Patents by Inventor Brian Hart

Brian Hart 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: 7744764
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for treating waste water includes passing ozonized waste water through a bed of moving sand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Idaho Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Möller, Kevin Brackney, Roger Korus, Gary Keller, Brian Hart, Remembrance Newcombe
  • Patent number: 7688762
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a number of contending nodes and colliding nodes for a plurality of links of a network is determined. The capacity of each of the plurality of links is determined. A sum of the traffic demand of each of the plurality of links divided the throughput of each of the plurality of links is used to form a cost function for the network. One, or more, of a group consisting of a plurality of frequency assignments, a plurality of transmit powers, and a plurality of clear channel assessment (CCA) values is searched to obtain a global minimum for the cost function. The frequency assignments, transmit powers, and/or CCA values providing the global minimum for the cost function are selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bretton Douglas, Brian Hart
  • Patent number: 7681347
    Abstract: A sign is edge lit and illuminated by an array of light emitting diodes disposed along an edge of a light transmissive panel. A light diffusion surface, which can be formed by a series of serrations on the panel edge, disperses light from the discrete light emitting diodes in the array. A geometric figure, which can be text or graphics or both is formed on one face of the panel by grooves, which redirect diffused light so that an illuminated image, corresponding to the geometric figure, can be seen on the front of the panel. The grooves forming the figure and the light diffusion surface comprise parts of a one-piece panel, and the grooves and the light diffusion surface can be formed when the panel is injection molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Imageworks Display and Marketing Group
    Inventors: Brian Hart Welker, Gregory Scott Isaacs
  • Patent number: 7668523
    Abstract: An apparatus, a carrier medium storing instructions to implement a method, and a method for controlling the gain of a radio receiver for receiving packets of information in a wireless network. The receiver is connected to an antenna subsystem and has receive signal path including a plurality of sections including a first section coupled to the antenna subsystem and a next section. Each section has an adjustable gain and is able to provide a measure of the signal strength at its output. The method includes waiting for a start of packet indication, providing a measure of the signal strength at the output of the first section and the next section, and adjusting the gains of the first and the next sections using the provided measured signal strengths. In one embodiment, the receive signal path includes a filter, the provided measure for the first section is before the filter, and the provided measure for the second section is after the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew R. Adams, Philip J. Ryan, Brian Hart
  • Patent number: 7558592
    Abstract: Described herein are a computer-implemented method of determining a power plan/frequency plan combination assigning transmit frequency channels and transmit powers for a plurality of managed access points (APs) of a wireless network. Also described herein is a carrier medium carrying computer readable code configured to cause one or more processors of a processing system to implement the computer implemented method of determining a power plan/frequency plan combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Hart, Bretton Lee Douglas, Lu Qian
  • Patent number: 7515893
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus for inclusion in a station of a wireless network, and a method implemented in a station of a wireless network. The method includes wirelessly receiving data via each of a plurality of antennas, the data corresponding to a packet of information transmitted from a remote station, sampling the received data corresponding to the received packet to form data samples for each of the antennas, and determining a measure of signal quality from samples of the received data for each of the antennas. The method further includes selecting one of the plurality of receive antennas as the antenna for receiving from the remote station according to the determined measure of signal quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Lyons, Brian Hart
  • Patent number: 7480234
    Abstract: A method that includes wirelessly receiving a signal, and detecting a start of packet (SOP) for a packet that conforms to a wireless networking standard. The detecting from the received signal uses at least one SOP detection criterion. In the case an SOP is detected, the method further includes determining a plurality of metrics from the received signal, and using at least two of the plurality of metrics to determine an initial timing for a received packet. Different versions combine the metrics in different ways to determine the initial timing. Also an apparatus that includes a radio receiver to receive a signal and output a received signal, and an SOP detector coupled to the radio receiver to detect a start of packet (SOP) from a received signal using at least one SOP detection criterion for a packet that conforms to a wireless networking standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Hart, Milind D. Paranjpe, John D. O'Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20090001861
