Patents by Inventor Ian A. Duncan

Ian A. Duncan 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).

  • Publication number: 20140010093
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for quickly determining the status of a network device in a network communicates status inquiry messages over the forwarding plane of one network device to at least one neighboring network device. The status inquiry messages indicate the connectivity status with at least one neighboring network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: Haldon Sandick, Matthew Squire, Bradley Cain, Ian Duncan, Brian Haberman
  • Publication number: 20140010116
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for quickly determining the status of a network device in a network communicates status inquiry messages over the forwarding plane of one network device to at least one neighboring network device. The status inquiry messages indicate the connectivity status with at least one neighboring network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: ROCKSTAR CONSORTIUM US LP
    Inventors: Haldon Sandick, Matthew Squire, Bradley Cain, Ian Duncan, Brian Haberman
  • Patent number: 8396950
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for quickly determining the status of a network device in a network communicates status inquiry messages over the forwarding plane of one network device to at least one neighboring network device. The status inquiry messages indicate the connectivity status with at least one neighboring device. The status inquiry messages are transmitted periodically to the at least one neighboring device. In addition, the network device may communicate an advertisement message over the control plane to discover the at least one neighboring network device prior to the communication of the status inquiry messages over the forwarding plane. The network devices may negotiate communication parameters for the exchange of status inquiry messages with the at least one network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: Haldon Sandick, Matthew Squire, Bradley Cain, Ian Duncan, Brian Haberman
  • Patent number: 8305884
    Abstract: Systems and methods for self-healing Ethernet topologies which are compatible with PBT, which use standards-based protocols, which do not self-configure, and which use Ethernet OAM are provided. Interconnected nodes are configured with a primary and secondary path which is determined by VLANs, MPLS label, Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) VLAN ID (VID), Frame Relay (FR), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Virtual Circuits (VCs), and the like. One or more head-end nodes are designated for terminating each path and for performing cross-connects between the primary and secondary paths. IEEE 802.1ag Continuity Check Messages (CCM) are transmitted by all nodes on both the primary and secondary routes. Responsive to a loss of a predetermined number of CCM messages, traffic is switched to the secondary route. In non-fault conditions, both the paths for the primary and secondary routes can carry traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Morteza Ghodrat, Michael Gazier, Ian Duncan
  • Patent number: 8184526
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) extensions to provide a CFM messaging mechanism for support of information exchange and the like, in addition to end-to-end connectivity and fault management. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention utilizes CFM extensions to provide Pseudowire (PW) MAC addressing. Here, the present invention can enable the exchanging of MAC addresses and other attributes for PDH pseudowire transport. Advantageously, this avoids involving the OSS/EMS/NMS in pre-provisioning these necessary but arbitrary attributes across the network elements supporting a pseudowire service. Also, the present invention can be extended to support numerous other applications involving sharing of attributes between nodes over the extensions provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Duncan, Daniel Rivaud, Raghuraman Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20110289150
    Abstract: A method and an agent (500) are provided for the management and control of data files, in particular, the management of shared documents across a network to enable collaboration between users. The agent (500) comprises a collaborative event manager (180) to detect changes made to an open copy of the file that is associated with a first client device (100); a network manager (155) to determine whether a connection can be made with one or more further clients devices (130) connected to a network (120); and an offline manager (170) couplable to the network manager (155) to persist changes detected by the collaborative event manager (180) when a connection cannot be made; wherein the network manager (155) is adapted to selectively transmit the changes across the network (120) to one or more of the said further client devices (130) when a connection can be made, thereby instructing one or more respective agents to apply said changes to respective copies of said file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: QUOLOS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jasper Westaway, John Richard Boyle, Ian Duncan Davies
  • Publication number: 20100268571
    Abstract: The method comprises defining a group having at least one member that has a knowledge of the selected subject. A personal agent is provided for each member of the group. The personal agent is configured to discover an availability of the corresponding member through selected availability policies submitted to the personal agent. A group agent is provided for the group configured to communicate with at least one personal agent in the group to report on the availability of the corresponding members of the group. An availability of at least one member of the group to communicate with a user about the selected subject over the digital communication network is determined using the group agent. The availability of the at least one member of the group is reported to enable the user to determine the availability of the group to communicate about the selected subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Jim Davies, Andrew Ian Duncan, David Smith
  • Publication number: 20100238791
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) extensions to provide a CFM messaging mechanism for support of information exchange and the like, in addition to end-to-end connectivity and fault management. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention utilizes CFM extensions to provide Pseudowire (PW) MAC addressing. Here, the present invention can enable the exchanging of MAC addresses and other attributes for PDH pseudowire transport. Advantageously, this avoids involving the OSS/EMS/NMS in pre-provisioning these necessary but arbitrary attributes across the network elements supporting a pseudowire service. Also, the present invention can be extended to support numerous other applications involving sharing of attributes between nodes over the extensions provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Ian DUNCAN, Daniel Rivaud, Raghuraman Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20090201988
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for video processing, such as transcoding, storage, quality testing, and the like, in network edge devices. The present invention embeds various video processing capabilities within a network to provide advantages, such as superior per-user video handling, reduced network bandwidth, increased service offerings, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Gazier, Ian Duncan, Daniel Rivaud
