line voltage is detected and in the voltage doubler mode when the lower AC line voltage is detected. The latch circuit maintains a latched configuration in either the rectifier or voltage doubler mode during voltage transients and in the rectifier mode during start-up transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott L. Smith, Steven M. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8076796
    Abstract: An adaptive power supply span powers devices used in telecommunications. It includes a power circuit and control circuit that receives power and sense signals therefrom and provides a control signal thereto and distinguishes between a first network interface load having a constant voltage input power requirement and a second network interface unit load having a constant current input power requirement. A voltage control circuit and current control circuit are interconnected together and connected to the power circuit. A control signal from the voltage control circuit and current control circuit extends to the power circuit. The control circuit maintains a fixed output voltage for constant voltage regulation for the first network interface unit load, if the output current remains below a threshold current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Robinson, Jeremy Zoller
  • Patent number: 8068559
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to pulse width modulation (PWM) clock and data receivers and methods for recovering data and timing information from received signals. A PWM clock and data receiver in one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has comparators for detecting pulses of a received data signal. The PWM clock and data receiver provides fixed frequency, variable duty cycle control signals that are used to control the biasing of the comparators to establish data decision levels for clock and data recovery. At times, the output of at least one comparator is used to perform peak detection, and the receiver controls the duty cycles of the control signals based on such peak detection in an effort to optimize the clock and data recovery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventor: James S. Butcher
  • Patent number: 8027461
    Abstract: A telecommunication system has a telecommunication line for communicating a combined signal and a splitter that is coupled to the telecommunication line. The splitter has a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, and a current limiter. The high-pass filter is configured to transmit a first component signal of the combined signal, and the low-pass filter is configured to transmit a second component signal of the combined signal. The current limiter is configured to limit a current of the second component signal thereby preventing at least one inductor in the low-pass filter from saturating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared D. Cress, Daniel M. Joffe
  • Patent number: 7992117
    Abstract: An exemplary common centroid layout design system receives various inputs about an integrated circuit (IC) design. Based on such inputs, the system calculates a common centroid unit, which represents an array of segments of each device in the IC design. The number of segments for each device within the common centroid unit is selected based on the respective sizes of the devices. The common centroid unit is then tiled to automatically define the complete layout for the IC object. The system selects an algorithm for tiling the common centroid unit based on the size of such unit such that, upon completion of the tiling process, all of the devices have a common centroid. In other words, the system selects an algorithm for tiling such that a common centroid layout design is generated. Using the common centroid layout design, the IC object can be manufactured so that it is immune to linear process gradients and more resistant to non-linear gradients relative to ICs that do not have a common centroid layout design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventor: C. Trevor Bowen
  • Patent number: 7958467
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to automatic wiring systems and methods for generating wiring layouts for integrated circuits. In one exemplary embodiment, a wiring router ensures that the wiring for multiple device segments is matched. That is, the wiring router defines the wiring paths such that the same or substantially similar localized metal patterns exist around each of the device segments. Thus, when an integrated circuit (IC) chip is manufactured according to the wiring layout, the IC chip should be less susceptible to the effects of process variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventor: C. Trevor Bowen
  • Patent number: 7957324
    Abstract: The disclosed network includes two rings, wherein a first ring transmits data in a clockwise direction, and the other ring transmits data in a counterclockwise direction. The traffic is removed from the ring by the destination node. During normal operations (i.e., all spans operational), data between nodes can flow on either ring. Thus, both rings are fully utilized during normal operations. The nodes periodically test the bit error rate of the links (or the error rate is constantly calculated) to detect a fault in one of the links. The detection of such a fault sends a broadcast signal to all nodes to reconfigure a routing table within the node so as to identify the optimum routing of source traffic to the destination node after the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Fan, Prasad P. Jogalekar, Vinay K. Bannai
  • Patent number: 7929428
    Abstract: The disclosed network includes two rings, wherein a first ring transmits data in a clockwise direction, and the other ring transmits data in a counterclockwise direction. The traffic is removed from the ring by the destination node. During normal operations (i.e., all spans operational), data between nodes can flow on either ring. Thus, both rings are fully utilized during normal operations. The nodes periodically test the bit error rate of the links (or the error rate is constantly calculated) to detect a fault in one of the links. The detection of such a fault sends a broadcast signal to all nodes to reconfigure a routing table within the node so as to identify the optimum routing of source traffic to the destination node after the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Fan, Prasad P. Jogalekar, Vinay K. Bannai
