Patents by Inventor Alan D. Amis

Alan D. Amis 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: 10165621
    Abstract: A method for directional mobile ad-hoc communication may include transmitting a join message from a first node to a second node, receiving an accept message from the second node including a TDMA frame slot reassignment correlating to an available TDMA frame slot in a TDMA frame associated with the second node, reassigning a TDMA frame slot for the first node in the TDMA frame associated with the first node according to the frame slot reassignment, and assigning a TDMA frame slot for the second node in the TDMA frame of the first node. It may also comprise executing a discovery protocol to configure a directional mobile ad-hoc communication network between a first node and as second node, transmitting a bandwidth reservation request message from the first node to the second node, receiving a bandwidth reservation response message from the second node, and enabling a relay node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, George A. Deprez, Steven Vanlaningham, Rachel A. Rivera, Bruce A. B. Babb
  • Patent number: 9712423
    Abstract: A node for connecting to an interconnection network may include a network interface. The node may also include a processor coupled with the network interface. The node may further include a memory coupled with the processor. The processor may be configured for periodically analyzing the connectedness of the node to the interconnection network to determine a metric for the node in relation to other nodes within the interconnection network. The node may be designated as a member of a core set of nodes within the interconnection network based upon the metric. The node may detect at least one of a derived update or an update indicating another node connects to or disconnects from the interconnection network. The node may transmit a routing update to another member of the core set of nodes only when the node is designated as part of the core set of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, James A. Stevens, Jeffrey D. Johnson, Serge P. Lussier, Ian P. Difranco
  • Patent number: 8830240
    Abstract: The present invention is a universal stack analyzer which is configured for collecting data at (ex.—from) all layers of a stack and filtering the collected data to isolate selected data included in the collected data. The selected data is selected via user inputs provided to a user interface of the universal stack analyzer and filtering of the collected data to isolate the selected data from the collected data is performed based upon filters generated in response to the received user inputs. The selected data is then displayed via a graphical viewer of the stack analyzer in a user-friendly graphical format. The universal stack analyzer is waveform-agnostic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, George A. Deprez, Terry J. Hammer, Michael D. Dzado
  • Patent number: 8724516
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for forming a connected dominating set (CDS) for a graph. The method may include directing each node of the graph to broadcast a dominating factor and neighboring node information; identifying a dominating set based on the dominating factor of each node in comparison with dominating factors of neighboring nodes according to a dominating set rule definition; identifying a connecting set for connecting nodes according to a connecting set rule definition; and forming the CDS as a union of the dominating set and the connecting set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles D. Young, Alan D. Amis
  • Patent number: 8612197
    Abstract: A system for providing a network simulation is disclosed. The system may comprise a plurality of simulation platforms, each particular simulation platform of the plurality of simulation platforms representing a simulated entity in the network simulation, each particular simulation platform may include: a simulated node configured for executing a set of networking software for representing the simulated entity; a communication handler configured for handling communications between the particular simulation platform and another simulation platform of the plurality of simulation platforms; and a proxy node configured for emulating a data transmission from an outside node to the simulated node, the outside node being a simulated node of the other simulation platform. The system may further comprise a simulation control module for controlling at least one of: a start and an end of the network simulation, mobility of each of the plurality of simulation platforms, and traffic flows in the network simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Johnson, Alan D. Amis, George A. Deprez
  • Publication number: 20130089002
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for forming a connected dominating set (CDS) for a graph. The method may include directing each node of the graph to broadcast a dominating factor and neighboring node information; identifying a dominating set based on the dominating factor of each node in comparison with dominating factors of neighboring nodes according to a dominating set rule definition; identifying a connecting set for connecting nodes according to a connecting set rule definition; and forming the CDS as a union of the dominating set and the connecting set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Charles D. Young, Alan D. Amis
  • Publication number: 20120182932
    Abstract: A method for directional mobile ad-hoc communication may include transmitting a join message from a first node to a second node, receiving an accept message from the second node including a TDMA frame slot reassignment correlating to an available TDMA frame slot in a TDMA frame associated with the second node, reassigning a TDMA frame slot for the first node in the TDMA frame associated with the first node according to the frame slot reassignment, and assigning a TDMA frame slot for the second node in the TDMA frame of the first node. It may also comprise executing a discovery protocol to configure a directional mobile ad-hoc communication network between a first node and as second node, transmitting a bandwidth reservation request message from the first node to the second node, receiving a bandwidth reservation response message from the second node, and enabling a relay node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, George A. Deprez, Steven Vanlaningham, Rachel A. Rivera, Bruce A.B. Babb