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus in the form of a refrigeration and storage apparatus employs a cooling unit, such as a thermoelectric module. Forced cool air is circulated in a storage compartment containing retail merchandise. An air duct extends from an intake on one side of a door on the front of storage compartment to the rear of the apparatus where air passes by hot side sink and air is then exhausted on a opposite side of the door. The refrigeration and storage apparatus can be mounted in a cabinet or on a shelf and can be surrounded by other item without obstruction of the air duct intake and exhaust and without heating adjacent items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Brian Hart Welker, Gregory Scott Isaacs
  • Publication number: 20080302726
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for treating waste water includes passing ozonized waste water through a bed of moving sand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Greg Moller, Kevin Brackney, Roger Korus, Gary Keller, Brian Hart, Remembrance Newcombe
  • Patent number: 7456596
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and carrier medium carrying computer readable code. The apparatus includes a mobile robot arranged in operation to traverse an area, a first transceiver for a wireless network mounted on the robot and arranged in operation to communicate with a second transceiver to effect radio measurement operations for determining at each of a plurality of locations covering the area a measure indicative of the path loss between the first and second transceivers, and a location determining system at least a component of which is mounted on the robot and arranged in operation to determine the location of the first transceiver in the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Goodall, Brian Hart
  • Patent number: 7457620
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and software containing computer readable code to implement the method implemented in a first wireless device. The method includes, for a particular network identifier active in a wireless network, transmitting frames configured to advertise the infrastructure network of the particular network identifier. The transmitting of off-channel beacons is in a provided channel different than the channel in which the access point of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames. The transmitting of off-channel beacons further is at a rate higher than the beacon rate frame at which the access point of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex C. K. Lam, Brian Hart, Mark Krischer, David Sheldon Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20080277349
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a reactive filtration method includes continuously regenerating a reactive filter media while simultaneously filtering contaminants from fluid flowing through the filter media. In one embodiment, regenerating the reactive filter media comprises mixing metal granules with the filter media and agitating the mixture. In another embodiment, regenerating the reactive filter media comprises introducing a metal in the fluid flowing through the filter media and agitating the filter media. In one embodiment, a method for removing phosphorus, arsenic or a heavy metal from water includes introducing a metal salt reagent into the water at a molar ratio of 5:1 to 200:1 to the phosphorous or the arsenic in the water and passing the water through a bed of moving sand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Greg Moller, Kevin Brackney, Roger Korus, Gary Keller, Brian Hart, Remembrance Louis Newcombe
  • Publication number: 20080273536
    Abstract: An apparatus, a carrier medium storing instructions to implement a method, and a method in a node of a wireless network able to receive packets that exactly or substantially conform to a wireless network standard according to which each packet includes a header having bits that have respective correct values in the case that the packet exactly conforms to the standard. The method includes receiving a start-of-packet (SOP) trigger that indicates that a packet may have been received, checking one or more bits in the header to determine whether or not they have their respective correct values, and continuing to process the packet in the case that the checking indicates that the checked bits have their respective correct values. In one implementation, the header includes a first field modulated at a known rate that has one or more reserved bit locations, and a second field modulated at a data rate indicated in the first field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Richard A. Keaney, John D. O'Sullivan, Brian Hart, Philip J. Ryan, Kurt A. Lumbatis, Kevin C. H. Wong
  • Patent number: 7436352
    Abstract: A method for radar protection. The method includes recording energy events and calculating differences in recorded energy events to determine pulses. The method further includes sorting intervals between pulses into histogram bins, each bin representing a range of time intervals between two pulses, each pulse indicative of a radar frequency and limiting network traffic on a frequency based on a selected bin count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventors: David M. Theobold, Christopher G. Meil, Edward Frederick Wright, James A. Amos, Brian Hart, Jason R. Crawford, Philip O'Sullivan, Kevin C. H. Wong
  • Publication number: 20080232497
