Patents by Inventor Alan Neal

Alan Neal 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: 6008867
    Abstract: A display and control module sends synchronization signals and camera display codes to a loop multiplexer module and a home run multiplexer module. The loop multiplexer module has a plurality of cameras coupled to a loop multiplexer unit. The loop multiplexer unit controls the synchronization and selection of video from the cameras for sending to the display and control module. The home run multiplexer includes a home run multiplexer unit coupled to a plurality of coaxial cables, each coaxial cable having at least one video camera thereon. The home run multiplexer unit receives the synchronization and control signals from the display and control module and uses those signals for synchronizing and selecting video images from one of the plurality of cameras for sending to the display and control module. The display and control module uses the video signals from the loop multiplexer module and the home run multiplexer module to display on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Ultrak, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Neal Cooper, David William Bauerle, Matthew John Fritz
  • Patent number: 5995140
    Abstract: A plurality of video cameras provide video signals to a video switcher of a video controller. The video switcher selects a video signal of one of the video cameras as the output video based upon a camera control code sent to the video switcher by a timing controller of the video controller. A video synchronization separator of the video controller reads the vertical synchronization interval and the horizontal synchronization pulse from the output video signal and sends those synchronization signals to the timing control. The timing controller generates a vertical drive signal having a plurality of vertical drive pulses that are timed with the vertical synchronization intervals from the video synchronization separator. The timing controller also generates a horizontal drive signal having horizontal drive pulses that are timed with the horizontal synchronization pulses from the video synchronization separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Ultrak, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Neal Cooper, David William Bauerle
  • Patent number: 5946030
    Abstract: The apparatus and method (10) are applied to an image sensor (26) having an image area (32) for receiving light to form a first predetermined number of lines of image data. In certain image sensors (40, 100), a storage area (44, 108) is coupled to the image area (42, 106) for receiving a second predetermined number of lines of image data from the image area (42, 106) in response to an image area gate signal. A serial register (68, 110, 126) is further coupled to the storage area (44, 108) for receiving successive lines of image data therefrom in response to a STORAGE AREA GATE signal, and the serial register (68, 110, 126) further serially outputs the successive lines of image data in response to a SERIAL REGISTER GATE signal. The image centering command input from an operator is generated by and received from a vertical and horizontal adjust input device (12, 14) that generates a vertical adjust value and a horizontal adjust value indicative of the amount of adjustment needed for centering the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Alan Neal Cooper
  • Patent number: 5903308
    Abstract: A system for processing video signals to compensate for distance-induced video signal delays includes a camera controller and distant camera are arranged so that the camera controller generates and sends a synchronization signal to the camera, which upon receiving it generates and sends back to the camera controller a reference signal starting at a fixed time following camera receipt of the synchronization signal, and further arranged so that the reference signal upon receipt by the camera controller is compared by the reference pulse comparator to determine if it is late, early, or at an acceptable time, upon which determination a phase adjustment signal is generated and sent by the camera controller to the camera second timing generator phase offset adjustment section to adjust appropriately the timing of the insertion of a video signal onto the transmission line by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Ultrak, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Neal Cooper, David William Bauerle, Matthew John Fritz
  • Patent number: 5870139
    Abstract: A plurality of video cameras each send a video signal and an audio signal to a video controller. Each of the video cameras receive a vertical drive signal and a horizontal drive signal from the video controller. A sensor interface sends sensor signals to the video controller. The video controller sends camera status signals to camera status indicators which indicate which of the video cameras are active. The video controller determines which of the video cameras are active, selects the video signals from one of the plurality of cameras, inserts a camera number code into the selected video signals which corresponds to the selected video camera, inserts indicator symbology into the selected video signals which represent the information from the status interface, and sends the selected video having the camera number code and the indicator symbology to a video recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Ultrak, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Neal Cooper, David William Bauerle, Merwyn Simpson
  • Patent number: 5825411
    Abstract: A video signal routing system includes a video signal carrying line arranged in a loop beginning and ending at a signal multiplexer, a plurality of video cameras electrically connected to the line at points spaced therealong, and a video output line connected to receive video signals from the multiplexer. A synchronization signal insertion device and a code signal insertion device are located in the video signal carrying line adjacent the beginning of the loop between the multiplexer and the cameras. A duplicate synchronization signal insertion device and a duplicate code signal insertion device are located in the video signal carrying line adjacent the end of the loop between the multiplexer and the cameras. A timing generator and interface receives signals from a synch detector and a video level detector in the video output line and is controlled by a microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Ultrak, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Neal Cooper, David William Bauerle, Matthew John Fritz