  • Patent number: 7916723
    Abstract: An automatic network topology identification technique is described herein. Each node in the network periodically or constantly transmits its unique address to its neighboring node. Once a node receives a different message from its neighbor, the node identifies a topology change in the network. In one embodiment, a current topology is associated with a session number. When a change in the topology is detected, the detecting node increments the session number and broadcasts the change in topology. The other nodes, detecting the changed session number, now know that there has been a change in the network. In response, the nodes in the network modify routing tables and other information stored at the node related to the topology. In one embodiment, the technique is used to reassign shortened addresses to each device on the network to support a dual-addressing mode of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Fan, Prasad P. Jogalekar, Vinay K. Bannai
  • Patent number: 7915544
    Abstract: Signals entering outside plant (OSP) telecommunications enclosures typically do so through weather tight connectors, with one connector mounted to the enclosure and a mating connector connected to a cable bringing the signals to the OSP housing. Such connectors are expensive and require extensive effort to connect the wires of a cable bundle to the connectors. These problems are avoided by allowing cables pre-installed with a cable seal and pre-terminated to cable connectors to pass through an opening in the wall of an OSP housing and seal the cable bundle to the housing to prevent the ingress of environmental elements into the housing through the opening. This permits easier installation and retrofitting of electronic equipment contained within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Ayres, III, Grant J. Kruse, Jacob D. McCleary
  • Patent number: 7869490
    Abstract: A repeater for regenerating signals communicated along a telecommunication line uses a constellation providing a sufficiently high constellation density to ensure that regenerated signals are spectrally compatible. In one exemplary embodiment, such a repeater is configured to implement a method comprising the steps of: receiving first data signals from a first telecommunication line segment; demodulating the first data signals thereby recovering digital data using a constellation that provides a first constellation density; modulating second data signals with the digital data; transmitting the second data signals across a second telecommunication line segment that is bound within a cable; selecting a second constellation density for use in the modulating step such that the second data signals are spectrally compatible with other signals transmitted across a third telecommunication line segment bound within the cable, wherein the second constellation density is higher than the first constellation density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Arlynn Wilson, Kevin Schneider, Marc Kimpe
  • Patent number: 7861002
    Abstract: A network router initially communicates over a primary data path. Upon detection of an error condition associated with the primary data path, the network router initiates a layer 2 switch such that the communication occurring over the primary data path is switched to a backup data path. The layer 2 switch is preferably transparent to a layer 3 portion of the network router.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Puon, David Perkinson
  • Patent number: 7855891
    Abstract: A housing for an outside plant telecommunication equipment (OSP) which uses modular heat sink assemblies. OSP housings contain electronic circuit boards on which are mounted electrical components that generate heat. Thermal conductors or mesas contact the electrical components to conduct heat from the components to the environment. Rather than create single purpose housings with cast thermal conductors, the improved housing uses heat sink plates which can easily be swapped out to accommodate a variety of electronic circuit boards that might be needed within a general purpose housing. Together with faster turnaround time to create a new design for a housing, lower manufacturing and inventory costs result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wise Ayres, III, Grant Joseph Kruse, Jacob Daniel McCleary
  • Patent number: 7821758
    Abstract: Protection circuits for protecting equipment connected to a telecommunication wire pair is disclosed. A protection circuit in one embodiment utilizes a series arrangement of solid state protectors wherein at least some of the solid state protectors are biased. The protection circuit reduces the level of intermodulation distortion in broadband signals that is caused by nonlinear capacitance of solid state protectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Joffe, Kevin Earnst
  • Patent number: 7809076
    Abstract: A communication system adaptively cancels noise and/or interference from signals communicated through a communication channel, such as signals communicated by a telecommunication network. The system, based on a common mode signal of a received signal, generates an estimate of noise or interference within a differential mode signal of the received signal. The system then subtracts the estimate from the differential mode signal in an effort to remove noise from the differential mode signal thereby providing a differential mode signal that is substantially free of the estimated noise or interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Ayman Ghobrial, Michael D. Turner, Daniel M. Joffe
  • Patent number: 7794290
    Abstract: A communications connector includes an electrically non-conductive connector body having a terminal face. A plurality of connector terminals are positioned on the terminal face and arranged in a plurality of Tip/Ring terminal pairs, which are positioned substantially linearly with each other along the terminal face and arranged in alternating vertical and horizontal orientation of Tip/Ring terminal pairs and spaced to each other such that crosstalk among the Tip/Ring terminal pairs is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Joffe, Jeremy Harris