Patents by Inventor Chris Munford

Chris Munford 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).

  • Systems and methods for a hierarchical layer one and layer two cross-connect in a transport and aggregation platform
    Patent number: 7633933
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods to effectively combine layer one and layer two cross-connects in a hierarchical fashion. The present invention combines layer one and layer two cross-connects between a layer one (L1) line card and a layer two (L2) line card in a transport and aggregation platform. Advantageously, the present invention provides network operators increased flexibility and capability in transport and aggregation networks. Particularly, transport networks tend to contain only layer one capabilities. The present invention makes the introduction of layer two functionality into transport networks practical because an entire physical connection need not be dedicated to all layer one cross-connects or all layer two cross-connects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald M. Parker, John P. Jones, Chris Munford
  • Systems and methods for a hierarchical layer one and layer two cross-connect in a transport and aggregation platform
    Publication number: 20080181608
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods to effectively combine layer one and layer two cross-connects in a hierarchical fashion. The present invention combines layer one and layer two cross-connects between a layer one (L1) line card and a layer two (L2) line card in a transport and aggregation platform. Advantageously, the present invention provides network operators increased flexibility and capability in transport and aggregation networks. Particularly, transport networks tend to contain only layer one capabilities. The present invention makes the introduction of layer two functionality into transport networks practical because an entire physical connection need not be dedicated to all layer one cross-connects or all layer two cross-connects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Ronald M. Parker, John P. Jones, Chris Munford