Patents by Inventor Albert Donald Darby

Albert Donald Darby 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).

  • Communications system and method for interconnected networks having a linear topology, especially railways
    Patent number: 6867708
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the relay operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventors: Albert Donald Darby, Jr., David Poltz, Mark Hefner, Irfan Ali, William Schoonmaker, George Jarman
  • Communications system and method for interconnected networks having a linear topology, especially railways
    Patent number: 6400281
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the relay operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventors: Albert Donald Darby, Jr., David Peltz, Mark Hefner, Irfan Ali, William Schoonmaker, George Jarman
  • Communications system and method for interconnected networks having a l linear topology, especially railways
    Publication number: 20020027495
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the relay operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: GE Harris Railway Electronics, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Albert Donald Darby, David Poltz, Mark Hefner, Irfan Ali, William Schoonmaker, George Jarman