  • Patent number: 8199677
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for propagating routing information in a wireless network. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes defining a set of artery nodes to propagate distance vector routing information throughout the wireless network. The set of artery nodes may broadcast distance vector routing information to neighboring network nodes. The method may also include receiving distance vector routing information by the neighboring nodes to modify distance vector routing tables defined within each of the neighboring nodes. The set of artery nodes may then re-broadcast distance vector routing information in order to propagate distance vector routing information throughout the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, James A. Stevens, Charles D. Young
  • Patent number: 7813324
    Abstract: A method for handling data transmission errors in a wireless communication network includes receiving a first data from a first node at a second node using a data transmission protocol having a first slot for transmitting the first data. The first slot includes a plurality of bits and a first slot header comprising an acknowledgment request for at least one group of bits. The method also includes evaluating the first set of data for errors and generating a second slot using the data transmission protocol. The second slot includes at least a second slot header comprising acknowledgement data in response to the acknowledgement request. The acknowledgement data has a structure based on a Forward Error Correction (FEC) protocol block size. The second slot is then transmitted to the first node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Sidharth Goel, Alan D. Amis, Fred D. Mabe, James A. Stevens
  • Patent number: 7639709
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for providing conflict resolution for broadcast slot assignments. Method may include receiving a message from at least two nodes. Method may determine from received messages that at least two other nodes in a network have elected to transmit in a single broadcast slot. Method may determine individual node identifier information for each of a second and third node. Method may arrange a second and third node in an order based on individual node identifier information determination. Prior to the completion of a bootstrap cycle, method may select which of a second or third node may utilize the desired broadcast slot based on the arranged order for each of the second and third node. Method may broadcast a node selection to all nodes in a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, Hersh B. Parekh
  • Patent number: 7639708
    Abstract: A method for reallocating bandwidth includes assigning a node to a position message slot, running an allocation algorithm, generating a table based on the allocation algorithm, selecting a row of the table, aligning a value of the row with a node identifier; and assigning the node to a mini-slot within the position message slot based on the aligning of the value of the row and the node identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy E. Snodgrass, Jeffrey D. Bouis, Alan D. Amis, Fred D. Mabe
  • Patent number: 7639652
    Abstract: An improved protocol for MANETs used in TDRS, JTRS systems and the like, where multiple channels have multiple communication links operating simultaneously within range of each other. All nodes in such MANETs are able to communicate with all their “1 hop” neighbors, even if the neighbors are on different channels. An improved inter-channel communication protocol using a bridge node allows nodes on separate channels to communicate. The bridge node operates as a pseudo-bi-directional link between two neighboring channels in the MANET. An Inter-Channel Bridge Node Communication Protocol determines contention free time slots on both channels, and then reserves one time slot to be used for inter-channel communications. The reserved time slot usage is then divided between the transmitted bridge node and the receiving node in the neighboring channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, Lawrence C. Creech, James A. Stevens, Hersh B. Parekh
  • Patent number: 7580382
    Abstract: A method for forming channelized groups in a wireless communication network having a plurality of nodes. At least one node in the network is assigned to a first channel that is associated with a channelized group having a first set of nodes. The method determines whether there is contention between the at least one node and the first set of nodes. In addition, the method includes switching the at least one node from the first channel to a second channel based on the contention determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Amis, Frank W. Miller
  • Patent number: 7551895
    Abstract: A method of communicating in a mobile ad-hoc network is disclosed. It is determined whether a first directional transmission path between a transmitting node and a destination node is known to be free from obstruction. The transmitting node transmits a message to the destination node using the first directional transmission path. The message is retransmitted to the destination node using the first directional transmission path when a message receipt acknowledgement in an omnidirectional network transmission has not been received within a predetermined time. Additional transmissions via the first directional transmission path are blocked when the message receipt acknowledgement has not been received after more than a pre-set number of retransmissions. The message is transmitted to a proxy node using a second directional transmission path between the transmitting node and the proxy node, with instructions for the proxy node to directionally transmit the message to the destination node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven VanLaningham, Chyi N. Sheng, John L. Tipton, Alan D. Amis