Patents by Inventor Daniel Charles Fiorella

Daniel Charles Fiorella 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).

  • Return path transmitter having a closed laser control loop that is employed in a hybrid fiber / coax transmission
    Patent number: 6934310
    Abstract: An optical transmitter is provided that includes a laser subassembly generating an optical signal having a plurality of operating characteristics. A controller, which drives the laser subassembly by applying at least one control parameter thereto, includes a predetermined, empirically derived database relating the plurality of operating characteristics of the laser subassembly to the control parameters. The controller adjusts at least one control parameter based at least in part on data extracted from the database so that the operating characteristic is substantially optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Brophy, Brian T. Harte, Daniel Charles Fiorella, III
  • Methods and apparatus for upgrading firmware in an embedded system
    Patent number: 6834384
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for upgrading firmware in an embedded system, without impacting the system. More specifically, the present invention enables an embedded system to be upgraded without any system downtime, by providing two application areas in non-volatile programmable read only memory. A processor can boot up and run from either application area. A fixed vector table is provided, which, in cooperation with a software vector table, enables the processor to maintain proper interrupt vector addresses while being able to run from either application area. Upgraded firmware can be loaded into one application area while the system is running from the other application area. Resetting the processor allows the system to run the upgraded version of firmware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Fiorella, III, Ronald L. Gebhardt, Jr., Marlin F. McGregor, Jr.
  • Return path transmitter having a closed laser control loop that is employed in a hybrid fiber / coax transmission system
    Publication number: 20040001520
    Abstract: An optical transmitter is provided that includes a laser subassembly generating an optical signal having a plurality of operating characteristics. A controller, which drives the laser subassembly by applying at least one control parameter thereto, includes a predetermined, empirically derived database relating the plurality of operating characteristics of the laser subassembly to the control parameters. The controller adjusts at least one control parameter based at least in part on data extracted from the database so that the operating characteristic is substantially optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Brophy, Brain T. Harte, Daniel Charles Fiorella
  • Methods and apparatus for upgrading firmware in an embedded system
    Publication number: 20020170050
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for upgrading firmware in an embedded system, without impacting the system. More specifically, the present invention enables an embedded system to be upgraded without any system downtime, by providing two application areas in non-volatile programmable read only memory. A processor can boot up and run from either application area. A fixed vector table is provided, which, in cooperation with a software vector table, enables the processor to maintain proper interrupt vector addresses while being able to run from either application area. Upgraded firmware can be loaded into one application area while the system is running from the other application area. Resetting the processor allows the system to run the upgraded version of firmware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: General instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Fiorella, Ronald L. Gebhardt, Marlin F. McGregor