  • Publication number: 20090141703
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes specific referential tables for forwarding decisions while maintaining current mechanisms of Ethernet addressing and QoS marking. The referential tables are utilized for forwarding decisions based on any and/or multiple fields within the packets simultaneously, such as, for example, incoming port number, incoming MAC, incoming VLAN, outgoing MAC, outgoing VLAN, P-bits, DSCP, MPLS label, TCP/UDP port numbers, IP, SIP, HTTP, and the like. A user can define the forwarding criteria based on any combination/permutation fields in the packet. Advantageously, the present invention removes the need to introduce explicit tunnel labels in the Ethernet frame in order to maintain the desired QoS within the network removing explicit labeling requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Morteza Ghodrat, Michael Gazier, Ian Duncan
  • Publication number: 20090073988
    Abstract: Systems and methods for self-healing Ethernet topologies which are compatible with PBT, which use standards-based protocols, which do not self-configure, and which use Ethernet OAM are provided. Interconnected nodes are configured with a primary and secondary path which is determined by VLANs, MPLS label, Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) VLAN ID (VID), Frame Relay (FR), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Virtual Circuits (VCs), and the like. One or more head-end nodes are designated for terminating each path and for performing cross-connects between the primary and secondary paths. IEEE 802.1ag Continuity Check Messages (CCM) are transmitted by all nodes on both the primary and secondary routes. Responsive to a loss of a predetermined number of CCM messages, traffic is switched to the secondary route. In non-fault conditions, both the paths for the primary and secondary routes can carry traffic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Morteza Ghodrat, Michael Gazier, Ian Duncan
  • Patent number: 7416744
    Abstract: The invention relates inter alia to pharmaceutical compositions containing an extract obtainable from a plant of the genus Trichocaulon or Hoodia having anti-diabetic activity; and to the use of such extracts and to compound (1) as herein defined and its analogues for the manufacture of medicaments having anti-diabetic activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Rubin, Jasjit Singh Bindra, Michael Anthony Cawthorne
  • Patent number: 7366701
    Abstract: A copyright protection scheme downloads data from a server, typically over the World Wide Web to a client for presentation to a user. The downloaded data is cryptographically protected, by encryption and hashing. When displayed by the client, storing and copying functions are selectively disabled in respect of the data, in order to prevent unauthorized copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: British Telecommunications public limited company
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Bramhill, Matthew Robert Charles Sims
  • Patent number: 7275455
    Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a method for the control of a gear engagement mechanism of an automated multiple-ratio transmission having at least one drive shaft and at least one output shaft, including assigning a synchronizer to at least one gear step, applying a load to the synchronizer in order to engage or disengage a gear step of the transmission, and varying the load that is applied to the synchronizer as a function of the service life of the transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventor: Ian Duncan Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7105558
    Abstract: Compounds of the formula (I) or (II) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are ligands at gastrin and/or chole-cystokinin receptors n is from 1 to 4; R4 is C1 to C15 hydrocarbyl wherein up to two C atoms may optionally be replaced by N, O and/or S atoms and up to three H atoms may optionally be replaced by halogen atoms; Z is —(NR5)a—CO—(NR6)b-(wherein a is 0 or 1, b is 0 or 1, and R5 and R6 are independently selected from H, Me, Et, Pr, Bn), —CO—NR5—CH2—CO—NR6—, —CO—O—, —CH2—CH2—, —CH?CH—, CH2—NR6— or a bond; Q is R7V, or(a) wherein R7 is —CH2—; —CH2—; or(b) R7 and R6, together with the nitrogen atom to which R6 is attached, form a piperidine or pyrrolidine ring which is substituted by V; V is —CO—NH—SO2-Ph, —SO2—NH—CO-Ph, CH2OH, or a group of the formula —R8U, (wherein U is —COOH, tetrazolyl, —CONHOH— or —SO3H; and R8 is a bond; C1 to C6 hydrocarbylene, optionally substituted by hydroxy, amino or acetamino; —O—(C1 to C3 alkylene)-; —SO2NR9—CHR10—; —CO—NR9—CHR10—, R9 and R10 being independently se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: The James Black Foundation Limited
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Linney, Iain Mair McDonald
  • Patent number: 7079649
    Abstract: A copyright protection scheme downloads data from a server, typically over the World Wide Web to a client for presentation to a user. The downloaded data is cryptographically protected, by encryption and hashing. When displayed by the client, storing and copying functions are selectively disabled in respect of the data, in order to prevent unauthorized copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: British Telecommunications public limited company
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Bramhill, Matthew Robert Charles Sims
  • Patent number: 7033616
    Abstract: The invention relates inter alia to pharmaceutical compositions containing an extract obtainable from a plant of the genus Trichocaulon or Hoodia having anti-diabetic activity; and to the use of such extracts and to compound (1) as herein defined and its analogues for the manufacture of medicaments having anti-diabetic activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Phytopharm PLC
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Rubin, Jasjit Singh Bindra, Michael Anthony Cawthorne
  • Publication number: 20050095706
    Abstract: A method of differentiating embryonic stem cells into neural and motor cells is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention comprises culturing a population of cells comprising a majority of cells that are characterized by an early rosette morphology and are Sox1?/Pax6+ in the presence of FGF2, FGF4, FGF8, FGF 9, or RA wherein the cells are characterized by an neural tube-like rosette morphology and are Pax6+/Sox1+.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Su-Chun Zhang, James Thomson, Ian Duncan, Xue-jun Li
  • Patent number: 6878736
    Abstract: Compounds of formula (I) (and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof) are histamine H3 receptor ligands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: James Black Foundation Limited
    Inventors: Sarkis Barret Kalindjian, Ildiko Maria Buck, Ian Duncan Linney, Gillian Fairfull Watt, Elaine Anne Harper, Nigel Paul Shankley
  • Publication number: 20030195856
    Abstract: A copyright protection scheme is provided in which data is downloaded from a server 1, typically over the World Wide Web 2 to a client 3, for presentation to a user. The downloaded data is cryptographically protected, by encryption and hashing. When displayed by the client, storing and copying functions are selectively disabled in respect of the data, in order to to prevent unauthorised copying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Ian Duncan Bramhill, Matthew Robert Charles Sims