Patents by Inventor Alan Elder

Alan Elder 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: 12133999
    Abstract: Systems and methods for filling and pressurizing a container with liquid suppressant and nitrogen gas. A pressurized receiving container of nitrogen gas is initially provided at a transformative pressure and liquid suppressant is subsequently added to the pressurized receiving container. The transformative gas pressure provides a sufficient amount of nitrogen to saturate the added liquid suppressant and provide an operative head space pressure within the receiving container without the need for mechanized mixing of the nitrogen and liquid suppressant solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignees: Tyco Building Services Products Limited, MACRON SAFETY SYSTEMS (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Timothy Broughton, Alan Elder, John Walls
  • Patent number: 11271873
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method of operating a service provider network node in a service provider network, comprising: establishing an interface between a control plane processing part and a data plane processing part for routing of control packets at the data plane processing part; at the control plane processing part, generating a control packet for routing through the service provider network; and at the control plane processing part, sending the control packet to the data plane processing part via the interface, to cause the data plane processing part to route the control packet through the service provider network using the one or more routing tables maintained by the data plane processing part in response to receiving the control packet from the control plane processing part via the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jon Harrison, Steve Balls
  • Patent number: 11045673
    Abstract: Systems and methods for filling and pressurizing a container with liquid suppressant and nitrogen gas. A pressurized receiving container of nitrogen gas is provided at a predetermined gas pressure and liquid suppressant is added to the pressurized receiving container. The predetermined gas pressure provides a sufficient amount of nitrogen to saturate the added liquid suppressant and provide an operative head space pressure within the receiving container without the need for mechanized mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: Tyco Building Services Products Limited, Macron Safety Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Timothy Broughton, Alan Elder, John Walls
  • Patent number: 10892936
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for managing operation of a spanning tree protocol process in a network bridge. This comprises setting the network bridge to either an active mode or a defer mode in which a spanning tree protocol process is not run in response to a triggering event. The system remains in the defer mode for a period of time in which no further operations of the state machines will take place, before reverting to the active mode and normal processing of triggering events is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Limited
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jonathan Harrison
  • Publication number: 20200412667
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method of operating a service provider network node in a service provider network, comprising: establishing an interface between a control plane processing part and a data plane processing part for routing of control packets at the data plane processing part; at the control plane processing part, generating a control packet for routing through the service provider network; and at the control plane processing part, sending the control packet to the data plane processing part via the interface, to cause the data plane processing part to route the control packet through the service provider network using the one or more routing tables maintained by the data plane processing part in response to receiving the control packet from the control plane processing part via the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Alan ELDER, Jon HARRISON, Steve BALLS
  • Publication number: 20200047012
    Abstract: Systems and methods for filling and pressurizing a container with liquid suppressant and nitrogen gas. A pressurized receiving container of nitrogen gas is provided at a predetermined gas pressure and liquid suppressant is added to the pressurized receiving container. The predetermined gas pressure provides a sufficient amount of nitrogen to saturate the added liquid suppressant and provide an operative head space pressure within the receiving container without the need for mechanized mixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicants: Tyco Building Services Products Limited, Maccron Safety Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Timothy BROUGHTON, Alan ELDER, John WALLS
  • Publication number: 20200038699
    Abstract: Systems and methods for filling and pressurizing a container with liquid suppressant and nitrogen gas. A pressurized receiving container of nitrogen gas is initially provided at a transformative pressure and liquid suppressant is subsequently added to the pressurized receiving container. The transformative gas pressure provides a sufficient amount of nitrogen to saturate the added liquid suppressant and provide an operative head space pressure within the receiving container without the need for mechanized mixing of the nitrogen and liquid suppressant solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy Broughton, Alan Elder, John Walls
  • Patent number: 10326690
    Abstract: A system and method of operating a network node configured as part of a link aggregation system. The system includes a plurality of first network nodes and a plurality of second network nodes for providing connectivity to first and second networks respectively, and a plurality of links between the first network nodes and the second network nodes. The network node is configured as one of the first network nodes. The network node may be set in one of an active operation mode and a standby operation mode based at least in part on a comparison of a priority with one or more received priorities. The priority may be based on connectivity to an active second network node or links available for selection. The network node may determine that it is isolated from the first network and indicate that isolation in control messages sent to second network nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jonathan Harrison, Gawain Bosworth
  • Patent number: 10313485
    Abstract: The invention relates to managing operation of a spanning tree protocol process in a network bridge having a central controller and one or more port controllers, each for controlling one or more ports of said network bridge. The spanning tree protocol process comprises a plurality of state machines including a Port Information state machine. The Port Information state machine comprises an UPDATE state and a plurality of other states. The invention involves running a Protocol Manager on a central controller, wherein the Protocol Manager owns the UPDATE state such that updates are carried out by the Protocol Manager. The Neighbor Managers on each of the port controllers owns the plurality of other states of the Port Information state machine, such that updates are carried out by the respective Neighbor Manager on said port controller. This allows the Protocol Manager and the Neighbor Managers to operate without having to force one to pause whilst work is done on the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Limited
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jonathan Harrison
  • Publication number: 20160094436
    Abstract: A system and method of operating a network node configured as part of a link aggregation system. The system includes a plurality of first network nodes and a plurality of second network nodes for providing connectivity to first and second networks respectively, and a plurality of links between the first network nodes and the second network nodes. The network node is configured as one of the first network nodes. The network node may be set in one of an active operation mode and a standby operation mode based at least in part on a comparison of a priority with one or more received priorities. The priority may be based on connectivity to an active second network node or links available for selection. The network node may determine that it is isolated from the first network and indicate that isolation in control messages sent to second network nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Alan ELDER, Jonathan HARRISON, Gawain BOSWORTH
  • Publication number: 20150281405
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for managing operation of a spanning tree protocol process in a network bridge. This comprises setting the network bridge to either an active mode or a defer mode in which a spanning tree protocol process is not run in response to a triggering event. The system remains in the defer mode for a period of time in which no further operations of the state machines will take place, before reverting to the active mode and normal processing of triggering events is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jonathan Harrison
  • Publication number: 20150280964
    Abstract: The invention relates to managing operation of a spanning tree protocol process in a network bridge having a central controller and one or more port controllers, each for controlling one or more ports of said network bridge. The spanning tree protocol process comprises a plurality of state machines including a Port Information state machine. The Port Information state machine comprises an UPDATE state and a plurality of other states. The invention involves running a Protocol Manager on a central controller, wherein the Protocol Manager owns the UPDATE state such that updates are carried out by the Protocol Manager. The Neighbour Managers on each of the port controllers owns the plurality of other states of the Port Information state machine, such that updates are carried out by the respective Neighbour Manager on said port controller. This allows the Protocol Manager and the Neighbour Managers to operate without having to force one to pause whilst work is done on the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Alan Elder, Jonathan Harrison