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method to track the channel response for subcarriers in an OFDM receiver for a packet of information that includes a known transmitted part. The receiver has a signal-to-tone transformer to determine subcarriers corresponding to a received packet. The method stores a function of an initial estimate of the channel response for a subcarrier, and accepts a pre-decision constellation point value that is a post channel correction using a first estimate of the channel response. The method includes: makes a decision using the pre-decision constellation point value, re-modulates the decision to form a post-decision constellation point value, and forms a complex valued product of the function of the first estimate for the subcarrier and the complex-valued ratio of the pre-decision and post-decision values. This complex valued product forms a measure of the current channel estimate to use for updating the stored quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Hart, David J. Pignatelli, Eldad Perahia, Paul C.P. Dankoski
  • Publication number: 20080232256
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a number of contending nodes and colliding nodes for a plurality of links of a network is determined. The capacity of each of the plurality of links is determined. A sum of the traffic demand of each of the plurality of links divided the throughput of each of the plurality of links is used to form a cost function for the network. One, or more, of a group consisting of a plurality of frequency assignments, a plurality of transmit powers, and a plurality of clear channel assessment (CCA) values is searched to obtain a global minimum for the cost function. The frequency assignments, transmit powers, and/or CCA values providing the global minimum for the cost function are selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Bretton Douglas, Brian Hart
  • Patent number: 7415661
    Abstract: An apparatus, a carrier medium storing instructions to implement a method, and a method in a node of a wireless network able to receive packets that exactly or substantially conform to a wireless network standard according to which each packet includes a header having bits that have respective correct values in the case that the packet exactly conforms to the standard. The method includes receiving a start-of-packet (SOP) trigger that indicates that a packet may have been received, checking one or more bits in the header to determine whether or not they have their respective correct values, and continuing to process the packet in the case that the checking indicates that the checked bits have their respective correct values. In one implementation, the header includes a first field modulated at a known rate that has one or more reserved bit locations, and a second field modulated at a data rate indicated in the first field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Keaney, John D. O'Sullivan, Brian Hart, Philip J. Ryan, Kurt A. Lumbatis, Kevin C. H. Wong
  • Patent number: 7411935
    Abstract: An apparatus in a node of a wireless network for setting the data rate for sending data to a remote node, and a method for setting the data rate. The method includes receiving a packet from the remote node, determining a measure of signal quality for the received packet; and selecting the data rate for communicating to the remote node according to at least the determined signal quality. The measure of signal quality is a measure of the EVM of the received packet. One implementation conforms to one or more variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard that uses OFDM packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Ryan, Andrew R. Adams, Brian Hart, Jason R. Crawford, Andrew F. Myles
  • Patent number: 7397758
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method to estimate the channel response for a set of subcarriers in an OFDM receiver. The receiver receives a packet of information that includes a known transmitted part having known subcarrier values, and includes a signal-to-tone transformer to determine the subcarriers of a signal corresponding to a received packet. For each subcarrier, the method stores a function of an initial estimate of the channel response for the subcarrier, and accepts a post-channel correction pre-decision constellation point value for the subcarrier. The method further includes making a decision using the pre-decision constellation point value, re-modulating the decision to form a post-decision constellation point value, and forming a complex valued product of the function of the first estimate for the subcarrier and the complex-valued ratio of the pre-decision and post-decision values to forms a measure of the current channel estimate to use for updating the stored quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Hart, David J. Pignatelli, Eldad Perahia, Paul C. P. Dankoski
  • Publication number: 20080148753
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus in the form of a point of sale cooler employs a cooling unit, such as a thermoelectric module. Forced cool air deflected upwardly into a storage compartment in which retail merchandise is visible through two transparent walls forming the storage compartment and a transparent door. The door has a pocket receiving merchandise, which expands the volume of the storage compartment. Edge lit images on the transparent walls are illuminated by light emitting diodes to draw the attention of prospective purchasers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Hart Welker, Gregory Scott Isaacs