Patents by Inventor John C. Beer

John C. Beer 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: 7551647
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable the synchronization of clocks across packet switched networks, such as the Internet, sufficient to drive a jitter buffer and other quality-of-service related buffering. Packet time stamps referenced to a local clock create a phase offset signal. A shortest-delay offset generator uses a moving-window filter to select the samples of the phase offset signal having the shortest network propagation delay within the window. This shortest network propagation delay filter minimizes the effect of network jitter under the assumption that queuing delays account for most of the network jitter. The addition of this filtered phase offset signal to a free-running local clock creates a time reference that is synchronized to the remote clock at the source thus allowing for the transport of audio, video, and other time-sensitive real-time signals with minimal latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Qvidium Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Fellman, John C. Beer
  • Patent number: 7539187
    Abstract: A forward error correction (FEC) encoding system and method optimized for protecting real-time audio-video streams for transmission over packet-switched networks with minimal latency. Embodiments of this invention provide bandwidth-efficient and low-latency FEC for both variable and constant bit-rate MPEG-encoded audio and video streams. To maximize bandwidth-efficiency and playable frame rate for recovered media streams, embodiments of the invention may sort packets by content type and aggregate them into FEC blocks weighted by sensitivity in the recovered stream to packet loss of a particular content type. Embodiments of this invention may use temporal constraints to limit FEC block size and thereby facilitate their use in the transport of VBR streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Qvidium Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Fellman, John C. Beer
  • Patent number: 7522528
    Abstract: An Automatic Repeat request (ARQ) error correction method optimized for protecting real-time audio-video streams for transmission over packet-switched networks. Embodiments of this invention provide bandwidth-efficient and low-latency ARQ for both variable and constant bit-rate audio and video streams. Embodiments of this invention use timing constraints to limit ARQ latency and thereby facilitate the use of ARQ packet recovery for the transport of both constant bit rate and variable bit rate media streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: QVidium Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Fellman, John C. Beer
  • Publication number: 20090070844
    Abstract: Enables video over IP distribution system and method that multicasts or broadcasts IP messages over a local layer 2 network (generally for example in a known local network, e.g., a network within an Internet service provider or video provider) to eliminate intermediate replication servers. The system thus utilizes a flat architecture that distributes the same number of video streams as pyramid architectures, but utilizes less hardware, e.g., less replication servers and less network switches. Systems may be configured to transmit multiple versions of the same broadcast, for example at different sizes, resolutions or aspect ratios or at different bit rates or any combination thereof. Groupings of the system allow for customized broadcast of the same video. With respect to quality of service, various clock synchronization, forward error correction (FEC), automatic repeat request (ARQ) methods and systems may be utilized to provide higher quality of service for any embodiment of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: John C. BEER, Ronald D. Fellman
  • Patent number: 5864676
    Abstract: A universal resource locator ("URL") login system. The invention makes full use of the internet/intranet concept by using a URL instead of a specific home directory as a fixed location to control and access a login function. The URL login function causes objects to be collected from various locations on a network and brought to a local client computer system where they are rendered. The content of one URL may reference another URL, so that a compound object is created comprising a collection of objects drawn from various storage locations on a network. The invention permits a user to access the user's private information and personal desktop no matter where the user is located. Accordingly, a user can use public computer systems to fully access private networks. Upon a successful login, the invention fetches objects from remote locations and instantiates them locally for the duration of the user's session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: TriTeal Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Beer, Timothy T. Kraft, Steven K. Beal, Steven C. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5793368
    Abstract: A method and system for allowing a user to retrieve a user interface and a visual style from a local or remote storage unit, rapidly display the visual stylized user interface, and dynamically switch between visual styles, without comprising security over a network system. Once displayed, the user can customize or configure the visual style of the user interface. The invention includes a programmable graphics user interface (PGUI). The PGUI is initialized to a default visual style or to a user's preferred style when the user logs onto a network system. In the preferred embodiment, after proper login, a user interface, stored on a server as a description in a text-based User Interface Language (UIL), is transferred to user's client system. The PGUI parses the UIL description and creates the user interface controls defined in the description. The PGUI then uses the currently selected visual style to display the user interface, and then reads any content (e.g., text, images, or other content) for the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: TriTeal Corporation
    Inventor: John C. Beer
  • Patent number: 5458642
    Abstract: This invention comprises of a synthetic intervertebral disc for implantation in the human body. The disc, in its preferred embodiment, is comprised of disc-shaped plates 11(a&b) joined by springs along the inside of the outer perimeter. The plates have oval-like cutouts in their centers for a compressible polymeric core 12 to protrude from on top and bottom. The polymeric core 12 aids in the fitting of the device between the concave surfaces of two vertebrae. An elastomeric covering 14 encircles the area between the plates and is connected to the plates 11(a&b) on top and bottom to prevent body tissues from interfering with the movement of the springs 13(a-i). The spring system distributes forces acting on the disc between the springs and allows normal movement of the vertebrae during flexion and extension of the spine in any direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Inventors: John C. Beer, Jacqueline M. Beer